Special Occasion Jewellery           

 

Our special occasion pieces include all bridal and bridesmaids jewellery, hair accessories, tiaras and fascinators. Lisa Matthews offers an extra special service for anyone who wants something different for a special occasion whether it is a wedding, prom, party or a friends birthday, we will make to order jewellery and accessories especially for you in the colour of your choice.

 

Special occasion pieces are uniquely hand made to order by Lisa Matthews. Various materials are used within these designs to make them look extra special such as Swarovski crystals and freshwater pearls. The following guidelines should help you keep your items looking just as special in the years to come. Wedding and bridesmaids pieces should be reserved only for special occasions.

 

Storing – Items should be stored in their original jewellery pouch or tiara box or in a special keepsake box, away from heat, sunlight and damp conditions. Items should be stored separately to ensure they do not tangle with other items.

 

Silver locks – The silver findings used to finish our special occasion pieces are 92.5% silver. Over time silver will naturally tarnish and will need to be cleaned either by dipping the item into a silver cleaning solution (the silver lock only and not the whole item) or by polishing with a silver cloth. Pearls, crystals and semi-precious stones do not like to be cleaned with silver solution, this can damage their shine and luster.

 

Swarovski crystals – Swarovski crystals are the sparkly and colourful components; they are made from leaded glass and originate in Austria. They are used by fashion designers and jewellery makers throughout the world due to their fabulous sparkle and high quality. Over time the crystals may require cleaning and can be washed gently in soapy water and then rubbed gently with a dry cloth (please note some of our threading materials such as metallic thread should not come in to contact with water).

 

Freshwater pearls – The pearl components found in many of our wedding pieces are genuine freshwater pearls which means they are a natural material. They are cultured and grown in pearl farms as opposed to being fished from their natural sea environment where damage to corals etc could occur. Pearls do not like to be dipped in silver cleaning solutions as this will damage their beautiful luster. A gentle rub between your finger tips with a slightly damp cloth should suffice if cleaning is needed.

  

Metallic thread -  The metallic thread has a very shiny silver colour surface and therefore works very well in our special occasion pieces to create a silvery, shiny background for the Swarovski crystal and pearl components to be enhanced. It is made up from a fine silky thread and then very finely wrapped with a metallic coating to give it the silver shine. As it is a thread it is delicate in nature and should be treated delicately at all times. The thread is an absorbent material so it doesn’t like to be worn in water, sprayed with perfume or dipped in silver cleaning solution.

 

Tiger tail wire – Some of our pieces contain tiger tail wire which is a thin metal wire very finely coated with an outer protective layer and is slightly rigid in nature yet still flexible. Try not to catch these items on anything as tiger tail wire is prone to ‘kinking’.

 

Invisible wire -  This material is not as visibly noticeable as some of our other threading materials and gives a very delicate and ‘airy or floating’ look to some of our special occasion pieces making them look extra pretty. The invisible wire is prone to kinking so try to follow our recommended storing instructions (above) and try not to catch or tangle them with anything. This wire is also sensitive to extreme heat so do not leave them anywhere where they are exposed to extreme heat from the sun, flames, electrical heating gadgets (such as hair dryers, tongs, kettles, cookers, heaters) or even cigarettes.

 

Tiaras – Tiaras are made with a silver plated wire. This wire is prone to natural tarnishing over time and can be rubbed with a silver polishing cloth to restore the wire back to its silver shine. The wires are also bendable so if the tiara appears ‘miss-shaped’ over time, the wires can be moved and bent until the design again looks pleasing to the eye.

 

Bracelets – Bracelets are more prone to wear and tear than necklaces so extra care should be taken to follow the guidelines and not catch them on anything.

 

Crystal Rings – Crystal rings are made with swarovski crystal components and invisible wire. Be gentle when putting the rings on and off as they are not stretchy. These rings will require cleaning from time to time as dirt can build up in the centre holes of the beads. For this type of cleaning a small, soft brush should be used along with soapy water. A nail brush is ideal.

 

Earrings – The earring hooks can be cleaned should they tarnish over time by following the ‘Silver locks’ instructions above

 

We hope you enjoy wearing your special occasion items as much as we have enjoyed making them for you.