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Silver in all its luminous apparitions,
has co-reigned alongside gold for more than 6000 years as the
‘Queen of Precious Metals’. However, of all silver’s heirs it is
sterling silver with its intrinsic beauty, value and durability,
that has ensured itself a place in the history books as one of
the most popular mediums of personal adornment.
Owning a prestigious item such as sterling silver jewelry should
be undertaken with an eye on the future. Like all precious
metals, sterling silver’s value increases with time, and one day
your jewelry could well become a priceless family heirloom, so
looking after it now can only pay dividends in the future.
However, to understand the proper care and maintenance of your
sterling silver jewelry it is first necessary to look into
sterling silver’s background.
Both silver and sterling silver are precious metals, and both
closely related, but they are not the same. Pure silver is quite
soft and because of this won't hold its shape; sterling silver
was invented as a more durable form of this highly malleable and
lustrous metal, lending its hardwearing properties to the
creation of frequently worn jewelry.
Sterling silver is 92.5 percent true silver; the remaining 7.5
percent is comprised of an alloy, usually copper or zinc.
Sterling silver tarnishes, this is caused by a reaction between
the silver and the sulfur containing oxygen particles of the
air. The following guide gives you some useful advice on
preserving your sterling silver gemstone jewelry in the state
you want for future generations.
Storage
Store your sterling silver jewelry in a dark, cool place away
from direct sunlight or other sources of extreme heat such as
radiators. A perfect place is in a jewelry box in amongst your
clothes.
Sterling silver jewelry, as is the case with all fine jewelry,
should be stored alone in a separate compartment in a jewelry
box or in its own soft pouch. Not doing this will eventually
result in scratches, or even breaks if there are gemstones in
the jewelry.
Never store your sterling silver jewelry in paper, cardboard, or
cotton filled boxes, as these contain trace elements of sulfur.
For best results, place the items in a sealed, airtight plastic
bag or jeweler's sulfur-free tissue prior to boxing and
wrapping.
Cleaning & Polishing
Over time, sterling silver will develop a mellow patina caused
by ‘Oxidization’, which results in an ‘Antique’ look where
tarnish builds up in the fine details giving your sterling
silver jewelry a beautifully unique air. You may or may not
appreciate this aspect; you should consider this before making
any attempts at cleaning your jewelry.
The best way to preserve and encourage the tarnished ‘Antique’
look to sterling silver jewelry can be done by not cleaning the
jewelry with water, and not wearing the jewelry in the shower or
bath.
The best way to prevent tarnish is to wear your sterling silver
jewelry as often as possible.
If your sterling silver does become tarnished, it is easily
restored to its former glory by using warm water with a mild
soap, rinsing it and then making sure to thoroughly dry it with
a fine soft cloth. Soaking is discouraged.
Use a soft cloth, similar to the cloth provided with spectacles,
in light even strokes for cleaning the wider surface area, and
cotton buds or Q-tips in the same manner for getting in to more
difficult corners.
Never use tissues or hard brushes, including toothbrushes, when
cleaning or polishing your sterling silver, as they will leave
scratch marks. This is especially important if there are
gemstones such as pearls mounted into your jewelry.
Polishing should be done quickly, and all traces of polish
should be removed afterwards. Leaving traces of polish behind
can dull the design by clogging engraved areas.
Silver pastes, treated polishing cloths or other sterling silver
cleaning materials should be used under the guidance of your
local jeweler, this is especially true if there are gemstones as
these chemicals can destroy them.
The Dos’ & Don’ts
Always take your sterling silver jewelry off before applying
suntan lotion, skin creams, and swimming in chlorinated or salt
water.
Never wear your jewelry when working with detergents, bleaches,
ammonia or alcohols; these chemicals will cause discoloration,
damage and loosen any gemstones.
Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or any chemical
solution to clean opaque gemstones, such as turquoise,
malachite, onyx, lapis lazuli and opals. They are a porous stone
and may absorb chemicals, which build up inside the stone and
cause discoloration. Simply wipe them gently with a moist soft
cloth until clean.
Rhodium Plated Sterling Silver Care
Some sterling silver jewelry is plated with rhodium; this is
designed to make your jewelry tarnish resistant. Caring for
rhodium-plated sterling silver jewelry requires a different
approach than non-plated sterling silver jewelry.
Clean it with a soft polishing rag or fine cleaner, but never
use chemical based silver cleaners because this will damage the
rhodium finish and also the inlaid gemstones.
If you own antique sterling silver jewelry or rhodium plated
sterling silver jewelry we recommend that you seek expert advice
from your local jeweler who will be able to instruct you on the
best brands of jewelry cleaning products in your area.
Copyright © SilverShake Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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