Jewellery Care Guide

Good jewellery care isn't complicated — but it is specific. The routine that keeps a 316L stainless steel chain looking new is different from what a plated brass piece needs, and using the wrong advice (toothpaste, anyone?) does real damage. This guide covers exactly what 316L stainless steel is, why it behaves so differently from cheaper metals, and the simple weekly and monthly routines that keep every Jewelor piece — chains, bracelets, pendants and rings — shining for years.

First, Know Your Metal: What "316L" Actually Means

316L is an austenitic stainless steel containing roughly 16–18% chromium and 2–3% molybdenum, with a deliberately low carbon content (that's the "L"). Three things follow from that chemistry:

• The chromium forms a self-healing protective layer. Chromium reacts with oxygen to create an invisible passive film on the surface. Scratch it microscopically, and it re-forms. This is why 316L resists rust and tarnish instead of merely delaying it.
• The molybdenum adds corrosion resistance in salty, humid conditions — which is why 316L is often called "marine grade" and used in watch cases, surgical instruments and body piercings. Indian summers, coastal humidity and daily sweat are exactly the conditions it was engineered for.
• Its nickel is tightly bound into the alloy. Nickel sensitivity is one of the most common contact allergies, but what matters is nickel release, not nickel content. 316L releases negligible nickel onto skin, which is why it's the standard for piercing jewellery and why we use it for every piece we make.

316L vs Cheaper Alloys: What You're Actually Comparing

Most affordable men's jewellery in India is brass, copper or zinc alloy with a thin electroplated coat. Side by side on day one, the pieces look identical. Here's what happens after that:

The takeaway: with a solid-steel piece like our Link Chain (Silver) or Cuban Bracelet (Silver), care is about keeping shine, not preventing decay. With plated brass, no care routine can stop the base metal from eventually showing through.

Will It Turn My Skin Green? (The Question Everyone Asks)

No — and it's worth understanding why, because this fear stops a lot of people buying metal jewellery at all. The green stain comes from copper: brass and many cheap "gold-tone" alloys are copper-heavy, and copper reacts with the acids in sweat to form green copper salts that transfer to skin. It's harmless but ugly. 316L stainless steel contains no meaningful copper to leach, so the reaction physically cannot happen. If a "stainless steel" piece has ever turned your skin green, it wasn't the grade it claimed to be.

Skin irritation is a separate issue — usually nickel release from cheap alloys — and 316L's low-release chemistry addresses that too. If you have a diagnosed severe nickel allergy, patch-test any new piece by wearing it a few hours the first day, whatever the metal.

Your Care Routine

Quick Clean (Weekly)

1. Mix warm water with a few drops of mild, non-abrasive soap (plain dishwashing liquid works; nothing with bleach or "power degreaser" claims).
2. Soak the jewellery for 2–3 minutes.
3. Gently wipe with a soft microfiber cloth, following the grain on brushed finishes.
4. Rinse in clean water and pat dry thoroughly — never air-dry. Air-drying leaves mineral water spots, especially with hard tap water.

Deep Clean (Monthly)

1. Use a soft-bristled brush (a baby toothbrush is perfect) to lift grime from crevices — inside Cuban links, around pendant engraving, behind ring settings.
2. Polish with a dry, lint-free cloth to restore natural shine.
3. Rinse quickly and dry completely before storing. Moisture trapped in a closed pouch is the one way even good steel gets water-spotted.

After the Gym, Pool or a Sweaty Commute

Sweat won't destroy 316L, but dried sweat dulls it and can irritate skin under a snug bracelet or ring. A 30-second rinse in plain water and a wipe-down is enough. Remove jewellery before swimming — pool chlorine is harsh on any finish, and it's the single most common cause of dulled plated pieces.

