03 Feb 2016
With a small amount of maintenance, your jade necklace will last for generations and become more beautiful as time passes. Below are some recommendations to help you clean and care for your jade necklace.
After carving a piece, we soak it in oil to bring out the beautiful colours and features of the stone. When you regularly wear your piece, it will rarely lose this sheen from the initial oiling because the oils from your skin soak into the stone when you wear it, maintaining the sheen.
However, over time, your jade can start to look a bit dull or you might notice "whiter" areas that look dry. Don't worry, there are actions you can take to restore its shine.
All jade is porous, and some parts of the stone are more porous than others, making it harder for these parts to retain oil. We recommend oiling your necklace when you notice these "dry spots". You can do this by using a paper towel to dab a light, odourless oil (canola or lanolin is good) onto the carving and rub it all over. Avoid getting it directly on the cord. Leave the stone covered in oil for 5-10 minutes. Then use a dry paper towel to remove all the oil from the stone.
Although you will not damage your stone if you wear it in water, such as when showering or swimming, it can lead to the stone becoming dry, meaning you will need to oil it more frequently.
Most of the pieces we carve come with a waxed polyester cord which should hold its waxy feel for a long time. However, if you do feel your cord is becoming dry, you can use beeswax to restore its original waxy feel and extend the lifetime of the cord.
It may be an obvious care guideline, but you would be surprised at how many people manage to drop or bang their necklaces on a hard surface. Here are a few basic rules to minimise the risk:
The lower you wear the necklace around your neck, the further it can swing out from your body when you move, making it more likely to swing into bench tops or walls. Wear it higher on the neck to ensure it's safe.
We understand that you want to proudly display your jade necklace so it is visible to others, but those who wear it under their clothing are less likely to bang it and cause damage. If you love wearing your necklace outside your clothing, remember to tuck it away when you're active, such as moving around the house or playing sports.
One of the most common reasons for stone breakage is when people remove their necklace over a hard surface, such as bathroom tiles, and accidentally drop it on the floor. Be mindful that if your jade necklace is to fall from a height onto a hard surface, it will likely crack or chip.
A hint for when you are putting your necklace back on, if it has sliding knots that adjust the length of your cord rather than a toggle, make the cord as long as possible before putting it over your head and then tighten it to the desired length.
Some of our most exquisite jade stones are paired with gold and silver to enhance their beauty. You can follow the guidelines above to care for your jade, but maintaining the silver or gold component of the necklace requires different actions to stop it from tarnishing over time. Tarnishing results in a browning, dulling, or blackening of the metal and can be removed following our instructions below.
Please note that the below instructions are not suitable for some pieces including Ana Krakosky's Gold Tipped Necklaces and Earrings and should not be followed as you may rub off the gold leaf.
If the metal used in your necklace can be reached with a jewellery cloth then use it to clean the affected areas. Rubbing will remove the tarnish. You can purchase these on Amazon. If you can't reach the tarnished area with the cloth use a jewellery bath.
Jewellery baths are small plastic jars filled with a sieve and a strong solvent. Place your necklace into the sieve and then dip it in and out of the bath as many times as you need to remove the tarnish. The chemicals in the bath react with the tarnish and dissolve it. Like the cloths above these baths can also be purchased on Amazon. Re-oil the jade afterwards and don't worry about getting oil on the metal because it won't damage it.
For many of us, the value of our jade necklace is that it was given to us by someone we love, and we will cherish it for a lifetime. To help you protect your piece for a lifetime, when you purchase online, we provide an oatmeal jewellery box or pouch so you can store it safely when you're not wearing it. We are currently re-designing our oatmeal jewellery box and are proud to announce that in 2024, we will replace it with an environmentally friendly version that is made fully from cardboard, includes no plastic, and can be recycled. You can learn more about our packaging here.
We understand how upsetting it can be when your jade necklace breaks. If your jade necklace has broken, it may be possible that we can repair it. Or, you may simply need a replacement cord to begin wearing your beloved pendant again. In either case, here are some of your options.
