At my market stall the first question is nearly always "is that a real flower?". The second usually follows a moment later. How long will it last? It is a fair question. Fresh flowers wilt in days, so it feels natural to wonder whether a flower necklace can really keep its beauty. The short answer is that pressed flower jewellery lasts for years with very little effort. Here is why, along with the few small habits that keep your piece looking its best.
Why the flowers don't wilt
Every piece I make starts with a real flower, picked and pressed by hand in St Albans. Pressing gently removes the moisture that makes a fresh bloom fade. The flower is then sealed inside clear resin, which protects it from the two things that age botanicals most, air and damp. Once cured, the resin forms a smooth, glass like layer around the petals. I work with a UV resistant resin made to resist yellowing, so your piece stays clear rather than turning cloudy over time.
Will the colours fade?
Sealed away from air and moisture, pressed flowers hold their colour remarkably well. The one thing worth avoiding is long spells of strong, direct sunlight, which can soften delicate petal colours over the years. Wearing your jewellery out on a sunny day is absolutely fine. Just don't store it on a bright windowsill. A drawer, a pouch or its gift box is perfect. Some flowers even have their own colour story. The purple of my hydrangeas, for example, comes from a natural fade, as the blooms dry from pink into a soft violet before they ever reach the resin.
Can you get it wet?
The resin itself doesn't mind a splash of rain or washing your hands. The metal parts are the reason to keep things dry. My pendants and frames are finished in 18K gold plating or platinum plating, and plated finishes stay bright longest when they are kept away from water and chemicals. So take your jewellery off before swimming, showering or a bath, and if a piece does get wet, simply pat it dry with a soft cloth.
Four small habits that make jewellery last
- Put perfume, hairspray and lotion on first, and let them dry before your jewellery goes on.
- Take pieces off before swimming, showering, sport and sleep.
- After wearing, give the piece a gentle wipe with a soft, dry cloth.
- Store it in its pouch or box, away from direct sunlight.
That really is all it takes. No polishing kits, no special cleaners. In fact, please avoid chemical jewellery cleaners altogether, as they are made for solid metals and are too harsh for plated finishes.
Kind to sensitive skin, made to be worn
Because so many of my customers wear their pieces daily, I choose materials with sensitive skin in mind. My stud earrings sit on 18K gold plated sterling silver posts, and my necklace chains are stainless steel, one of the most skin friendly metals there is. Cared for as above, a piece you love can be part of your everyday for years.
A keepsake that keeps
People often tell me these pieces become "a heartful gift", a way to hold onto a memory of a garden, a season or a person. That is exactly what pressing does. It pauses a flower at its loveliest moment, and the resin keeps that moment safe. If you'd like to see what that looks like, my forget me not jewellery carries the flower of remembering, and you can browse all my pressed flower necklaces to find the bloom that speaks to you. And if you're curious why forget me nots mean so much to people, I wrote about that in my last post.
Every flower I press is one of a kind, so no two pieces are ever quite the same. Whichever one finds its way to you, I hope this little guide helps it stay beautiful for years to come.