Special Care for PVD Gold and Black Finishes

Our gold, rose-gold and black pieces get their colour from PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) — the coating is vapour-bonded to the steel in a vacuum chamber, creating a finish several times more wear-resistant than conventional electroplating. It's the same technology used on premium watch bezels. PVD is tough, but it's still a surface layer, so give coated pieces — like the Chunky Flower Wheat Chain (Gold) or Four Sided Grinding Chain (Black) — a little extra respect:

• Never use abrasive cloths, toothpaste, baking soda or "silver polish" — abrasives are the only realistic way to damage PVD at home.
• Minimise contact with perfume, deodorant, hair spray and lotions. The rule: grooming first, jewellery last.
• Stick to the quick-clean method (mild soap, soft cloth) and dry immediately.
• Take coated rings off for heavy manual work — hard knocks against concrete or gym iron can chip any coating.

Browse the gold pendants or black bracelets collections and you'll see PVD's depth of colour compared to flat electroplate — that's what you're protecting.

Storage: The Habit That Does Half the Work

• Store each piece separately in a soft pouch or lined box compartment. Steel is hard, but steel-on-steel contact in a drawer still causes micro-scratches — and it will happily scratch softer jewellery stored with it.
• Keep chains clasped and laid flat or hung to prevent tangling; untangling a knotted chain is when links get bent.
• Keep the storage spot dry. Avoid the bathroom shelf — daily humidity swings are the worst environment. A bedroom drawer with a silica gel sachet (save the ones from your shoe boxes) is ideal in monsoon months.

Travel and Gym-Bag Care

The fastest way to ruin good jewellery isn't wearing it — it's transporting it badly. Two habits cover you:

• Never loose in a bag. A chain loose in a gym bag or backpack pocket will knot, and links bend when knots are forced apart. Keep a small zip pouch permanently in your bag: jewellery goes in it, clasped, every time it comes off.
• On trips, pack pieces separately — a pouch per piece, or wrap each in a soft cloth. Hotel bathrooms are humid; store jewellery with your clothes, not your toiletries. If you're travelling somewhere coastal, the 316L will be fine in the sea air, but rinse and dry pieces after beach days all the same — salt film dulls any finish.

Do's and Don'ts at a Glance

Do: wipe pieces after sweaty wear · store separately in pouches · apply perfume/lotion before wearing jewellery · dry thoroughly after every wash.

Don't: use bleach, toothpaste or abrasive cleaners · swim or shower in plated pieces · air-dry after cleaning · leave jewellery tangled in a pocket or gym bag.

When to Replace vs When to Clean

A dull 316L piece is almost always a dirty piece — clean it and the shine returns. Genuine damage looks different: a bent clasp, a stretched jump ring, visible base metal on a non-Jewelor plated piece. Clasps and jump rings can often be fixed at any local jeweller in minutes. And if a piece arrives with a defect, our 7-day return policy covers it — care guides are for the years after that.

Keep your style sharp and your shine lasting — and when you're ready to add to the rotation, start with our bracelets, chains, pendants and rings.

FAQ

Does 316L stainless steel jewellery tarnish?

Under normal daily wear — sweat, humidity, rain — no. The chromium in 316L forms a self-repairing protective layer that prevents the oxidation which tarnishes silver and brass. What looks like tarnish on steel is almost always a film of skin oil and grime, and the weekly soap-and-water clean removes it completely.

Can I shower or swim with stainless steel jewellery?

Plain water exposure won't harm solid 316L, but we still recommend removing jewellery for showers and always for swimming. Pool chlorine and soap film dull any finish over time, and PVD-coated (gold/black) pieces in particular last visibly longer when kept out of chlorinated water.

How do I clean stainless steel jewellery at home?

Warm water, a few drops of mild soap, a 2–3 minute soak, a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth, then rinse and pat completely dry. Monthly, add a soft-bristled brush for crevices. Never use toothpaste, baking soda or abrasive polish — especially on gold or black PVD finishes.

Why did my old chain turn my skin green, and will this happen with 316L?

That chain was almost certainly brass or a copper-heavy alloy — copper reacts with sweat to form green copper salts. 316L stainless steel contains no meaningful copper, so it cannot cause the green stain, and its very low nickel release makes it a safe choice for most sensitive skin.