KMS Designs Art Jewelry Information and Resources
General information on caring for the jewelry made by Katherine Swift:
Sterling silver and resin jewelry
Once finished, Katherine's sterling silver and resin jewelry is coated with a museum quality, micro crystalline wax that makes the pieces very tarnish resistant. Pieces should be dried with a soft cloth (a cotton cloth baby diaper works well) and stored in a jewelry box or rolled up in a cloth where excess moisture can be absorbed. A piece of chalk works well in helping to retard tarnish in jewelry boses. These pieces should NEVER be placed in a tarnish remover dip as this will permanently damage the colored resin. In the event the sterling silver does require polishing, Katherine only recommends Sunshine polishing cloths or Haggerty's silversmith polish sprayed on a cloth, then rubbed on the piece.
Resin and recycled glass jewelry
The only sterling silver components of these pieces are the ear wires. They may be cleaned with a Sunshine polishing cloth or Haggerty's silversmith polish as mentioned above. The crystal clear portion should only require cleaning with a bit of soapy water should the piece become dirty. These pieces are the hardness of glass. In the event that these pieces fall on a hard surface, they may break. Please save your pieces and contact me as I can usually recast them back together.
Katherine also offers these articles as additional resources on jewelry selection and care.
As a jewelry lover, you may know that sterling silver is an affordable and beautiful metal to add to your collection. This metal is extremely versatile for all sorts of looks, from delicate to bold. With such an affordable piece of jewelry, one would think it may not be lasting, but with proper care and cleaning procedures, you can maintain your silver jewelry to last a lifetime. More
How to add charms to a charm bracelet
Need to add charms to your bracelet? Find a two pairs JEWELRY PLIERS, not a regular pliers. They can be found at most craft stores, beading shops or mass merchandisers like Wal-Mart. (Chain nose pliers are the best.) More
I know people like to buy jewelry for a gifts. Ladies always seem to enjoy having a new piece of jewelry to wear! I am happy to say that a lot of my jewelry gets bought for gifts. I wanted to share some of my thoughts and experiences with customers to help them make the best decisions for purchasing jewelry for someone else. More
Gold has always been the most popular material used in the world of jewelry. It can be of several types depending on the alloys used: yellow, white or rose gold. But no matter what type of gold jewelry you have they all need care. The ways of cleaning almost any gold jewelry is quite the same. More
Caring for and cleaning jewelry doesn’t have to be difficult, but it is important that you do so carefully to prevent damage and possibly help to ensure a longer life. Well cared for jewelry will stand the test of time and have a much nicer appearance than jewelry that is generally left to collect dust and grime without being cleaned. The exact technique you use to clean and care for your jewelry will depend on the item itself. More
How to keep sterling silver jewelry free of tarnish
In the process of designing, constructing and selling sterling silver jewelry to customers, I am often asked how to keep the jewelry clean and free of tarnish. Here are a few of my recommendations along with customer mistakes (and how to fix them!). More