"Last thing on, first thing off..." is a good mantra to follow when it comes to wearing jewellery!

Take care to apply any perfumes, cosmetics, lotions and hair products etc BEFORE putting on any accessories (and allow them to dry fully).

Remove all jewellery before showering, swimming, using a bath or hot tub, sunbathing, exercising or sleeping.

The chorine and other chemicals in pools and hot tubs are damaging to jewellery, as are strong UV rays from the sun.

And wearing jewellery while sleeping or exercising risks physical damage to it - as well as potential injury to yourself!

Use protective gloves or ideally remove jewellery completely before washing-up or using household cleaning products.

Bleach will very quickly discolour and tarnish silver. And don't forget this also includes milder bleach products like Milton Sterilising fluid.

To reduce and slow down tarnishing, the best way to store your jewellery is in sealed air-tight boxes or plastic bags, away from moisture and direct sunlight.

For ultimate protection, use silica gel sachets or anti-tarnish strips too. These can be bought cheaply online, but remember to replace them every few months.

Clean jewellery carefully with specialist cleaning cloths.

These are designed for polishing precious metals.

But beware of 'anti-tarnish' varieties or any impregnated with cleaning solutions if your jewellery has been deliberately oxidised as these will remove or damage that effect!

The use of ‘silver dips’ etc is not recommended, as these can often be too harsh for handmade pieces.

Never use an ultrasonic cleaner or other electronic device to clean jewellery without carefully researching what it is made of first; some gemstones can be badly damaged or discoloured by these machines.

If your jewellery contains sea glass or translucent gemstones, then particular care should be taken to avoid getting it wet.

Any moisture that finds its way between the glass/stone and the silver setting can cause dark spots or patches of discolouration which are almost impossible to remove without remaking the entire piece.

Care must also be taken to avoid knocking or scratching sea glass or gemstones - some can be quite tough, but others are naturally softer and can mark or chip easily.

Pearls and opals in particular are extremely delicate and all contact with water should be avoided completely.

And finally, if you ever need more specific or detailed advice on the aftercare or cleaning of handmade jewellery, then the best person you can possibly ask is the original artist who made it!