Julia deVille designs unique custom made jewellery, wedding & engagement rings

We only repair items made by Julia deVille.  
You may either bring your item into our Melbourne showroom or send your item to us via mail. If you choose to send your item via mail, please contact us and we will provide our shipping address. 

Due to sterling silver’s relative softness, it is not as durable as platinum or gold. We recommend removing your sterling silver jewellery before participating in physical activities like gardening, the gym, or swimming. This will help in extending the longevity of the piece. 
 
Remember to check that clasps and settings are strong and secure before wearing your jewellery. If you see signs of wear or damage, please contact us to arrange for the clasp or setting to be repaired. 

Silver should be kept completely dry. Keep it away from excessive exposure to air and store it in the Julia deVille box in which it came, or a silver storage box. If your climate is humid, place a small packet of desiccant crystals inside your storage area. Avoid contact with rubber bands or other rubber products as the sulphur in rubber causes tarnishing and corrosion.

Sterling silver is a precious metal and will require cleaning from time to time. If your item has not been given a surface treatment such as oxidising, enamel paint, black rhodium plating or gold plating, you can clean it with a small amount of ‘Silver Foam’ jewellery cleaner on a soft cloth. Gently rub your item several times, then rinse the silver thoroughly in warm water and carefully dry. This will remove the tarnish and dullness, keeping your sterling silver looking like new.  

Please note: chlorine, bleach and sulphur accelerate tarnishing and should be avoided. 
 
If you require further information regarding cleaning or would like to purchase some 'Silver Foam', please contact us. 

Sterling silver naturally tarnishes over time, especially when exposed to salt air and products containing sulfur, such as rubber bands and some papers. Tarnish can easily be removed using a high quality ‘Silver Foam’ and soft cloth as outlined in ‘How do I clean my silver item?’

An oxidised finish is a deliberate blackening of the surface that we apply to some of our silver range. Please take care as this finish can be removed by cleaning and polishing. Please avoid using a silver polisher or 'Silver Foam' on oxidised items. Please use a dry, soft, clean cloth to polish and avoid scratching. 
 
Note: An oxidized finish is not permanent and will wear off over time. All JdV items are designed to mature and evolve in this way. Please contact us if you would like a quote on re-oxidising your silver item. 

If your Julia deVille piece has a matte finish you can bring it back to its original condition by gently rubbing your item with some 'Scotch Brite' in a circular motion. This naturally abrasive product will restore your piece to its original condition. 

Due to silver’s softness, we recommend that silver rings should not be worn everyday and instead worn as more occasional pieces.

We recommend removing all silver jewellery before bed and before activities that may damage your item such as gardening, swimming and the gym.  

We want you to enjoy wearing your piece for many years to come. Caring for your item by storing it correctly, keeping it dry and avoiding harsh chemicals will extend its life span.
 
If you are unsure about the durability of your item, please contact us and we can advise you on specific care. 

We recommend periodical professional servicing and cleaning of your item. In between services, examine your jewellery regularly to make sure settings are snug and clasps are secure.

Avoid exposing gold jewellery to household bleach, which will quickly cause gold to discolour and possibly disintegrate. 
 
Please contact us to arrange for servicing or cleaning of your gold or platinum jewellery. This service may incur a fee. 

Gold and platinum are very durable metals and are easy to keep clean.  

Between professional servicing, most gold and platinum jewellery can be maintained with a non-abrasive cleaner. Place your gold or platinum item under warm running water and gently scrub with a natural bristle toothbrush and mild dishwashing liquid. Rinse clean and dry with a clean and dry cloth.  

Jewellery storage is important. All of our jewellery comes stored in its own box. When not being worn, we recommend that you place your jewellery back in the original box or another suitably lined jewellery container. 

Gold and platinum jewellery is generally durable enough for everyday wear; however, this is specific to the carat of metal and style of your piece. While gold and platinum is significantly stronger than silver, they are not indestructible. Care must still be used when wearing your piece on a day-to-day basis. We recommend removing your jewellery before participating in physical activities like the gym, swimming and gardening.  

Rings with finer bands are less hardy than heavier rings, especially in 9 carat gold. We would recommend removing them before all physical activity.  
 
If you are unsure about the durability of your item, please contact us and we can advise you on specific care. 

As with all of our jewellery, we recommend storing your piece in its original packaging when not being worn. Please keep your gold or platinum piece away from harsh chemicals such as chlorine and bleach. 

Certain basic precautions should be taken with all of your jewellery. However, some gemstones, require special care. 

