Create beaded jewellery for pleasure purposes and you’ll want to wear it as often as you can. This could be a problem if your beads are tarnished or they are less than perfect for whatever reason, so look after them and try some of our suggestions from the Bead Shop.
Store beads safely – One of the simplest ways you can look after your beaded jewellery is to store it away when it’s not being worn. This could be inside a jewellery box for example, just try to avoid it getting tangled up with other bracelets and necklaces. A good solution is to place beads inside a small plastic bag before you put it away, this should prevent any problems.
Shy away from sunlight – Avoid over-exposure to UV rays, this can affect the colour and the properties of the beads. Leave your beads exposed to the sunlight for a prolonged period of time and they could fade or the plastic might show signs of distress.
Avoid extreme heat sources – Keep your beaded jewellery well away from radiators and other heat sources, extreme levels of heat aren’t good for beads. Cracks can appear in beads that are over exposed to heat sources, or their colours start to lose their lustre and signs of tarnishing might appear.
Take care near water - Take your beaded jewellery off if you are taking a shower or bath, avoid swimming in beads as well. Water can weaken the threads the beads are mounted on and this might cause them to snap.
Remove beads before retiring to bed – Get into the habit of removing your beaded necklaces and bracelets before you snuggle down for the evening. If you are an awkward sleeper and tend to toss and turn at night, you could catch your jewellery and cause it to break without even knowing about it.
Follow these simple care tips and your beads will bring plenty of pleasure to your life.