LAKARA JEWELRY CARE GUIDE

Lakara pieces are crafted from jewelry alloy and finished with decorative metal plating, which may include platinum, yellow gold, rose gold or ruthenium , depending on the design.

The jewelry alloy forms the structural foundation of the piece. It is selected for its stability and suitability for detailed designs and stone settings.

This is particularly important for jewelry featuring multiple stones: the structure surrounding each stone needs to maintain its shape so that the setting can perform as intended.

The plating forms the outer finish and gives the jewelry its final color, surface character and shine.

WHAT IS PLATING?

Plating is a process in which a fine layer of another metal is applied to the surface of a jewelry piece.

Depending on the design, Lakara jewelry may be finished with platinum, yellow gold, rose gold or ruthenium plating.

Plating should not be confused with solid metal. The underlying jewelry alloy provides the structure, while the plated layer creates the visible finish.

A high-quality plated surface can be highly resistant during normal, careful wear, but no plated surface is completely immune to friction or environmental exposure .

Over time, repeated contact with skin, clothing, other jewelry, hard surfaces, cosmetics, perspiration and chemicals can gradually change the appearance of the finish.

This is a normal physical characteristic of plated jewelry.

WHY JEWELRY CHANGES WITH WEAR

Jewelry is an object that constantly interacts with its environment.

Every time a piece is worn, its surface may experience:

• friction against skin and clothing;
• contact with natural skin oils;
• perspiration and humidity;
• cosmetics and skincare products;
• accidental contact with hard surfaces;
• movement between stones, settings and other jewelry.

These effects accumulate over time.

Even precious metals themselves are not indestructible. Gold is naturally a relatively soft metal , which is why gold surfaces can scratch and develop signs of wear.

Hardness, strength, scratch resistance and resistance to impact are different physical properties. No single material is completely resistant to every type of wear.

The objective of good jewelry care is therefore not to prevent all natural aging, but to minimize unnecessary mechanical and chemical stress.

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: LAST ON, FIRST OFF

Make jewelry the last thing you put on when getting ready and the first thing you remove afterwards .

Apply perfume, hairspray, makeup, sunscreen, body lotion, creams and oils before putting on your jewelry.

Allow these products to dry or absorb before the jewelry comes into contact with your skin.

This simple habit reduces unnecessary exposure of the plated surface to cosmetic ingredients.

KEEP YOUR JEWELRY DRY

Avoid prolonged or unnecessary contact with water and moisture.

Remove your jewelry before:

• showering;
• bathing;
• swimming;
• entering the sea;
• using a swimming pool;
• visiting a sauna or steam room;
• exercising;
• doing household cleaning;
• washing dishes;
• sleeping.

Chlorinated pool water and salt water should be particularly avoided.

In a warm and humid climate, jewelry may also collect perspiration during ordinary wear. Gently wiping the piece after use helps remove moisture and surface residue before storage.

PERFUME, COSMETICS & CHEMICALS

Avoid direct contact between jewelry and:

• perfume;
• hairspray;
• deodorant;
• makeup;
• sunscreen;
• creams and lotions;
• body oils;
• hand sanitizer;
• household cleaning products;
• chlorine;
• sea salt;
• solvents;
• bleach and other aggressive chemicals.

Never spray perfume directly onto jewelry.

Repeated chemical exposure may affect the appearance of a plated surface even when no immediate change is visible.

Skincare → makeup → perfume → allow to dry → jewelry last.

FRICTION: THE INVISIBLE SOURCE OF WEAR

One of the most important causes of surface wear is simple mechanical friction.

A piece does not need to be visibly damaged for friction to occur. Jewelry can rub continuously against skin, clothing, handbags, tables and other pieces throughout the day.

Repeated friction can gradually affect a plated surface.

