Timber is such beautiful natural material, its grain can span almost every colour in the rainbow and no two pieces are ever the same. It ages gracefully and jewellery made from this precious resource has the potential to become an heirloom.

Many of the timbers I use in my work, such as ebony and mulga, are some of the most dense timbers in the world making them incredibly hard. While they are durable, all wooden jewellery needs a little care to keep it looking its best and to make it last the test of time.

Please follow these care instructions to prolong the life of your wooden jewellery:

Clean and polish every 4–8 weeks

I recommend cleaning and polishing your jewellery with wax regularly. This helps to rejuvenate the timber and remove any dust. It also removes any light tarnish that can occur on the silver components.

For earrings, cufflinks and brooches this process should be carried out every two months, but for rings it’s best to do it every month. I like to use Organoil Wax and Polish which can be purchased online from a supplier called Carbatec. You can also use a clear beeswax polish like GLEIVO Beeswax (#315) from Livos Australia.

Never come into contact with water

Wooden jewellery can not get wet. Exposing your jewellery to water will make the timber expand and this will damage the piece. I also recommend keeping your jewellery away from high humidity areas such as the bathroom, as the heat and moisture will affect the timber in a very short amount of time (sometimes just days).

Keep away from heat

Just as it’s not a good idea for your skin to have prolonged exposure to the hot sun, it’s also not advised for timber products. Exposing your jewellery to long periods of hot direct sun can cause fading or cracking. I recommend not letting your jewellery near a heater, over steaming pots, or to be stored in hot cars or on windowsills.

Do not wear to bed

Your jewellery should be taken off before going to bed. This eliminates the possibility of the jewellery catching on linen or being crushed during the night, keeping you and your piece safe.

Remove during manual or dirty work

Remove your timber ring when doing heavy lifting and manual or dirty work where it is likely to be knocked against hard or abrasive surfaces. If you do scratch your piece, give it a light wax which will reduce any visible wear and tear. I keep a small pouch in my pocket to put my own ring in while I work in the garden to keep it safe.

When you follow the instructions above to take care of your timber jewellery, you’ll really see the difference in the way the colour, surface and form is preserved, and you’ll be able to enjoy it for longer.