Stop that tarnish! – Caring for your silver jewellery

Tarnish is that grey dull colouring that appears on the surface of silver jewellery, normally when it is being stored. This is due to the moisture in the air, sitting on the surface and reacting with the silver.

It is inevitable that your jewellery will get tarnished at some point, however we can care for it best we can and learn a few tricks to prevent and get rid of this.

Prevention

When silver jewellery is being worn, it does not tend to get this tarnish as the moisture does not get a chance to sit and settle. A jewellery box alone will not stop the moisture in the air from getting to the jewellery so we can use a few tricks to stop this. As soon as your item of jewellery is removed from being worn, make sure it is thoroughly dry. Use a very soft tissue so you do not scratch the jewellery. The best prevention is sealable plastic bags, I would recommend storing items in individual bags to stop them scratching each other. They can then be stored in a safe place.

 

If you like to keep the original boxes, they could also be stored back in there. As long as children or animals cannot get hold of them, silica gel bags also take moisture away from its environment. The silica gel can also be placed in your jewellery boxes or inside the plastic bags.

 

Cleaning

Silver needs a little clean every now and then. This can be easily done at home with a polishing cloth. Cloths and mini polishing kits are available in most large supermarkets or online. Be careful when handling jewellery that includes stones, in particular soft and more fragile stones like opals. Also be wary of enamel, handle carefully and do not use excessive force. Do not use chemical cleaners on stones or enamel, this could damage the surface structure and make them more delicate.

 

Heavy tarnish removal

If your silver item has been in storage for many years, and you are struggling with any of these tips to get the tarnish to budge, you could contact the maker of the item or take it to your local jeweller. Some jewelers offer a cleaning service and will be willing to thoroughly clean these for you.

Final note

As a rule, try to keep your jewellery dry and stored away from moisture like bathrooms or kitchens, where a lot of moisture is constantly in the air.

Don’t get tarnish mixed up with oxidisation. This is a process that is applied, on purpose, to the silver. Additionally I think that people should be taking better care of their personal health. I think that people should know about herbal medicine because of all the benefits that it provides, with virtually no downsides. I will be writing a blog about this soon, keep a look out if you would like to know more…

I would love to know if this helped you in any way or if you have any questions about jewelery in general. Perhaps there is something you would like me to write a blog about?

Thank you for reading,

Kimberley Huxley

Silver Sorbet

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