care – ORVELLI

The 32° happens in seconds. The metal is cold when it arrives. Within seconds of contact it reaches 32°C — the surface temperature of skin — and from that moment it has held one person's warmth. Yours. Everything after that moment is up to you.

The Five Habits

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Put it on last

Perfume, lotion, and hairspray all contain chemicals that accelerate tarnishing and degrade gold plating. Get ready first. Put your jewelry on last.

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Take it off first

Before the gym, before swimming, before sleeping. The reverse sequence of putting it on.

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Wipe it after wearing

Thirty seconds with a soft dry cloth removes skin oils and sweat before they have time to react with the metal. This one habit eliminates the need for deep cleaning in most cases.

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Store it dry

Humidity is the primary accelerant of tarnishing on silver. A cool, dry space — ideally sealed, ideally with a silica gel sachet — slows the process dramatically. The Orvelli32 box is designed for this. Use it.

Five habits. The difference between a piece that lasts a season and one that lasts a life.

Cleaning

Every Day (30 seconds)

Wipe with a soft dry cloth after each wear. This is the single most effective care habit.

When Needed — Light Cleaning

Prepare a small bowl of lukewarm water with one drop of mild, unscented dish soap.
Place the piece in the solution for 30–60 seconds. For gold-plated pieces, no longer.
Use a soft toothbrush to gently clean around settings and chain links.
Rinse thoroughly under clean lukewarm water. Ensure no soap remains in settings.
Pat dry immediately with a soft cloth. Do not air dry.
Allow to dry completely before storing.

For Tarnished Silver

Polishing cloth — a jeweller's polishing cloth contains micro-abrasives that remove tarnish without damaging the metal. Rub gently in straight lines, not circles. Do not use on gold-plated pieces.

Aluminium foil method — line a bowl with aluminium foil, add a tablespoon of baking soda and enough hot water to cover the piece. Leave for 1–3 minutes, rinse thoroughly, dry immediately. Do not use on pieces with enamel, glued stones, or intentional oxidisation.

What Never to Use

Toothpaste, baking soda paste, or abrasive powders
Bleach or household chemical cleaners
Ultrasonic cleaners on plated pieces or soft stones

Water — The Honest Answer

Occasional exposure to clean water will not immediately damage most pieces. What causes damage is repeated, prolonged exposure combined with what is in the water — chlorine, soap, salt.

The practical rule: it is always better off than on for showering. Not because one shower destroys a piece, but because the cumulative effect over months does. Gold plating is particularly vulnerable.

Swimming pools and the sea: Remove everything before entering. Pool chlorine is actively harmful to gold plating. Saltwater is corrosive. Sand is abrasive.

For malachite pieces specifically: Never wear in water. The stone's low hardness and sensitivity to acids mean even shower water over time damages the surface.

Daily Life

Situation	Remove jewelry?	Why
Showering	Recommended	Cumulative water + soap exposure
Swimming — pool	Always	Chlorine damages gold plating
Swimming — sea	Always	Saltwater corrosive, sand abrasive
Gym / sport	Always	Sweat acidic, friction on plating
Beach (no swimming)	Recommended	Sun, sweat, sand
Sleeping	Recommended	Friction, tangling, pressure on settings
Applying skincare	Before	Lotions and oils film over stones
Applying perfume	Before	Alcohol accelerates tarnishing

Storage

Most jewelry damage happens in drawers, not on bodies.

The enemy is humidity and air exposure. Tarnish accelerates in humid conditions — bathrooms, open surfaces near windows, spaces with temperature fluctuations. A bathroom drawer is one of the worst places to store silver.

The Orvelli32 box is your best storage option. The PE suspension tray holds the piece flat and protected. The sealed box limits air exposure. If you have the original packaging, use it between wears.

Separate pieces. Silver and gold should not touch each other in storage — the metals can react and accelerate tarnishing. Each piece in its own pouch or compartment.

Store chains flat or hung. Never coiled into a loose pile — this causes tangling and stress on links that eventually weakens them.

For long-term storage: Clean and dry thoroughly first. Seal in a small zip-lock bag with an anti-tarnish strip. Store in a cool, dark, stable location.

Silica gel sachets absorb moisture and slow tarnishing. Place one in your jewelry box. Replace every few months.

Stone-Specific Care

Amethyst (Fiore Viola)

Safe in water. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Store away from prolonged direct sunlight, which can fade the colour over years.

Onyx (Quattro bracelet)

Brief water exposure is fine. Avoid harsh chemicals. Wipe with a soft damp cloth.

Malachite

The most demanding stone in the collection. Never submerge. Clean with a dry cloth only. No chemicals. Handle carefully — at 3.5–4 Mohs hardness, it scratches more easily than other stones. Its fragility is part of its character.

Cubic Zirconia

Highly stable. Safe in water. The main maintenance need is removing the film of oils and soaps that accumulates and reduces brilliance. A 10-minute soak in warm soapy water and a soft brush restores it completely.

Enamel (Due Gatti)

Durable but brittle. Can chip on impact. Clean with a damp cloth. No abrasives, no ultrasonic cleaners.

When to See a Jeweller

Some things are beyond home care. Go to a professional when:

A stone has become loose in its setting. Do not wait — a loose stone will fall out. The repair is simple; replacing a lost stone is not.
A clasp is bent or not closing correctly. Forcing a damaged clasp risks breaking the chain.
The plating has worn significantly on a piece you love. Professional re-plating returns the piece to its original appearance. Your Orvelli32 piece can be renewed.
A chain has a broken link. A quick repair for a jeweller — much better than wearing a piece one snag away from being lost.

Jewelry care is not a chore. It is the small ritual that extends the relationship between you and a piece that has already memorised your temperature.

Warranty

All ORVELLI pieces come with a 6-month warranty covering manufacturing defects. This does not cover normal wear, accidental damage, or improper care. If your piece develops a fault within this period, contact us at hello@orvelli32.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Orvelli32 jewelry waterproof?

Our stainless steel pieces handle water well. Sterling silver and gold-plated pieces should be kept away from prolonged water exposure — occasional contact is fine, but swimming, showering regularly, and sea exposure will accelerate wear over time. Malachite pieces should never be submerged.

How do I clean my Orvelli32 necklace?

For most pieces: lukewarm water, one drop of mild soap, 30–60 seconds, soft brush on settings and links, thorough rinse, pat dry immediately. For tarnished silver: a polishing cloth or the aluminium foil method. Never use toothpaste, baking soda paste, or ultrasonic cleaners on plated pieces.

Why is my silver jewelry turning dark?

This is tarnish — a reversible chemical reaction between silver and sulphur compounds in the air. It is not damage. A polishing cloth or the aluminium foil cleaning method removes it completely. Storing your piece sealed and dry significantly slows future tarnishing.

Can I wear Orvelli32 jewelry every day?

Yes — this is what the pieces are designed for. Daily wear requires only basic habits: wipe after wearing, remove before swimming and the gym, store dry. Gold-plated pieces worn daily will eventually need professional re-plating, which is a normal and expected part of their lifecycle.

Does Orvelli32 jewelry contain nickel?

No. Nickel-free materials are a non-negotiable standard across the entire Orvelli32 collection.

How long does gold plating last?

Our 18k gold vermeil at 2.5+ microns maintains its appearance for 1–3 years of daily wear with proper care. With occasional wear, significantly longer. When the plating does wear, professional re-plating restores the piece completely.

Can I sleep with my jewelry on?

We recommend removing it. Fabric creates friction against the piece, chains can tangle or pull, and pressure on settings during sleep causes wear over time. Taking jewelry off at night also extends the interval between cleanings.

Care Instructions