Meenakari’s enamelled colour is what makes each piece distinctive, and it’s also the part that needs the most thoughtful care – enamel behaves differently from plain plating, and treating it the same way can dull the colour faster than it should fade.
What Makes Enamel Different From Plating
Standard jewellery plating is a thin metal layer. Meenakari enamel is a fused glass-like coating sitting in and around the metal’s engraved detailing. It’s more resistant to the kind of gradual colour fading that affects plating, but it’s more vulnerable to impact – a knock against a hard surface can chip enamel in a way that wouldn’t necessarily damage a plain plated piece.
Everyday Care
- Handle by the edges when possible. Avoid pressing directly on enamelled sections, especially when putting a piece on or taking it off.
- Keep it away from knocks. Store Meenakari pieces where they won’t bump against harder jewellery – a separate compartment in a jewellery box works better than a shared pouch with metal bangles or rings.
- Avoid water and perfume, same as any plated piece. Moisture and chemical exposure can dull the enamel’s shine over time, even though the colour itself is more fade-resistant than plating.
- Wipe gently with a dry, soft cloth after wear. Avoid rubbing directly over enamelled sections – a light pass is enough to remove surface residue.
If the Colour Starts to Dull
A gentle wipe with a barely damp soft cloth, dried immediately, can help restore some shine to a dulled surface – but avoid any soaking or prolonged water contact, which enamel doesn’t recover from well. If a piece has visible chipping, that’s a structural change rather than surface dulling, and no amount of cleaning will reverse it – at that point, it’s best moved out of regular rotation to prevent further chipping.
Storing Meenakari Jewellery Long-Term
For pieces you wear only occasionally, store them flat rather than hanging, in a lined box or individual pouch, away from direct sunlight (which can affect enamel colour over very long periods) and away from humidity. This matters more for Meenakari than for plain metal pieces, since the enamel surface is the part actually holding the colour you’re trying to preserve.
To understand what Meenakari is and where the technique comes from, see what is Meenakari jewellery. Browse the full range in our Meenakari collection.
