Care & cleaning guide

Care & cleaning guide
How to keep your Zostma pieces looking their best for years to come.

A little everyday care goes a long way. These simple habits apply to all Zostma pieces and will help preserve the beauty and finish of your jewellery over time.

Everyday habits

The single most effective thing you can do for your jewellery is to make it the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off. This one habit alone protects your pieces from the majority of everyday wear and chemical exposure.

Jewellery goes on last
Always apply perfume, moisturiser and hairspray before putting on your jewellery. Let products fully dry before wearing.
Jewellery comes off first
Remove your pieces before washing your hands, showering, exercising or doing household tasks.
Avoid direct contact
Keep jewellery away from perfume, hairspray, sunscreen, lotions and cleaning products — even brief contact causes buildup and dulling.
Pat dry thoroughly
If your jewellery does get wet, pat it dry immediately with a soft cloth. Never leave it damp as moisture accelerates tarnishing.
What to avoid
Perfume and body spray
Sunscreen and lotions
Chlorine and salt water
Household cleaning products
Hairspray and dry shampoo
Bleach and acetone
Abrasive surfaces
Extreme heat
Zostma pieces are crafted from 925 silver and 14k gold filled — both are durable and long lasting with the right care. The simple habits above will significantly extend the life and beauty of your pieces.

Regular gentle cleaning keeps your pieces looking fresh and bright. You do not need any specialist products — everything you need is already at home.

How to clean at home
1
Prepare a gentle solutionMix a small amount of mild dish soap with warm (not hot) water in a bowl.
2
Soak brieflyPlace your piece in the solution for 2–3 minutes to loosen any buildup. Do not soak for longer than 5 minutes.
3
Gently cleanUse a very soft toothbrush or soft cloth to gently clean around settings, chains and surfaces. Use light pressure only.
4
Rinse thoroughlyRinse under lukewarm running water to remove all soap residue. Make sure no soap remains in settings or chain links.
5
Dry completelyPat dry immediately with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth. Leave to air dry fully before storing or wearing.
Clean your pieces every 2–4 weeks depending on how often you wear them. Regular light cleaning prevents heavy buildup and keeps pieces looking their best with minimal effort.
What not to use
No toothpaste
Toothpaste is abrasive and will scratch the surface of your pieces, removing finish and plating over time.
No ultrasonic cleaners
Ultrasonic cleaners can loosen stone settings and damage plated finishes. Not suitable for Zostma pieces.
No harsh chemicals
Bleach, ammonia, acetone and jewellery dips containing strong acids will strip gold fill and damage silver.
No paper towels
Paper towels are more abrasive than they appear. Always use a soft microfibre or lint-free cloth.

How you store your jewellery is just as important as how you wear it. Proper storage prevents tarnishing, tangling and scratching — the three most common causes of damage between wears.

Zostma packaging

Your Zostma pieces come in protective packaging designed specifically for storage. This is the best place to keep your jewellery when you are not wearing it. The packaging is lined to prevent scratching and protects against moisture and light exposure.

Keep your original Zostma packaging. It is not just presentation — it is the ideal storage environment for your pieces.
General storage rules
  • Store pieces individually — never pile jewellery together as pieces will scratch each other
  • Keep away from direct sunlight and heat sources, which accelerate tarnishing
  • Store in a cool, dry place — humidity and moisture cause tarnishing particularly on silver
  • Store necklaces flat or hanging to prevent tangling and kinking of chains
  • Clasp necklaces and bracelets before storing to prevent chains from tangling with themselves
  • Store earrings as pairs to avoid losing backs and to keep matched sets together
Anti-tarnish tips
Anti-tarnish strips
Place a small anti-tarnish strip in your jewellery box or storage pouch. These absorb moisture and slow tarnishing significantly.
Silica gel packets
Keep a silica gel packet near your jewellery storage to absorb excess moisture, especially in humid climates.
Avoid the bathroom
Never store jewellery in the bathroom — it is the most humid room in the home and accelerates tarnishing and oxidisation.

Zostma pieces are crafted from 925 sterling silver and 14k gold filled. Both are high quality, durable metals — but each has slightly different care needs.

925 Sterling Silver
Sterling silver care

925 sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper for strength. It is a beautiful, lustrous metal that does tarnish naturally over time through oxidisation — this is completely normal and not a sign of poor quality. Tarnish appears as a gradual darkening or yellowing of the surface and can be easily removed with regular cleaning.

