Care for Your Piece

Legacy Design

Care for Your Legacy Piece

Every Legacy Design piece is handcrafted by African artisans, from natural materials sourced across multiple African countries. These pieces are African, made by hand and carrying traditions that have adorned generations. With the right care, your piece will do the same for generations to come.

Brass · Cowrie · Jasper · Cow Horn


General Care

The specifics of care vary with each material, but a few standards protect every piece in your collection.

Make your jewelry the last thing you put on and the first thing you take off, after lotions, perfumes, and oils have settled into your skin. Take it off before swimming, showering, or working out, so water and chemicals never have the chance to dull its beauty. After each wear, give it a gentle wipe with your Legacy Care Kit cloth. Store each piece on its own, in its pouch or box, so your pieces never rub against one another.


Brass

Handcrafted solid brass bangle

Every brass piece in our collection is solid brass, never plated. The beauty you see isn't a thin coating that can wear away. It's the same rich metal all the way through. However long you wear it, its shine can always be restored, and it can be passed down just as beautiful as the day it arrived.

Brass has a gift few materials share: it responds to the person who wears it. Over time, it meets your skin's natural chemistry and develops a patina, a deep, warm, golden glow that is uniquely yours. Some wear their patina with pride, as the signature of a piece that has lived alongside them. Others prefer a bright, polished shine. With brass, the choice is always yours.

To keep your brass bright and protected:

  1. Keep it dry. Moisture is what brings on tarnish. Take your piece off before water of any kind, and make sure your skin is dry before you put it on.
  2. Buff after every wear. A few seconds with your Legacy Care Kit cloth lifts away natural skin oils and keeps the surface glowing.
  3. Store it sealed. Keep brass in its pouch or a small sealed bag, away from humid spaces like the bathroom. Less air means a longer lasting shine.
  4. Restore the shine anytime. Buff gently with your care cloth. Clean, dry brass and a soft cloth are all it takes.

Cowrie

Handcrafted cowrie shell earrings

Long before coins, cowrie was wealth. Carried along ancient trade routes and exchanged across the continent, these shells were a symbol of prosperity, fertility, and protection. Queens wore them. Warriors carried them. Families passed them down.

Formed in warm ocean waters from the same natural mineral as pearls, each shell carries a porcelain glow no two share. Cowries have lasted for centuries, and with care, yours will carry that legacy forward.

Cowrie's glow is its treasure. Perfume, household cleaners, chlorine, and time underwater can dull its surface, so keep it clear of all of them. Treat it the way you would any fine keepsake. A shell is strong, but a hard drop or knock against a solid surface can chip it, so set it down gently and give it a safe place to rest.

To preserve your cowrie:

  1. Clean it gently with your dry care cloth. For more, use a cloth barely touched with water, then dry it right away. Never soak it, and never use jewelry cleaners.
  2. Keep it clear of fragrance and chemicals. Put it on last and take it off first.
  3. Store it flat and separate, away from metal pieces that could scratch the shell.
  4. Protect the cord. If your cowrie is strung on thread or leather, keeping it dry protects the cord as well as the shells.

Jasper

Natural Kenyan jasper set in brass

Mined in the Taita Taveta region of Kenya, one of East Africa's most celebrated gemstone regions, our jasper carries the colors of the land it comes from. Its blue green tones, veins, and markings formed slowly within the earth, so no two stones will ever be alike. Your piece is not a copy of anything. It's a one of a kind stone with a true origin.

Its color is natural and never dyed. Jasper is naturally strong and holds its polish beautifully. Its strength means it can scratch softer treasures like brass, shell, and horn if they're stored together, so give it a space of its own. Harsh chemicals can dull its polished finish.

To preserve your jasper:

  1. Clean it simply with warm water, a drop of mild soap, and a soft cloth. Rinse and dry completely.
  2. Store it on its own, so it neither scratches nor gets scratched.
  3. If it's set in brass, care for the stone as above and buff the brass with your care cloth.

Cow Horn

Hand carved cow horn earrings

Rich in keratin, a natural protein, cow horn feels light and warm against your skin. Each piece is carved, sanded, and hand polished by skilled artisans until its grain and warm tones come alive. Formed from real horn, every piece carries its own unique design. Variations in color, grain, and markings are the signature of its authenticity.

Water and heat are what can change horn, so keeping it dry and cool is the heart of its care. A little nourishment now and then keeps its natural luster rich for years.

To preserve your cow horn:

  1. Keep it dry. If it gets wet, pat it dry right away and let it rest at room temperature, never under a hairdryer.
  2. Keep it cool, away from direct sun, radiators, and hot cars.
  3. Wipe after wearing with your dry care cloth.
  4. Nourish it every few months. Rub a tiny drop of natural oil, such as coconut or jojoba, into the horn with your cloth. Let it rest a few minutes, then buff away the excess to reveal its glow.
  5. Keep it clear of perfume and alcohol, which dry out horn.
  6. Store it in its pouch, in a cool, dry place.

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Made by hand. Made with heritage. Carry it forward.