Sterling Silver Care
Sterling Silver Jewelry Care
With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Another alternative is storing jewelry in an airtight bag. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver. Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air.
First the tarnish will take on a golden hue, and eventually, it will turn the piece black. This is a natural process. Higher sulfide levels are associated with humidity and/or air pollution. Remember, the more humid the climate, the faster sterling will tarnish. On a summer day in Miami, Florida, all you have to do is walk out the door and the sterling starts turning black very quickly. Cosmetics and hair spray may also contribute to the discoloring or tarnishing of sterling silver. Handle your silver jewelry with clean hands, oil free. This will keep your sterling silver jewelry looking like new and will be ready to wear in an instant.
To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling. Household cleaning products can be very harmful and contain chemicals that can cause damage and spotting to silver. Only use formulas specifically designed for silver jewelry cleaning. Do not clean stones with the formula.
another way of cleaning your stones and sterling silver wire is by using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste. Make sure you rinse very well, and then drive with a non lint cloth.
Gemstone Jewelry
When cleaning gemstone beads or cabochons, immerse them in warm, soapy water, and scrub gently with a soft brush. Then rinse them and lay them on a soft towel to dry. Ultrasonic cleaners only work with hard crystalline stones, like amethyst; for most gemstones, however, we'd suggest avoiding ultrasonic cleaners.
The big trick is cleaning sterling silver jewelry that includes gemstones within the piece. Sunshine cloths are OK. The chemicals in the Sunshine Cloth won't hurt the stones. Silver dips should be avoided, however, except with crystalline stones like amethyst. Stones like black onyx, malachite, lapis and the like do not survive long when cleaned with dips. A lot of their shine comes from an oily polish which is dissolved by the dips.
NOTE: Sometimes you can restore that oily polished look on gemstones by rubbing them with black shoe wax.
With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Another alternative is storing jewelry in an airtight bag. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver. Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air.
First the tarnish will take on a golden hue, and eventually, it will turn the piece black. This is a natural process. Higher sulfide levels are associated with humidity and/or air pollution. Remember, the more humid the climate, the faster sterling will tarnish. On a summer day in Miami, Florida, all you have to do is walk out the door and the sterling starts turning black very quickly. Cosmetics and hair spray may also contribute to the discoloring or tarnishing of sterling silver. Handle your silver jewelry with clean hands, oil free. This will keep your sterling silver jewelry looking like new and will be ready to wear in an instant.
To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling. Household cleaning products can be very harmful and contain chemicals that can cause damage and spotting to silver. Only use formulas specifically designed for silver jewelry cleaning. Do not clean stones with the formula.
another way of cleaning your stones and sterling silver wire is by using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste. Make sure you rinse very well, and then drive with a non lint cloth.
Gemstone Jewelry
When cleaning gemstone beads or cabochons, immerse them in warm, soapy water, and scrub gently with a soft brush. Then rinse them and lay them on a soft towel to dry. Ultrasonic cleaners only work with hard crystalline stones, like amethyst; for most gemstones, however, we'd suggest avoiding ultrasonic cleaners.
The big trick is cleaning sterling silver jewelry that includes gemstones within the piece. Sunshine cloths are OK. The chemicals in the Sunshine Cloth won't hurt the stones. Silver dips should be avoided, however, except with crystalline stones like amethyst. Stones like black onyx, malachite, lapis and the like do not survive long when cleaned with dips. A lot of their shine comes from an oily polish which is dissolved by the dips.
NOTE: Sometimes you can restore that oily polished look on gemstones by rubbing them with black shoe wax.
posted by Jennifer | 3:01 PM
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