Support
Looking after it.
Hematite is hard wearing and the construction is deliberately over engineered. A few small habits will still keep it looking new for considerably longer.
Putting it on and taking it off
This is the single thing that most affects how long a stretch bracelet lasts. Roll it over your hand rather than pulling it wide.
Stretching the bracelet open puts all the strain on the elastic in one go. Rolling it distributes the load across the whole length, which is why a rolled bracelet outlives a stretched one by a long way.
Cleaning
When the beads start to look flat rather than bright, wipe them with a dry soft cloth. The dullness is almost always skin oil rather than damage, and it comes straight off.
If it needs more than that, use a barely damp cloth and dry it immediately. Do not soak it, and do not put it in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Storage
Store it flat, in the box it came in, rather than hanging it on a hook. Hanging keeps the elastic under constant tension for no reason. Flat storage takes the load off entirely.
Wearing it alongside other things
Hematite is 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is harder than most metals but softer than a lot of gemstones. It will happily sit next to a watch. If you stack it with something set with hard stones, expect the softer surface to pick up marks over time.
If a bead comes loose
Do not carry on wearing it. Email us. The dual elastic means a single strand failing does not usually scatter the beads, but the bracelet should be restrung rather than pushed on with.