Take care to protect your jewellery from impact against hard surfaces and avoid contact with abrasive surfaces. Even a diamond can chip if hit with enough force or at just the right angle. Many stones such as amethyst, emerald, opal, pearl, peridot, tanzanite and tourmaline are very delicate and easily scratched. Gemstones can scratch other gemstones and wear away at precious metals. Therefore, avoid stacking those rings and bracelets that would be vulnerable to such abrasion. Extreme temperatures, perfumes, cosmetics, ultrasonic cleaning and household chemicals can also damage jewellery. 
 
For information on specific gemstone care please visit our: 
Gemstone Care Page
Gemstone Care & Enhancement Chart  

Dust, pollution and daily wear will veil the brilliance of a gemstone. We suggest that your diamond jewellery receive periodic professional maintenance. Our trained jewellers will check that the setting is adequately holding your stones and give your piece a professional cleaning. Between professional cleanings, we recommend the occasional use of a nonabrasive cleaner for diamond jewellery. A mild solution of six parts water to one part ammonia may be applied with a soft bristle brush. Jewellery with stones other than diamonds may need different care. 

Pearls should be kept free of perfumes, cosmetics, perspiration and dirt. You may gently wipe your pearls with a slightly damp cloth. Our pearls are strung on pure silk with knots between each pearl. Over time, the silk will stretch, weaken and become soiled. If you wear your cultured pearls regularly, we encourage you to have your cultured pearls cleaned and restrung annually. 
 
You can either bring your item into our Melbourne showroom or post to us for our re-stringing service. Please note this service may incur a fee. Alternatively your local fine jeweller will be able to recommend a pearl threader near you. 

Rings with pearls in them should be worn less frequently if you wish for your pearl to last a long time. Pearls will get knocked more often when worn on the hand and therefore can lose their luster more quickly and may also become loose in their settings. They should be kept free of perfumes, cosmetics, perspiration and dirt. You may gently wipe your pearls with a slightly damp cloth but do not submerge them in water or any other liquid. 

Products featuring jet require extra care and are not designed for daily wear. Jet is a petrified wood and it is very brittle. If dropped or knocked on a hard surface it may crack, chip or split in two.  
 

DIAMOND 

Diamonds are by far the most durable gemstone. They rank the highest on the Mohs scale, which means that no other material will scratch them. Diamonds are also not susceptible to other forms of stress or corrosive elements. Generally, coloured diamonds and regular diamonds are equally strong and durable. 
 
Please note: Even diamond can chip if hit with enough force or at just the right angle. 
 
RUBY & SAPPHIRE 

Rubies and sapphires are actually differently coloured variations of the mineral corundum. Corundum is ranked at 9 on the Mohs scale, so rubies and sapphires can only be scratched or marred by diamonds. This makes them an extremely good choice for durable jewellery. 
 
Please visit our Gemstone Care page for specific gemstone information or contact us with any queries pertaining to gemstone durability. 

We would not recommend daily wear of any gemstone that is 7 or less on the Mohs scale. An example of this is opal. Opals range in hardness from 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. This is not extremely hard relative to other gemstones, which means that opals should receive special care. A reason for the softness of opals is that they are formed from hydrated silicon; this is how they achieve their amazing range of shining colours. This means that opals can become dehydrated, which will cause cracks and dullness. Avoid exposing opals to extreme temperature changes, and don't store them in extremely dry conditions. 
 
There are however exceptions to the Mohs scale rule mentioned above: 
 
EMERALD 
Emeralds fall between 7 and 8 on the Mohs scale, meaning they are very strong and will not get scratched by many other materials. However, emeralds by nature have inclusions and minute surface reaching breaks. These characteristics make them prone to chipping or breaking on impact. The fissures occur naturally during the growth of the crystal.  
The fractures and flaws are usually filled with colorless substances, which can be stripped with some cleaning processes.  
We recommend you wear your emerald jewellery with much care. 
 
AQUAMARINE 
Aquamarine, a greenish-blue clear gemstone, is just as hard as emerald. However, aquamarine is a good example of a gemstone that is strong but not necessarily durable. Aquamarine gemstones should not be exposed to acid; this means that the jewellery wearer should avoid wearing aquamarine jewellery pieces while completing household chores or even while cooking. 
We recommend you wear your aquamarine jewellery with much care. 
 
Please visit our Gemstone Care page for specific gemstone information or contact us with any queries pertaining to gemstone durability. 

