Jewellery Care

Your Castro Smith piece is crafted to last a lifetime, and whilst fine jewellery is durable, it is also delicate and should be treated with care and respect. All jewellery will naturally wear and change with use over time. Your piece will evolve and transform, its character will change as you wear it. Sometimes the engraving becomes more visible, and it can also become slightly darker inside, as it collects some ‘life'. Scratches and small dents are not considered a defect, but just a sign of normal wear and tear.

Most of our jewellery is designed to be worn every day but depending on the metal variations we may recommend your piece is more suitable as ‘occasion wear’.

When you are not wearing your piece, we recommend all jewellery should be kept in a dark and dry place, ideally a jewellery box or the box that your piece came in.

Precious metals and plating can be affected by chemicals such as perfumes, body lotions, sun creams and cleaning products. Putting on your jewellery once you have finished dressing will minimise the effects of these chemicals and we suggest you remove rings when cleaning, washing up etc. 

How can I take care of my sterling silver jewellery?

When you are not wearing your silver jewellery, store it in a cool and dry place. Silver can become discoloured if submerged in chlorinated water, so it's always best to take it off before going swimming or bathing.

How can I look after the plating/coating on my jewellery?

Most of our jewellery is plated or coated with either ceramic, rhodium or 18ct/24ct gold plate. When any plating is on the outer surface of the ring (eg. Not in the engravings) it tends to scratch over time – this applies mainly to rings due to the impact they take on a day to day basis. We would advise if you have this type of ring to ensure you take off the piece when cleaning and when using skin products etc and we suggest that you treat it as occasion wear. We do not accept repairs for worn plating so please take extra care with these types of pieces. 

Ceramic is a very durable material that is resistant to colour fading but care should be taken when wearing, storing and cleaning. Contact with perfumes, oils and cleaning agents should be avoided to prevent discolouration and damage. Ceramic in jewellery may also crack, chip, or break if it is exposed to too much moisture, dropped onto or knocked against a hard surface or the jewellery is bent or warped out of shape.

If your ring only has plating inside the engravings you can wear your ring every day, but we would still suggest removing it when using any cleaning or skincare products.

How do I clean my jewellery?        

If you've exposed your jewellery to water or chemicals from everyday products or it's getting dirt stuck in the engravings, simply polishing your jewellery with a microfibre cloth will restore your piece to its original state. A good way to get the dirt out of the engravings is to lightly use soapy water and a soft toothbrush.

Cleaning of ceramic plating can be done with a soft-bristled toothbrush and warm water but please be as gentle as possible. Standard chemical jewellery cleaning products or ultrasonic cleansers should never be used.

Materials & Ethics

We are committed to sourcing ethical and sustainable materials. We carefully select each of the suppliers we use and hand-select each stone to ensure quality. We are keen to maintain the highest level of craftsmanship and make sure that customers are delighted with their piece of jewellery.

If you are looking for a certified stone please contact us and we will be able to source one for you.

Ring Sizing

Ensuring your ring is the perfect fit is extremely important to us. Please have your finger accurately measured at a local jeweller before confirming it with us. Be aware that if you are feeling too hot, or too cold, this can affect your finger size so please keep this in mind when taking your size.

Alternatively, once your commission is confirmed and if you can get to London, you can visit us in the studio and we will take your ring size.

Have any more questions? Drop us an email at kobayashi@castrosmith.com