To reduce it:

• avoid wearing several pieces where they constantly rub against one another;
• do not store jewelry loose together;
• avoid placing bracelets or rings directly against hard surfaces;
• remove jewelry during activities involving repetitive movement;
• avoid pulling chains across rough fabrics;
• do not aggressively polish plated surfaces.

Rings and bracelets generally experience more contact with surrounding objects than earrings or pendants and therefore require particularly careful handling.

UNDERSTANDING STONES

A stone may feel completely solid, but crystalline materials have an organized microscopic internal structure known as a crystal lattice.

Atoms, ions or molecules within a crystal are arranged according to a particular repeating structure. This internal structure influences many of the material’s physical properties.

This is why an important distinction exists between hardness and toughness.

Hardness describes resistance to scratching.

Toughness describes resistance to breaking, chipping or fracturing.

A stone can therefore be highly resistant to scratches while still being vulnerable to a sufficiently strong impact.

CLEAVAGE & FRACTURE

Depending on the crystalline material, some stones have structural directions along which separation can occur more readily. In gemology, this property is known as cleavage.

When a material breaks in a way that is not controlled by such a cleavage plane, this is described as fracture.

Different stones have different crystal structures, hardness, toughness and cleavage characteristics.

This means that the fact that a stone is described as “hard” does not mean that it cannot chip, crack or break.

The angle, location and force of an impact can be just as important as the hardness of the stone itself.

PROTECT STONES FROM IMPACT

Avoid:

• dropping stone-set jewelry;
• striking it against tables, walls or floors;
• pressing stones against hard surfaces;
• bending the structure around a stone;
• pulling directly on stones or decorative elements;
• deliberately testing whether a stone is secure;
• carrying jewelry loose in a handbag with hard objects.

Even where a stone appears unaffected after an impact, the surrounding setting may have experienced mechanical stress.

Treat stone-set jewelry as a precision object rather than an indestructible one.

THE SETTING MATTERS TOO

A stone is held in place by a setting that forms part of the jewelry’s structure.

This is one reason a stable jewelry alloy is particularly useful for designs featuring numerous stones: the underlying structure needs to support detailed settings while maintaining the intended shape of the piece.

Nevertheless, no setting should be repeatedly bent, pulled or subjected to impact.

When putting on or removing jewelry, handle the piece by its main structural elements rather than pulling on individual stones or delicate decorative details.

For routine care, intensive washing is usually unnecessary.

After wearing your jewelry:

1. Remove the piece carefully.
2. Gently wipe it with the soft jewelry cleaning cloth provided with your piece .
3. Pay particular attention to areas that have been in direct contact with the skin.
4. Use light pressure rather than vigorous rubbing.
5. Make sure the jewelry is completely dry before storing it.

The purpose of regular cleaning is primarily to remove surface moisture, fingerprints, natural skin oils and light cosmetic residue.

WHEN MORE CLEANING IS NEEDED

If gentle dry wiping is not sufficient, use a clean, very soft cloth slightly dampened with clean lukewarm water .

Gently wipe the surface without soaking the piece.

Do not leave jewelry submerged in water.

Afterwards, carefully remove any remaining moisture with a clean, soft, dry cloth and allow the piece to become completely dry before returning it to storage.

Avoid allowing moisture to remain around stone settings, clasps, joints or other detailed areas.

WHAT NOT TO USE FOR CLEANING

Do not clean Lakara jewelry with:

• toothpaste;
• baking soda;
• abrasive powders;
• abrasive polishing cloths;
• hard brushes;
• stiff toothbrushes;
• alcohol;
• acetone;
• bleach;
• household cleaning products;
• aggressive detergents;
• metal-polishing compounds;
• chemical jewelry dips;
• solvents;
• boiling or very hot water;
• steam cleaners.

Ultrasonic cleaning should not be considered a universal method for stone-set jewelry. Its suitability depends on the materials, stones, settings and construction of the individual piece.

When in doubt, gentle cleaning is preferable to aggressive cleaning .

