Van Cleef & Arpels Care and Maintenance thread

[Mutiny]

These are referred to as airlines and can often be seen in older vintage alhambra pieces.

Thanks for the correct term! Our SA & GM in Paris couldn't translate the term in English but called it shrinking and gaps. She had really funny stories of people not caring for their jewelry properly and bringing them back complaining of defects!

 

[Notorious Pink]

So shrinkage is the main concern with MOP and water.

I am SO not going there, but Seinfeld. [emoji12]

 

[Mutiny]

i am so not going there, but seinfeld. [emoji12]

lol 😂

 

[texasgirliegirl]

Thanks for the correct term! Our SA & GM in Paris couldn't translate the term in English but called it shrinking and gaps. She had really funny stories of people not caring for their jewelry properly and bringing them back complaining of defects!

That's not nice 😧

 

[Mutiny]

That's not nice 😧

Yeah I know! But I'm so careful with my precious VCA jewelry that I couldn't imagine being so nonchalant about it. Their customer service is superb so they did repair the damages but they were just surprised how people think that jewelry can withstand so much abuse. This is a great thread to educate everyone about proper care & maintenance of our VCA.

 

[valnsw]

carnelian, tiger's eye, turquoise, onyx, MOP, all those stones are not to be dunked in water. You need to call VCA. Don't fool around with these type of stones, you can easily ruin the jewelry in the alhambra setting. Diamonds are okay, but I don't think it's advisable to put them in an ultrasonic cleaner, because you have little beads around the diamonds and you may knock the diamond out of it's setting after a few times. It's best you ask VCA how to clean these. The YG and diamonds can be easily cleaned with a polishing cloth. WG cannot be polished due to the rhodium plating. YG and diamonds are easy to clean with professional red rouge or other polishes. Or you can simply buy a professional polishing cloth. The alhambra settings are very delicate. All stones that are like a rock (turquoise/tiger's eye/Malachite, etc. ) these are not hard core diamonds. THey are porous stones and can be ruined easily.

This is why I'm hesitant to get 10 motifs in any of the stones listed. I think I can pretty much handle a single motif but 10 motifs... Not that I'm rough with my jewelry and I certainly never well any of them 24/7.

I presume will need to polish / clean them after accumulation of body oil, sweat, dust etc.

Iirc, I think the stones should not be in contact with perfume as well?

 

[texasgirliegirl]

This is why I'm hesitant to get 10 motifs in any of the stones listed. I think I can pretty much handle a single motif but 10 motifs... Not that I'm rough with my jewelry and I certainly never well any of them 24/7.

I presume will need to polish / clean them after accumulation of body oil, sweat, dust etc.

Iirc, I think the stones should not be in contact with perfume as well?

Please don't be afraid to get a 10 motif in the stone that you love.
I've collected every one ( except for chalcedony) and have had absolutely no issues. That said, I do take good care of my jewelry. I never allow it to get wet and I remove it each night and place each piece back into its special light green soft carrier...and that goes into its original box.

 

[Notorious Pink]

Please don't be afraid to get a 10 motif in the stone that you love.

I've collected every one ( except for chalcedony) and have had absolutely no issues. That said, I do take good care of my jewelry. I never allow it to get wet and I remove it each night and place each piece back into its special light green soft carrier...and that goes into its original box.

Hmm...if I know I'm going to be wearing it again the next morning, I have a separate velvet-lined jewelry box where I put the day's jewelry. I keep the VCA polishing cloth in there, and I just lay the necklace down on it with nothing touching the necklace. That should be ok, right?

 

[texasgirliegirl]

Hmm...if I know I'm going to be wearing it again the next morning, I have a separate velvet-lined jewelry box where I put the day's jewelry. I keep the VCA polishing cloth in there, and I just lay the necklace down on it with nothing touching the necklace. That should be ok, right?

Of course that should be ok.
Sometimes I just lay mine in a drawer...but never for more than a few days. I Would never wish for anything to ever get stolen and while we have security measures I'm not taking any chances.

 

[Leather&sparkles]

Has anyone had any issues with the care of letterwood?

 

[NewBe]

So far all I do is polish the stones with a soft cleaning cloth
For the dismond pieces I use jewelry cleaner.

Can you define "soft cleaning cloth"? Is there particular brand or place you would get these cleaning cloth?

thanks.

 

[NewBe]

Hmm...if I know I'm going to be wearing it again the next morning, I have a separate velvet-lined jewelry box where I put the day's jewelry. I keep the VCA polishing cloth in there, and I just lay the necklace down on it with nothing touching the necklace. That should be ok, right?

When you purchase the VCA items, did the boutique also gave you VCA polishing cloth? i didn't see any cloth that came w the Vintage Alhambra piece that i purchase. =(

 

[leechiyong]

Are there any special considerations for a pink gold piece without stones? Is it solely an alloy or is it plated like WG?

 

[texasgirliegirl]

Has anyone had any issues with the care of letterwood?

I have had no issues with mine.

 

[texasgirliegirl]

When you purchase the VCA items, did the boutique also gave you VCA polishing cloth? i didn't see any cloth that came w the Vintage Alhambra piece that i purchase. =(

My SA gave me one.