Silver Jewelry Care

2007-08-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

Sterling silver is the standard for beautiful high-quality silver jewelry. It's over 90% pure silver, mixed with alloys to add strength and durability. And it won't wear down, as silver plating can. Sterling silver is the most popular concentration found in silvery items, and a marking of "925" can be visibly noted engraved onto either the backside or the inside of each piece. It is the most ideal percentage for having enough durability without loosing much of the natural bright sheen.

Silver, when properly maintained, will yield generations of enjoyment. Be sure
to store the silver jewelry in a cool, dry place individually in pouches to keep them from environmental harm. But if the silver item always becomes tarnished, as there are chances it'll happen no matter how careful one is. Just use a polish solution or a polishing cloth to clean the piece.
With proper care, fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize
scratches and other damage, one must store silver jewelry either in a cloth
pouch or in a separate compartment in the jewelry box. Exposing silver jewelry
to household chemicals must be avoided, 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. To clean the silver, polishes formulated specifically to remove
tarnish are used. One 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
the silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up,
regular cleanings of all the silver items will prevent tarnish and keep the
silver bright and sparkling. Silver is the most reflective out of all precious
metals, so jewelry crafted out of silver must be kept beautifully.