Products featuring both wood and sterling silver should be cleaned with a standard polishing cloth. If using a silver polisher, please do not apply it in areas that that have wood or stones.  

To maintain the wood’s finish, simply buff wood with a natural polish. 

Keeping your wooden item in a dry or humid area increases the chance that the wood will crack. 
 
Do not immerse urns or any other Julia deVille item containing wood into water 
or any other liquid.  

Our threaded items are strung on pure silk with knots between each bead. Over time, the silk will stretch, weaken and become soiled. If you wear your threaded necklace regularly, we encourage you to have it restrung annually or at initial signs of the silk wearing. Bracelets will need to be re-strung more frequently. 
 
You can either bring your item into our Melbourne Showroom or post to us for our re-stringing service. Please note: this service may incur a fee. Alternatively your local fine jeweller will be able to recommend a bead threader near you. 

The above cleaning methods are acceptable for threaded items, however great care must be taken not to get the silk near water or any cleaning products as this can shorten the life of threading and require the item to be restrung. 
 

It is important that threaded items are stored in their own box or container, lying flat and with space around it. We recommend keeping it in its original packaging for longevity. 

An oxidised finish will wear over time to reveal the silver underneath. All JdV items are designed to mature and evolve in this way. Wear time depends on how often and how carefully you wear the piece. The pH of your skin may also affect the resilience of the oxidised finish.   
 
If you wish to have your piece restored to its original condition, we offer a re-oxidising service. This service may incur a fee. 

An oxidised finish is the deliberate blackening of the surface that we apply to some of our silver range. Take care as this finish can be removed by cleaning and polishing. Please avoid using a silver polisher or Silver Foam on oxidised items. Please use a dry, soft, clean cloth to polish and avoid scratching. 
 
Note: An oxidized finish is not permanent and will wear off over time. All JdV items are designed to mature and evolve in this way. Please contact us if you would like a quote on re-oxidising your silver item. 

An electroplated finish will wear over time to reveal the metal underneath. All JdV items are designed to mature and evolve in this way. Wear time depends on how often and how carefully you wear the piece. However, an item with an electroplated finish will last much longer than an oxidised finish. 
 
If you wish to have your piece restored to its original condition, we offer a re-plating service. This service may incur a fee. 

If you wish to have your piece restored to its original condition, we offer a re-plating service. This service may incur a fee. 
 

Your electroplated jewellery can be maintained with a non-abrasive cleaner. Place your item under warm running water and gently scrub with a SOFT natural bristle toothbrush and mild dishwashing liquid. Rinse clean and dry with a clean and dry cloth.  
 

An enamel painted finish will wear over time to reveal the metal underneath. Wear time depends on how often and how carefully you wear the piece.  
 
If you wish to have your piece restored to its original condition, we offer a re-painting service. This service may incur a fee. 

The suggested silver, gold and platinum cleaning techniques are not appropriate for jewellery containing human hair. You may polish the metal with a soft dry cloth but these items cannot get wet.  

To clean the hair, apply a small amount of methylated spirits to a cotton ball and gently wipe it along the hair to remove any dirt, keeping the spirits away from the silver where the hair is attached. 

If your piece requires more thorough cleaning than the above, please contact us to arrange servicing of your item.

It is important that you store your item containing human hair lying flat in the original packaging. Otherwise the hair may get tangled and may require replacement.  

Any items of jewellery containing real animal components (this does not include silver reproductions) are extremely fragile and will need continual care to ensure their longevity. 
 
When wearing a taxidermy jewellery item please be aware of it at all times as a hard knock will be enough to damage it beyond repair. They are much less durable than regular pieces of jewellery and therefore should only be worn on special occasions. 
 
Touching your taxidermy is very tempting but eventually oils from your skin will damage the feathers and fur so please handle as little as possible.  
 

Store your item in a climate-controlled area, away from dampness and out of direct sunlight. 
 
One of the main concerns with taxidermy animals is predation by insect pests such as moths. Good housekeeping will provide reasonable assurance of maintaining your specimen in good condition, however steps should be taken to minimise exposure to pests: 

- An airtight glass display case is strongly recommended to safeguard against infestation. 
- Alternatively a Ziploc plastic bag is a more affordable storage solution to protect your piece. 
- Regular inspections for pests are recommended. If you see evidence of moths or dust mites on your taxidermy, please contact us for advice. 

Over time, due to the gradual build up of smoke, dust and pollution, it may prove necessary to clean your taxidermy jewellery item. In this case, please contact us for advice on how to clean your specific piece.