Protecting Your Investment: The Essential Guide to Caring for Luxury Stemware

When you invest in fine crystal stemware, you are acquiring more than just a drinking vessel; you are purchasing a piece of enduring craftsmanship. The sottile premium wine glasses and luxury flute glasses from Sottile Cru are designed for a lifetime of celebrations. However, their ultra-fine rims and brilliant clarity require specific, thoughtful care to maintain their pristine condition.

This guide provides the essential steps to ensure your glassware and silverware remain as exquisite as the day you acquired them.

1. The Gentle Cleanse: Handwashing is Key

Due to their delicate structure, Sottile Cru glasses are best cared for by hand. Automated washing risks chipping the fine rims and, over time, can lead to the "clouding" that dulls crystal's brilliance.

• Temperature: Use warm, never hot, water. Extreme temperature changes can stress the crystal.

• Soap: Use a mild, non-abrasive detergent. Avoid harsh chemicals or lemon-scented soaps, which can sometimes leave residue or dull the shine.

• The Grip: When washing or rinsing the bowl, never hold the base and twist the bowl. Hold the bowl itself gently in one hand to avoid putting torsional stress on the stem, which is the most common cause of breakage.

For a detailed walkthrough on tackling tough stains like red wine residue without damaging the crystal, Good Housekeeping offers reliable, expert cleaning advice.

2. The Final Touch: Polish for Brilliance

Drying is perhaps the most critical step for achieving a flawless, streak-free finish.

1. Air Dry First: Allow excess water to drip off the glasses naturally in a rack for a few minutes.

2. The Two-Towel Polish: Use two lint-free microfiber or linen cloths. Never use paper towels.

   • Hold the bowl gently with one cloth, using it as support.

   • Polish the inside and outside with the second cloth, moving in a soft, circular motion.

   • Polish the foot and base last.

   • Ensure your luxury flute glasses are stored upright to protect the rim.

Sommeliers often use steam before polishing to aid in the streak-free finish. Wine Folly provides excellent tips from the wine trade on achieving that diamond-like clarity.

3. Extending the Elegance to Silverware

A truly harmonious table involves care across all elements. If you own pieces from our Silverware Collection, simple steps ensure their lasting brilliance. Store silverware in a dry environment and use specialized anti-tarnish cloths or storage rolls to prevent oxidation and keep polishing to a minimum.

For deep cleaning and maintenance of fine silverware, Town & Country provides practical, high-end advice on caring for heirlooms.

4. The Sottile Cru Commitment

Caring for fine items is part of the joy of owning them. It reinforces our commitment to quality—a philosophy you can read more about us.

In a world prioritizing disposability, investing time in care aligns with the "Buy Less, Choose Well" movement. We encourage you to embrace this philosophy, ensuring that your sottile cru pieces are cherished and passed down.

For further exploration of this mindset, Fast Company delves into the long-term value of choosing investment pieces over disposable trends.

Discover the collection that’s built to last a lifetime at sottilecru.fr.