How to Care for a DNA Bracelet: Silver, Pearl and Gold

Most jewellery care advice is either too vague to act on or so cautious that you would never wear the thing. This is the short, practical version for a bracelet you intend to wear every day.

The good news is that a DNA bracelet asks for very little. The rules that do matter, matter because of the materials, not because of anything to do with the DNA.

The one habit worth forming

Put it on last, take it off first.

Last thing before you leave, after the perfume, the aftershave, the hairspray, the sun cream and the hand cream. First thing when you get in, before washing up or showering.

If you only take one thing from this page, take that. It prevents most of what goes wrong.

What to keep it away from

Chlorine. The single worst thing for a bracelet. It attacks sterling silver and it is unkind to gold plating. Take it off before a swimming pool or a hot tub, without exception.

Perfume, aftershave and hairspray. All contain alcohol, which dulls both metal and pearls over time. Spray first, wait, then put the bracelet on.

Hand cream and sun cream. These build up in the gaps between spheres, where you cannot easily see them, and leave a film that flattens the finish.

Salt water. A quick dip will not ruin it, but rinse it in fresh water and dry it properly afterwards.

Cleaning it

A soft dry cloth, and that is genuinely it for routine care. Wipe along the strand, including between the spheres where skin oils gather.

Do not soak it. Do not use silver dip, jewellery cleaner, or anything designed to strip tarnish chemically. Those products are made for solid silver items and they are far too aggressive for a strung piece with semi precious stones and, on some styles, pearls.

If it needs more than a dry cloth, use a barely damp one and dry it immediately.

About tarnish, which is not damage

Sterling silver darkens over time. Every piece of sterling silver does, everywhere, and it is a straightforward chemical reaction with the air and with your skin.

It is not a fault, it is not a sign of poor quality, and it does not mean anything has gone wrong. A gentle rub with a soft cloth or a proper silver polishing cloth brings the shine back.

How quickly it happens varies enormously between people, because skin chemistry differs. Two people can buy the same bracelet on the same day and see completely different results in a month. That is normal too.

Pearls need slightly more care

Freshwater pearls are the one material in the range that is genuinely delicate, because they are organic rather than mineral.

They dislike acid, alcohol and abrasion. So the put it on last rule matters more on a pearl piece than on any other. Never use any cleaning product on them at all. A soft dry cloth only.

They also prefer being worn to being shut away. The small amount of moisture from skin actually suits them, so a pearl bracelet kept in a drawer for a year is worse off than one worn weekly.

Gold and gold plated parts

The gold elements across the range vary by piece. Wherever gold plating is involved, the rule is to avoid abrasion: no polishing cloths designed for silver, no scrubbing, no chemical cleaners. Plating is a surface, and rubbing at it wears it away.

A dry cloth, lightly, is all it should ever need.

Storing it

Somewhere dry, away from direct sunlight, ideally separately rather than loose in a box with other jewellery where it can be scratched.

The box your piece arrives in is designed for exactly this, so keeping it is worth doing.

If something goes wrong

If a strand breaks or a piece is damaged, do not throw it away, and do not attempt to restring it yourself. The order of the spheres is the design, and getting them back in the wrong order would destroy the only thing that makes the piece yours.

Get in touch at sales@mydesigna.co.uk. This is where the certificate of authenticity earns its place: it records the genetic data behind your piece, so a damaged bracelet can be rebuilt true to the same profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I wear my DNA bracelet in the shower?

Better not to. Soap builds up between the spheres and hard water leaves deposits. It will not be ruined by one shower, but daily showering in it will dull the finish faster.

Can I swim in it?

No. Chlorine attacks sterling silver and damages gold plating. Take it off before pools and hot tubs, and rinse and dry it if it meets salt water.

My silver bracelet has gone dark. Is it faulty?

No. All sterling silver tarnishes as it reacts with air and skin, at a rate that differs from person to person. A soft cloth or a silver polishing cloth restores it.

Can I use silver dip or jewellery cleaner?

No. Those are far too harsh for a strung piece with semi precious stones and pearls. A soft dry cloth is all that is needed.

How do I look after the pearls?

Put the bracelet on after perfume and cream, never use any cleaning product on them, and wipe with a dry cloth only. Pearls are organic and prefer being worn to being stored.

What if my bracelet breaks?

Contact us rather than restringing it yourself. The sphere order is your profile, so it has to be rebuilt correctly, and your certificate records the data needed to do that.