I have enjoyed using the Pandora Care Kit currently available in Canada. It contains a clasp opener, a brush, two polishing cloths, two pouches and a care guide. Not everyone bothers to read how to look after their Pandora jewelry but it is really, really critical in order to keep it looking shiny and untarnished. I have purchased pre-loved charms and much to my dismay, they have arrived completely ruined by improper cleaning. In general, washing silver charms with a mild dish soap solution, rinsing and then polishing with a Pandora polishing cloth is the only method I use. There are exceptions when it comes to pearls, other metals (such as Pandora Rose), glass, wood, and leather, etc.
Following the care and cleaning instructions given on the Pandora website and in the catalogues is always very important to ensure the proper maintenance of your special bracelets and charms. Some guidelines include:
POLISH frequently with a soft polishing cloth to maintain the shine. A polishing cloth won’t remove scratches, so it’s important that you protect your jewellery. You can buy polishing cloths and care kits from your local Pandora store.
• STORE jewellery separately in a tarnish-resistant jewellery box or jewellery pouch and keep it away from abrasive surfaces.
• SHADE freshwater cultured pearls and leather from direct sunlight or strong lighting, to prevent fading.
• HANDLE jewellery with love and care, especially freshwater cultured pearls, mother of pearl, glass charms and charms made entirely of a stone (with a metal core). Be extra careful not to drop them on the floor or knock them against hard surfaces as this could hurt their delicate structures.
• REMOVE jewellery prior to swimming, bathing and doing sports or other physical activity.
• LIMIT CONTACT with make-up, creams, perfume and lotions.
• AVOID silver dips, polishing liquids, ultrasonic cleaning and strong chemicals.
• TAKE CARE OF the hidden silicone grips that some designs feature to keep jewellery fixed in perfect position. They are sensitive, so don’t use the dips and chemicals we mention above or expose them to extreme hot or cold temperatures. This could weaken the silicone’s gripping ability.
• GET AN ANNUAL SERVICE: If you wear your jewellery a lot, it’s a good idea to take it to a goldsmith at least once a year so they can check the clasps, mountings and soldered details.
Cleaning
The cleaning instructions describe and outline care for all Pandora jewellery and collections, from Moments to Pandora ESSENCE COLLECTION and Pandora Reflexions.
Choose the care instructions based on the metal of your jewellery and its embellishments.
Recently, Pandora came out with a liquid Care Kit. I was very interested in buying it because I had a couple stubborn 'used' charms that I felt could use some extra cleaning. Unfortunately, for some reason the cleaning kit is not available in Canada but I was able to pick one up during a recent vacation in the States. I was so excited to try it out and am quite happy with the results. The kit contains a plastic container of cleaning solution (with a dip basket within), a cloth, brush, and instructions. The jewelry is soaked for 2 minutes, brushed and polished. The liquid smells very pleasant and I think it worked well. This is a similar method to the dish soap process but very convenient to use and store. I feel confident knowing it is Pandora approved and love having the little dip basket.
Here is a before and after of a very worn charm I found for my daughter. You can see that cleaning and polishing did a nice job restoring a bit of shine to a very abused loved charm! Obviously, this is an extreme case of a tarnished and pitted charm. I did clean a few of my own charms with excellent results. The plan is to clean a few bracelets, which are in need of a deeper soak, this week and I look forward to using this new kit.
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