How do I care for my jewelry?
GENERAL CARE
When bending bracelets and rings to adjust size, always squeeze near the ends of the piece so that the center of the piece is not weakened.
Clean your pieces according to the following information.
If any of your pieces need a touch up of ink, a Sharpie works great! Wipe away excess.
ALUMINUM
Aluminum is a soft metal, so be extra gentle.
Aluminum doesn't tarnish, but it will pick up oils and dirt, causing it to become dull. To clean, soak jewelry in soapy water (use non-lotion dishwashing soap) for several minutes. Then lather with soap and gently but briskly rub the jewelry between your palms. Rinse with warm water and let air dry or use a blow dryer on lowest and coolest setting.
It is widely accepted that aluminum is very poorly absorbed through the skin, so you do not need to worry about metal toxicity.
BRASS
Brass can tarnish quickly and will corrode over time. Clean with any commercial jewelry cleaner safe for brass.
COPPER
Copper quickly turns from a shiny orange-brown to a deep chocolate color. Exposure to air and light speed this process. Leave your piece out if you want it to tarnish quickly. Otherwise, store it in its own Ziploc® bag.
To clean tarnish: Soak it in white vinegar for 10-20 seconds. After removing the bracelet from the vinegar, lather with non-lotion dishwashing soap and water, and rub the jewelry briskly but gently between your palms. Rinse thoroughly. Pat dry with a towel or use a blow dryer on lowest setting. Make sure the piece is fully dry before you return it to its ziploc® bag.
It is worth noting that repeated vinegar cleaning can strip rings of their luster as the process creates microscopic pitting in the surface of the rings. This can be buffed out via tumbling, however if you don't have access to a tumbler, it is recommended to limit the use of this process.
Copper is very soft, so be extra gentle with copper jewelry. ‘
GOLD-FILL
Gold-fill rings may develop a subtle patina with time. Clean with soapy water and air dry.
STERLING SILVER
Silver tarnishes quickly when exposed to light and air. If you want your jewelry to tarnish, then leave it out when you're not wearing it. (Otherwise, store each piece in its own Ziploc® bag with an anti-tarnish tab. Remove tarnish with soapy water and allowing to air dry.
Avoid resting sterling directly on wood surfaces, especially oak, as wood finishes usually contain acids that can mar the surface of sterling. Always store silver away from direct sunlight.
Jewelry Guarantee
Good Shepherd Smithing Co guarantees all jewelry. It is of our utmost concern that the customer is totally satisfied with their purchase. If you are in any way unhappy with your piece, or if it breaks, for any reason, we are happy to remake it at no cost to you!
Are rings and bracelets adjustable?
Most of our rings and bracelets are adjustable. However, if they are not, it will be specified in the description.
Does GSSC do custom pieces?
Yes! We love to create pieces that are uniquely suited to your tastes and style!
What if I have a problem with a piece I ordered?
We are committed to ultimate customer satisfaction, so if there are any issues at all with a piece you’ve ordered from us, please reach out. Contact us by email at goodshepherdsmithingco@gmail.com or by phone at 406-220-2475.
How long will my order take to ship?
It depends! Ready-to-ship items will likely ship within 1-4 business days. Custom orders, however, could take as long as 3 weeks to ship depending on our inventory of blanks, etc. However, we are committed to shipping out orders as quickly as possible!