Why it tarnishes
Silver reacts with sulphur compounds in the air, skin and products. Tarnish is natural and does not mean the piece is damaged.
How to remove tarnish
Clean with the mild soap and warm water method. For heavier tarnish, a silver polishing cloth works well on flat surfaces.
Prevention
Wearing silver regularly actually slows tarnishing — the friction from skin contact polishes the surface naturally. Store properly when not wearing.
If your silver piece tarnishes, do not be alarmed — it is entirely reversible. A gentle clean will restore its original brightness.
14k Gold Filled
Gold filled care

14k gold filled is made by pressure bonding a thick layer of solid 14k gold to a base metal core. This is fundamentally different to gold plating — the gold layer is approximately 100 times thicker, making it highly durable and long lasting. With proper care, 14k gold filled jewellery can maintain its appearance for many years.

Very durable
The thick gold layer means gold filled pieces resist tarnishing far better than plated jewellery and maintain their colour with normal wear.
Safe for most skin types
Gold filled is generally safe for sensitive skin as the base metal is fully encased in gold and does not come into direct skin contact.
Avoid abrasives
While durable, avoid abrasive cleaners and polishing cloths designed for solid gold — these can be too harsh for the gold layer.
Even gold filled pieces can show wear over many years if exposed to harsh chemicals, chlorine or abrasives regularly. The everyday care habits in the General Care tab apply to all pieces.

Good news — both moissanite and cubic zirconia are among the lowest maintenance stones available. Their durability and brilliance make them ideal for everyday jewellery.

Moissanite
Moissanite care

Moissanite is one of the hardest gemstones in the world, rating 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale — second only to diamond. It is exceptionally resistant to scratching, chipping and everyday wear. Its brilliance and fire are permanent — moissanite does not cloud, fade or lose its sparkle over time.

Scratch resistant
At 9.25 Mohs, moissanite is highly resistant to scratching from everyday activities. Only diamond and a few other materials can scratch it.
Permanent brilliance
Unlike some stones, moissanite's brilliance is intrinsic to its structure. It will not cloud or fade — it will look the same in decades as it does today.
Easy to clean
The mild soap and warm water method is all you need. Moissanite does not attract oils the way diamonds do, so it stays cleaner for longer.
Moissanite is an exceptional stone — its durability and low maintenance make it one of the most practical choices for everyday fine jewellery.
Cubic Zirconia
Cubic zirconia care

Cubic zirconia is a durable, optically brilliant stone that rates 8–8.5 on the Mohs scale. While slightly softer than moissanite, it is still highly resistant to everyday wear. CZ can attract oils and lotions more readily than moissanite, so regular gentle cleaning keeps it sparkling at its best.

Clean regularly
CZ attracts oils from skin and products which can dull its sparkle. A gentle clean every 1–2 weeks keeps it looking brilliant.
Avoid ultrasonic cleaners
Do not use ultrasonic or steam cleaners on CZ as these can loosen settings and cause fractures in the stone.
Handle with care
While durable for everyday wear, avoid dropping CZ pieces on hard surfaces as sharp impacts can chip the stone.

Knowing when to take your jewellery off is one of the simplest and most effective ways to preserve it. These are the situations where removal is always recommended.

Always remove your jewellery before
  • Showering or bathing — soap, shampoo and conditioner cause buildup and dulling, and prolonged water exposure accelerates tarnishing on silver
  • Swimming — both chlorinated pool water and salt water are highly damaging to metal finishes and can degrade stones over time
  • Exercising — sweat is acidic and can accelerate tarnishing; impact sports risk bending or scratching pieces
  • Sleeping — chains can tangle, kink or break; rings can bend; and earring backs can embed in soft tissue overnight
  • Applying beauty products — perfume, moisturiser, fake tan, hairspray and dry shampoo all contain chemicals that damage finishes
  • Household cleaning — cleaning products, bleach and even washing up liquid are corrosive to metal and stone
  • Cooking — contact with acidic foods can react with silver; heat from ovens and hobs can also affect settings
  • Medical procedures or scans — always remove jewellery before X-rays, MRI scans or any medical procedure
If you are ever unsure, the safest approach is always to remove your jewellery. A moment's care now protects your pieces for a lifetime.
Can I wear Zostma pieces every day?

Yes — Zostma pieces are designed for everyday wear. 14k gold filled and 925 sterling silver are both durable, long lasting materials that handle daily wear very well. The key is following the care habits in this guide — avoiding chemicals, removing for water activities, cleaning regularly and storing properly. With these simple habits your pieces will maintain their beauty with everyday wear for years to come.