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> Tom Ferrero Studio > Care & Maintenance
Care & Maintenance |  | | | Silver Snowflake dangle earrings. Sterling silver with four Swiss blue topaz. $275 |
CLEANING
The jewelry I create will last for many, many years to come if cared for properly. For the most part maintenance of the jewelry can be handled just like any other gold or silver jewelry by using polishing cloths or jewelry cleaners to remove body oils and dirt. A soft tooth brush and dish soap works well too. However to remove tarnish, this is what I found works best:
It's a fact of life that anything made of silver will eventually tarnish due to a chemical reaction between the metal, the air and one's skin. To keep my pieces looking shiny I have found the best product to use is "Tarn-X." This liquid comes in a black bottle and is sold in most department stores and some grocery stores.
Wearing rubber gloves dip a Q-tip into the Tarn-X and gently wipe your jewelry. The darker discoloration should disappear before your eyes. For the cables (necklaces) much of my work is strung on you can submerge one end of the cable at a time in the bottle while holding the other end. Allow each side to soak in the solution for up to 30 seconds (Do NOT leave in for more than 30 seconds as this can have negative effects). Rinse it with soapy water and dab it dry with a paper towel. Never wipe your cable as it may cause distortion of the finely wound wires. Any part of the jewelry that is cleaned with the Tarn-X should be rinsed well in soapy water and dabbed dry. You may notice water has collected inside the "hollow bead" style of jewelry I create. Look closely, I have made a small drill hole somewhere in the piece for just this purpose. If water has collected inside your piece after rinsing simply twist the end of a paper towel and insert it in the hole. This will draw the water out and let the piece dry completely. (Tarn-X can also be used on copper and gold).
NECKLACE DIRECTIONS
The cables much of my jewelry is strung on is one of the few things I don't personally make. Two friends of mine in Louisiana designed and make them and I have been working with them for many years . I have found the cables to not only be incredibly strong but also elegant since the bayonet clasp is nearly invisible! While it takes a little practice learning how to latch it, once you get use to it you'll never go back to traditional hook clasps.
To Open: Gently push the two ends together and turn counter clockwise (like opening a medicine bottle). Be careful not to let the bead or pendent slide off the end of the necklace.
To Close: Allow the male end of the clasp to find its way into the female end. THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY FORCE. If the male end does not go in smoothly simply turn it slowly until it does. There is a small spring inside the clasp and you should be able to feel it bounce. Once the male end is inserted, gently push and turn the end clockwise. The necklace should now be locked. There should be a small gap between the two ends about a finger nail in thickness.
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> Tom Ferrero Studio > Care & Maintenance
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