How to look after porcelain jewellery
Porcelain is a very hardy material. In it’s original form as soft clay, its very malleable, but once fired, the physical transformation makes it incredibly hard, tough, but potentially fragile.
For my porcelain jewellery pieces that are set in sterling silver, the silver offers a protective edge. To keep the porcelain clean, with it’s original vibrancy, you can just occasionally wash it with a soapy water solution. Any dirt or grime between the silver and the porcelain can be gently removed by a soft brush or something similar.
To bring the original shine back to the sterling silver, a surprisingly simple trick works wonders. Take a little Tomato Sauce (or perhaps for my overseas clients, some ketchup) and gently polish the silver with the sauce. As you polish it will remove the tarnished silver and once washed with clean water, you will be left with a delightful shining piece of sterling silver. Pat dry with a soft cloth to prevent water stains.
Looking after porcelain windchimes
My porcelain windchimes are created with a coloured porcelain (clay) To a white porcelain I add sufficient coloured oxide to obtain the colour that I desire, and then I can shape the clay to the correct piece for the windchime.
As the colour is mixed throughout the porcelain, it can’t fade, be rubbed off, or scratched away. If it becomes dirty or dusty, cleaning it is a simple as a mild detergent solution in warm water and a soft brush to clean the porcelain. Rinse with clean water and pat dry with a soft cloth to make sure any residual water doesn’t leave a mark.
The clear strings that the porcelain pieces (teardrop, gumnut etc) hang from will yellow with exposure to UV light in sunlight. Unfortunately it can’t be avoided, but if you feel it needs to be replaced, please send the windchime back to me and I’ll replace the strings free of charge. Contact me first and we’ll discuss the best way to do this.