Caring for silver and other frequently asked questions.
Here at NAJO we feel it is important to answer some commonly asked questions
such as - how to keep your silver jewellery clean and tarnish free? and where is
your jewellery made? We have also provided a list of terminology that can help
you when purchasing your next piece of NAJO silver jewellery.
Discussed in this section.
Caring for silver:
- What is silver tarnish and what causes it?
- Preventing silver tarnish.
- Cleaning silver tarnish.
- Other silver care tips.
Other frequently asked questions:
- Who and what is NAJO?
- Where is the jewellery manufactured?
- How is the jewellery manufactured?
- What ring sizes does NAJO provide?
- What about resizing?
- What metals do you use?
- What stones do you use?
- What other materials does NAJO use?
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What is silver tarnish & what causes it?
Tarnish is a natural process that causes a discolouration
on silver jewellery and other precious metals.
Over time silver tarnish will occur due to exposure to materials containing
sulphur and acids (such as those found in sweat and skin oils) combined with other
tarnishing agents such as oxygen, moisture and high humidity.
Medication, perfumes, beauty products, the foods we eat and the ph balance
of an individual's skin will affect the extent to which tarnish will be experienced.
It is important to clean your NAJO silver jewellery regularly
to help prevent any discolouration.
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Preventing silver tarnish:
Frequent care of your NAJO silver is the best way to prevent tarnish from forming.
When putting away your NAJO silver or any precious metal, you can give it a quick wipe
with a damp cloth (not wet) then polish with a very soft cotton or polishing cloth.
This helps to remove any oils that may have transferred from your skin or other
sources that contribute to tarnish.
Also be sure to hold the silver with a polishing cloth when storing it.
If you are washing a piece of silver be sure to use
a phosphate free detergent before storing your jewellery.
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Cleaning silver tarnish:
If your NAJO silver has been affected by silver tarnish you can try one of the
following methods:
1) Polishing Cloth
Some NAJO silver pieces can be cleaned easily by using a soft silver polishing cloth.
2) Brasso or other precious metal cleaning products.
Brasso metal polish is an easy and effective way to clean, restore and polish
your silver jewellery. Apply the Brasso to the silver and polish off with a dry soft cloth.
For more matte surfaces try a cleaner such as Hagerty Silver Foam. This is a combination cleaner and soap.
3) A silver dip of bi-carbonate of soda and warm water.
(This is a non toxic chemical free solution)
Place 2 tablespoon of bi-carb soda in a shallow bowl then pour on warm water to dissolve the bi-carb to a paste-like mixture.
Place in the silver piece and with a soft bristle toothbrush lightly polish the surface. Leave for up to an hour or until tarnish begins to fade.
Remove from the solution then wash under warm water to remove any residue from the
bi-carb soda. When done, dry with a soft cloth then clean with a polishing cloth.
Please note that different types of jewellery should be cleaned using different methods.
If you are unsure as to how to clean your NAJO silver piece, you can email us
at info@najo.com.au or you can consult a professional silversmith or jewellery repair centre.
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Other silver care tips:
- Avoid wearing silver jewellery in swimming pools as chlorine can damage silver in a short time.
Also avoid wearing silver while exercising as this will cause sweat and other
toxins which can contribute to tarnish.
- Silver polishes and dips may contain harmful chemicals. Follow instructions and heed
the manufacturer's warnings.
- Remember, silver scratches easily so always use the softest cloth you can find
to polish silver. Don't rub silver with anything other than a polishing cloth or fine
piece of felt.
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NAJO believes in the importance of caring for your silver jewellery. We hope that you will receive
years of pleasure from your NAJO piece by following the above recommendations.
Other commonly asked questions
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Who & What is NAJO?
NAJO is an importer, designer and wholesaler of quality sterling silver jewellery and has been in existence since the early 1980s.
We supply to retail customers throughout Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia and our customer base is continually growing.
