How to Care for Your MUSE Jewelry

Keep Your Jewelry Looking Fresh, Always

Fine jewelry is made to be worn, but even the best materials need a little care. At MUSE of My Own, our pieces are crafted in precious metals including solid gold, sterling silver, and gold vermeil. Each material has its own beauty, durability, and care needs. With the right habits, your jewelry can stay in your everyday rotation for longer, looking beautiful through all the little moments of life.

Everyday Care

The easiest way to keep your jewelry looking its best is to be gentle with it. Put your jewelry on last, after perfume, skincare, body lotion, makeup, sunscreen, and hair products. These can leave residue on the surface of your pieces and slowly dull their shine. Take your jewelry off before showering, swimming, sleeping, cleaning, or working out. Water itself is not always the problem, but soap, chlorine, salt, sweat, friction, and chemicals can affect the finish over time, especially on gold vermeil and sterling silver. When you are not wearing your jewelry, store each piece separately in a dry place. A soft pouch, jewelry box, or separate compartment helps prevent scratches, tangling, and unnecessary rubbing between pieces.

How to Care for Solid Gold Jewelry

Solid gold is our most durable material. Because the gold runs all the way through the piece, there is no surface layer that can rub off. That said, solid gold still deserves care. Daily wear can leave behind residue from skincare, soap, perfume, and natural oils. Over time, you may also notice tiny surface scratches or a softer patina. This is completely normal for real gold and can usually be refreshed with gentle cleaning or professional polishing.

To clean solid gold jewelry at home, use warm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth or very soft brush. Gently clean the piece, rinse carefully, and dry it fully before storing. Avoid abrasive cleaners, toothpaste, bleach, alcohol, and harsh chemicals, as they can dull the finish or affect stones and settings.

Can Solid Gold Tarnish

Solid gold does not tarnish in the same way as sterling silver or base metals. It also will not fade like plated jewelry, because it is not covered with a thin gold layer. If your solid gold jewelry starts to look dull, it is usually because of residue from products, soap, or everyday wear. A gentle clean will usually bring back the shine.

Some gold alloys can occasionally leave a light mark on the skin, especially when mixed with sweat, lotions, or cosmetics. This does not mean the piece is fake or damaged. It is usually caused by a reaction between natural skin oils, beauty products, and the alloy metals that make gold stronger for everyday wear. The mark can be washed off with soap and water.

How to Care for Gold Vermeil Jewelry

Gold vermeil gives you the look of gold with a sterling silver base, making it a beautiful and more accessible way to wear fine jewelry. Unlike standard gold plating, gold vermeil uses sterling silver as the base metal. However, because the gold is still a layer over silver, it needs more care than solid gold. With frequent exposure to water, sweat, perfume, lotion, cleaning products, or friction, the gold layer can wear over time.

To keep your gold vermeil jewelry beautiful for longer, avoid wearing it in the shower, pool, sea, gym, or while sleeping. Put it on after your beauty routine and take it off before activities that involve moisture, heat, or repeated rubbing. To clean gold vermeil, gently wipe the piece with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. Avoid soaking, scrubbing, steam cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners, silver dips, and abrasive polishing cloths, as these may affect the gold layer. With proper care, gold vermeil can stay beautiful for a long time. The key is gentle wear, gentle cleaning, and dry storage.

Does Gold Vermeil Tarnish or Fade?

Gold vermeil can naturally change over time, especially when exposed to moisture, air, perfume, sweat, pollution, or products containing chemicals. This does not mean the piece was poorly made. It is simply the nature of a gold layer over sterling silver. Proper care helps slow down this process and keep the finish looking beautiful for longer. If your vermeil piece starts to look dull, gently wipe it with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid over-polishing, as too much pressure can wear down the gold layer.

How to Care for Sterling Silver Jewelry

Sterling silver is a precious metal made mostly from pure silver, with a small amount of alloy added for strength. It is loved for its cool shine, timeless look, and everyday wearability. Sterling silver can naturally tarnish over time. This happens when silver reacts with air, moisture, sweat, perfume, skincare, or certain materials in the environment. Tarnish is normal and does not mean your jewelry is damaged.

To care for sterling silver, store it in a dry place away from humidity. Avoid keeping it in the bathroom, where moisture can speed up tarnishing. After wearing, wipe your silver jewelry gently with a soft cloth to remove oils and residue. If tarnish appears, use a polishing cloth made for sterling silver and buff gently. Do not use silver polishing products on gold vermeil, pearls, or delicate stones unless the product is clearly safe for that material.

Does Sterling Silver Tarnish?

Yes, sterling silver can tarnish naturally over time. This is one of the normal characteristics of silver. The good news is that tarnish is usually easy to clean. Regular gentle wiping, dry storage, and occasional polishing can help your sterling silver pieces keep their shine.

  • How to Clean Your Jewelry at Home

    For solid gold and sterling silver, mix a small amount of mild soap with warm water. Gently clean the jewelry with your fingers, a soft cloth, or a very soft brush. Rinse carefully and dry completely before storing.

    For gold vermeil, avoid soaking. Use a soft, dry cloth to gently remove oils and residue. If needed, use a slightly damp cloth, then dry immediately.

    Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive cleaners, toothpaste, baking soda, bleach, alcohol, steam cleaners, and strong jewelry dips. Gentle care is always the safest choice.

  • When to Get Professional Care

    For pieces you wear often, especially rings, chains, earrings, and gemstone styles, a professional check-up can help keep them in good condition. A jeweler can check that stones are secure, clean areas that are hard to reach at home, and polish solid gold pieces when needed. For delicate pieces, professional care is especially helpful because it avoids accidental damage from over-cleaning at home.

  • Quick Care Guide

    Solid gold: Most durable. Clean with warm water, mild soap, and a soft cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals to keep the finish bright.

    Gold vermeil: More delicate. Keep away from water, sweat, perfume, lotion, and friction. Wipe gently with a soft, dry cloth.

    Sterling silver: Durable, but can tarnish naturally. Store dry and polish gently with a silver cloth when needed.