care an patina
Metal changes. That's the point.
A piece that looks identical after ten years wasn't worn. It sat somewhere.
Silver darkens. Bronze deepens. The high points polish themselves bright against your shirt while the low places go dark and stay dark. That contrast is what makes a forged surface read the way it does — and it only happens with time on a body.
We'd rather you wore it than protected it.
Sterling silver
Wear it. Sleep in it if you want. Sterling handles daily life without any help from you.
Over months it will darken, settling into the hammered recesses and the shadow of every cut. Most men leave it exactly there — that's the piece looking like itself.
If you want the brightness back, a polishing cloth takes about thirty seconds. Work the raised surfaces and leave the recesses alone; polishing the low places out is what makes a forged piece go flat.
No dips, no chemical cleaners, no baking-soda tricks. They strip the patina uniformly, including the parts that should stay dark, and you can't put it back the way it was.
Bronze
Bronze is a living metal and it moves faster than silver. Expect it to go from bright to deep brown within weeks.
It can also leave a green mark on skin — that's a normal reaction between the copper in bronze and the oils and salt in sweat. It's harmless and it washes off. If you'd rather avoid it, a thin coat of Renaissance wax or clear lacquer on the back of the piece stops it. Reapply every few months.
To bring bronze back up, a soft cloth and a little pressure is usually enough.
The cord
The braided leather will soften and darken with wear, the way a good belt does. That's the cord doing its job.
Leather doesn't like to be soaked. Take it off before the pool, the ocean, or a long shower — not because the pendant minds, but because the cord will stiffen and crack over time if it's repeatedly wet and dried.
Cords wear out before pendants do. When yours does, we'll replace it. Just write to us.
A short list of what actually damages a piece
Chlorine and salt water, over time. Household bleach and ammonia. Leaving it in a gym bag wet. Dropping it on concrete edge-first.
Everything else it can take.
If something goes wrong
If a piece arrives flawed, or fails from something we did wrong in making it, we repair or replace it. No time limit and no argument.
Damage from wear, loss, and accidents aren't covered — but write to us anyway. We'd rather fix a piece than watch it sit broken in a drawer.