Jewelry and Timepiece Care

Light, Metal & Motion

Jewelry and watches are the smallest objects we own, yet they hold the greatest weight of sentiment.
Each glimmer is a testament to patience, to stones shaped by centuries, metals forged by fire, and hands that assemble with near-invisible precision.
Caring for them is a gesture of gratitude: to time, to craft, and to memory.

At Espace Cannelle, we treat jewelry and horology as living legacies, pieces that, when maintained with respect, outlast generations.

What you polish today becomes someone’s heirloom tomorrow.

The Language of Materials

Understanding what you own determines how it should be treated.
Gold softens, silver tarnishes, diamonds repel dirt yet dull in oils, each material speaks its own care dialect.

Metals

• Gold: Resistant but malleable; scratches easily.
• White Gold: Requires rhodium re-plating every few years to retain brightness.
• Silver: Tarnishes in air; polish gently, store airtight.
• Platinum: Extremely durable; polish sparingly to preserve natural patina.

Stones

• Diamonds: Tough yet grease-prone; clean to restore brilliance.
• Pearls: Organic and porous; last longest when worn regularly.
• Emeralds, Opals, Turquoise: Delicate; avoid exposure to heat, soap, or alcohol.
• Sapphires, Rubies: Durable but benefit from gentle cleaning.

Espace Cannelle Insight:

Every gemstone has temperament; care is simply the art of learning its mood.

Daily Habits, Prevention as Refinement

Preservation begins before wear.
Jewelry and watches respond not to time’s passage, but to how time is spent with them.

Before Wear

• Apply perfume, lotion, and hairspray before putting on jewelry.
• Wipe metal surfaces lightly with lint-free cloth.
• Check clasps and fastenings discreetly.

After Wear

• Remove jewelry before bathing, swimming, or sleeping.
• Wipe each piece clean of moisture and natural oils.
• Place gently in designated compartments, never together.

Luxury ends the moment haste begins.

Cleaning, The Art of Restoration

Regular cleaning maintains both luster and longevity.
The process should always be delicate, effort is measured in patience, not pressure.

At-Home Ritual

• Soak jewelry in lukewarm water with mild soap for 10–15 minutes.
• Brush gently with soft toothbrush; rinse and pat dry.
• For pearls, use barely damp cloth only, never submerge.
• For silver, use designated polishing cloths; avoid abrasives.

Professional Cleaning

• Once or twice annually, depending on wear frequency.
• Request ultrasonic cleaning for diamonds and hard gemstones only.
• Avoid ultrasonic or steam for porous stones and pearls.

Espace Cannelle Insight:

Clean jewelry glows quietly, it never gleams with aggression.

Storage, The Discipline of Stillness

Jewelry rests as it should be worn, with respect for form, distance, and light.
Proper storage is protection disguised as elegance.

Storage Principles

• Keep each piece separate, fabric pouches or velvet-lined trays.
• Store silver in anti-tarnish cloth or airtight cases.
• Hang necklaces individually to prevent knots or kinks.
• Wrap pearls in soft cotton or silk to retain moisture balance.
• Avoid keeping fine jewelry in bathrooms, humidity corrodes polish.

Espace Cannelle Tip:

Arrange pieces by material and tone, beauty extends to order itself.

Even rest can be refined.

Professional Inspection, Maintenance of Trust

Jewelry and watches need regular assessment, even when untouched.
Fine mechanisms and settings shift invisibly over time.

Inspection Timelines

• Jewelry: Every 12–18 months; check prongs, clasps, and mountings.
• Watches: Mechanical, every 3–5 years for cleaning and lubrication.
• Quartz: Battery replacement every 2–3 years; seals checked for water resistance.

Request written service documentation, longevity thrives on record.

Espace Cannelle Insight:

A jeweler’s loupe sees what the eye forgets, trust the magnifier more than memory.

Watches, The Poetry of Precision

A fine timepiece is both machine and metaphor.
It measures hours while embodying patience. Proper care ensures not only accuracy, but dignity.

Everyday Etiquette

• Wind daily at the same hour to maintain rhythm.
• Keep away from magnets, moisture, and shock.
• Remove before sport or exposure to vibration.
• Clean with microfiber cloth to remove skin oils.

Storage & Rotation

• Rest mechanical watches on their side or face up, alternating weekly.
• Use watch winders for automatic models not worn regularly.
• Avoid leaving watches unwound for extended periods; lubricants may settle.

Professional Servicing

• Complete overhaul every 5 years: movement cleaning, gasket replacement, pressure testing.
• Retain all papers and boxes, they protect both history and value.

A kept watch teaches patience better than time itself.

Light and Air, The Subtle Enemies

Light fades gemstones; air oxidizes metal.
Awareness, not fear, preserves integrity.

• Store in dark, cool locations, direct sunlight fatigues organic stones.
• Use silica gel or anti-tarnish strips in jewelry drawers.
• Open cases occasionally to prevent stagnation, jewelry, like people, needs air to feel alive.

Espace Cannelle Philosophy:

The goal is not to isolate beauty, but to shelter it intelligently.

Restraint, The Most Refined Care

The final rule of longevity is moderation.
Excessive cleaning, polishing, or touching can cause the very wear one seeks to prevent.
Restraint respects material maturity, the quiet bloom of patina, the softened edge, the brushed surface of time.

Espace Cannelle Insight:

Perfection is sterile. Patina is proof of life.

Closing Reflection

Jewelry and watches are the most intimate expressions of artistry, they accompany us through celebration and silence alike.
Their preservation is an act of affection, not fear. When we care for them, we honor continuity, between past and present, between maker and wearer, between what shines and what endures.

At Espace Cannelle, we teach that care should never erase time, it should refine it.
The gleam that matters is not surface polish, but quiet continuity.

Time rewards what glows, not what glitters.