Sterling Silver: Silver jewellery can develop a patina if it is not worn regularly which may cause it to turn dark or blackish over time. This is totally natural and can easily be removed by using our little blue polishing cloth that we have included in your parcel; it works like a charm!

MERMAID NOTE: Always be careful when using the cleaning cloth not to rub on plated silver jewellery, as you could potentially take the plating right off your jewellery item.

Gemstones: If your gemstones are looking dull use an old toothbrush, lukewarm water and a small dollop of Handy Andy cream to clean behind the gemstones. Once it is clean, rinse thoroughly with clean running water and dry it with a soft cloth.

MERMAID NOTES: Pearls, opals and emeralds do NOT like cleaners or chemicals. PLEASE never use Handy Andy or jewellery cleaner on these precious beauties.

Each of your rings should be stored separately; not in a bunch, because they can scratch each other. Different gemstones have different hardness’s, and when they rub against each other harder stones and metals can scratch softer stones.

We also recommend storing your necklaces separately. A straw is a great way to separate your necklaces; simply thread the necklace through the straw and clasp it closed. When necklaces are in a bunch, they do become tangled easily and this can lead to undue stress on the links, causing breakages. We also don’t recommend that you sleep with your chain on, as this can also lead to an increased chance of breakage.

We find storing earrings through the holes of a button works really well to protect the posts and to keep them together – and it helps keep the butterfly together with the earring!

Of course, you could also purchase one of our Treasure Troves to store your BLING in!!

Plating is a thin metal coating over a Sterling Silver base metal, and it is NOT permanent. It does fade over time, depending on how often the piece is worn and can also be affected by chemicals such as chlorine, detergents and general day-to-day wear. Plating can also be affected by skin acidity and regular rubbing/cleaning of jewellery that can shorten its lifespan.

Luckily, when the plating fades, the piece will merely go back to Sterling Silver and can be re-plated at any time.

Keep your skin dry when wearing plated jewellery. Remove your rings before showering, sleeping, exercising, strenuous activities, or when using cleaning products.

Don’t panic if you have the “green finger effect” — it is merely a reaction to the copper alloy in the Sterling Silver that takes place, especially if you have high body acidity. It happens to about 2-3% of people and this percentage is increasing due to the increase of chemicals in our environment, medications we take and the foods we eat.

Metals naturally develop a surface of patina over time, caused by oxygen, perfumes and skin acidity. Silver jewellery also develops patina if it’s not worn regularly. You can use a soft cloth and some Handy Andy cream to clean most pieces of jewellery, with the EXCEPTION of pearls, opals and emeralds. Please DO NOT use this method to clean these precious gems.

We LOVE to customise! While ALL our pieces ARE unique, sometimes a mermazing client wants something personalised or different to our offering.

What is the difference between custom BLING and ready-to-wear BLING?

A BLING piece that is available as is on our website we consider READY TO WEAR.

Any BLING that needs altering or if you require a completely unique design (like our gem clusters), we consider CUSTOM BLING

I WANT a custom design!!

Mermaid, we’ve got you!

You can book a consultation with Janine via our BOOK A CONSULT page or by emailing the studio.

If you are looking for a custom ready-to-wear piece, you can book a consultation with one of the studio mermaids.

Breathing new life into tired BLING is what we love best!!! We think that to be able to create something new from the old is to honour the existence of your BLING. There is nothing better than giving a sentimental piece of history a new way to carry her story! Swim over to BOOK A CONSULT and let’s dive in!

Yes mermaid, it does. Your jewellery needs to be serviced to check for loose stones and to ensure your settings are secure. We recommend having your fine jewellery serviced at least once a year, and of course, with gold-plated pieces, it’s important to remember gold plating does fade over time as it reverts back to Sterling Silver, which we can replate for you. Please pop us a mail at customerlove@janinebinneman.com for service fees.