DO NOT OVER-POLISH

A common misconception is that frequent or aggressive polishing will keep jewelry looking new.

For plated jewelry, the opposite can happen.

Plating is a surface layer. Every abrasive polishing action introduces friction to that surface. Excessive polishing can therefore contribute to gradual wear rather than prevent it.

The cleaning cloth should be used gently, to remove surface residue — not to aggressively polish or grind the surface.

Wipe gently. Keep dry. Avoid unnecessary polishing.

Store Lakara jewelry in a clean, cool and dry environment .

Ideally, keep each piece in its original Lakara box or in a soft jewelry pouch.

Store pieces individually whenever possible.

Do not place multiple pieces loose together in the same container. Stones, chains and metal surfaces can rub against one another during movement and cause scratches or unnecessary wear.

Before storage:

• gently wipe the jewelry;
• make sure it is completely dry;
• fasten chains and bracelets;
• arrange chains without tight bends;
• keep delicate pieces away from heavier jewelry;
• avoid placing heavy objects on top of stone-set pieces.

LIGHT & SUNLIGHT

Jewelry does not need to be stored in complete darkness.

Normal indoor ambient light is perfectly appropriate for ordinary use and storage.

However, avoid prolonged exposure to strong direct sunlight, particularly on windowsills or other locations where sunlight is combined with heat.

For longer-term storage, a closed jewelry box, original Lakara packaging or a soft pouch kept inside a dry drawer or cabinet is ideal.

The objective is a stable environment without prolonged direct sunlight, excessive heat or humidity .

HUMIDITY & TROPICAL CLIMATES

Humidity is especially relevant in warm and tropical climates.

Avoid storing jewelry in bathrooms or other environments where humidity changes frequently.

After wearing jewelry in hot weather, do not immediately place a damp piece into a closed box or pouch.

First gently wipe away perspiration and moisture and make sure the piece is dry.

Do not seal visibly damp jewelry inside an airtight container.

STORE PIECES SEPARATELY

Different components of jewelry can have very different levels of hardness.

A stone that is resistant to scratching may itself scratch a softer metal surface or another material when pieces are stored together.

For this reason:

• keep individual pieces separated;
• do not allow pendants to repeatedly rub against chains;
• prevent stones from rubbing against plated surfaces;
• keep earrings paired but positioned so that posts and stones do not scratch one another;
• fasten necklaces before storage to reduce tangling;
• do not place heavy jewelry over delicate pieces.

Good storage prevents wear even when jewelry is not being worn.

DO NOT SLEEP IN YOUR JEWELRY

Sleeping in jewelry creates several hours of unnecessary friction and mechanical stress.

During sleep, jewelry may repeatedly rub against skin, hair, clothing and bedding. Chains can become twisted, pulled or trapped without you noticing.

Removing jewelry before sleeping is one of the simplest ways to reduce unnecessary wear.

REMOVE JEWELRY BEFORE EXERCISE

Exercise combines several factors that jewelry does not benefit from:

• perspiration;
• repetitive movement;
• friction;
• pressure;
• accidental impact;
• contact with gym equipment.

Remove jewelry before workouts, sports and other physical activities.

BE CAREFUL WITH HANDBAGS & TRAVEL

Do not place jewelry loose inside a handbag, pocket, suitcase or cosmetic bag.

Keys, zippers, coins, cosmetics and other jewelry can scratch or impact the piece.

When traveling, use an individual jewelry pouch, box or compartment that prevents the piece from moving freely against other objects.

For necklaces, fasten the clasp before packing and arrange the chain carefully to reduce tangling.

ROTATE YOUR JEWELRY

Continuous wear naturally creates more exposure to friction, moisture, cosmetics and the environment.

Rotating between different pieces gives each one periods without mechanical or environmental exposure and can help preserve its appearance for longer.

Jewelry intended for everyday wear still benefits from being removed for sleeping, bathing, exercise and other unnecessary exposure.