NAJO jewellery and its components come from all over the world; however, the core of our range is beautiful, bold, Mexican silver.
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About NAJO jewellery.
Where is the jewellery manufactured?
An average of 50% of our jewellery is handcrafted in Mexico from
carefully selected sources. Another 30% is sourced from Italy and
other parts of europe while many of our components are sourced from
Asia.
How is the jewellery manufactured?
The majority of our jewellery is handmade. We also use casting, stamping and electroforming.
Electroforming is a technique where metal is formed (using electrodeposition, the technique
used in plating) over a base moulded object that is later removed (wax
is commonly used) leaving a light-weight but bold sturdy piece of
jewellery
.
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Ring Sizes.
What ring sizes does Najo provide?
We provide 4 base ring sizes in women's sizes.
These are based on the USA standard sizing chart:
Due to the nature of handcrafted jewellery, ring sizes can vary slightly.
If you have a query regarding a ring size contact the customer service department at Najo H/O.
What about resizing?
Najo does not resize rings. Resizing is also not recommended on electroformed rings
or pieces containing set stones.
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Tell Me More About the Jewellery.
What metals do you use?
Apart from silver, Najo uses an array of other metals. Below is a list
of some of the metals found in our range with an explanation of their
make-up.
Sterling Silver.
Najo's main source of metal is 925 sterling silver. The 925 represents as a 92.5% silver
content and a 7.5% content of other metals usually consisting of copper, zinc or platinum
which assist in strengthening the silver.
Stainless Steel.
Mainly used in men's jewellery, stainless steel is commonly defined as an iron-carbon alloy
havng a typical composition of 18% chromium and 10% nickel, best known as 18/10 stainless.
Brass.
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc usually containing up to 33% zinc. It is a mid-weight
metal that is relatively resistant to tarnishing, and is often used in decoration.
Rhodium.
A member of the platinum group, rhodium is a rare silvery-white hard metal and is one
of the most expensive metals worldwide. Found in the use of jewellery, it is used as a coating on sterling silver to strengthen
the metal from tarnish caused by the copper contained in silver.
What stones do you use?
Najo uses a variety of natural, synthetic and reconstructed stones.
Natural Stones.
Our natural stones include agate (white & black), onyx, howlite,
amethyst, carnelian, lapis, jadeite, chalcedony, amazonite, turquoise,
chrysophrase, prenite, moonstone, jasper, pearl, coral and quartz (with
colours including clear, black, smoky, pink, rutilated and green
tourmalinated).
Natural stones have a unique quality with some containing inclusions. An inclusion
is a material such as another mineral or water that is trapped during the formation
of the stone, leaving the stone with a natural and unique pattern, for example, tourmaline and rutilated quartz.
Synthetic & reconstructed stones.
Synthetic stones include cubic zirconia (CZ), which is fashioned under high temperatures
(up to 2300 degrees Celcius) and high pressure in special chamber known
as a skull crucible. Special oxides of copper, titanium, iron and
nickel are added during the final processes
to create various colours. Another is hydro-thermal quartz which is
also produced in a chamber under high temperature and pressure but
using a water base and is best described as being a 'grown' gem. A
reconstructed stone is a mixture of a natural stone crushed and mixed
with a strong acrylic resin creating an inexpensive alternative to its
costly counterpart.
Glass stones, beads and settings of various colours are also employed in some of our designs.
What other materials does Najo use?
Enamel
Enamel is a siliceous glass substance fusible upon metal. It may be transparent or opaque
but it is usually employed for its beautiful intense decorative
colour. Unlike resin, enamel has a high gloss surface but can be more
vulnerable to impact.
Resin
Polyester
resin is a thermosetting plastic derived from coal tar and petroleum
that can be coloured or used clear with objects embedded in it. Resin
can easily be poured
into a mould, allowing unusual shapes or multiple copies to be made.
The versatility of resin makes it an ideal material for creating
jewellery.
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