Cleaning Your Silver Jewelry
Silver polishing cloths are quite inexpensive and last a long time. The cloth is appropriate for cleaning and polishing silver jewelry that is mild to moderately dirty.
Silver jewelry collection
Soiled silver jewelry looks dull and tarnishes over time.
Rubbing the jewelry gently with the silver polishing cloth allows you to clean it without scratching the metal.
If your silver jewelry is heavily soiled or tarnished, you can use aluminum foil and to rid it of the dark spots.
Simply place a square of aluminum foil in the bottom of a heavy bowl.
Put the silver jewelry on top of the foil and pour moderately hot—not boiling—water over the jewelry.
Add a couple of tablespoons of baking soda to the water and swish it around to dissolve it.
Let the silver jewelry soak for about 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse the jewelry well and dry it with a soft towel.
This method makes the tarnish disappear and restores the shine and luster to the jewelry.
Cleaning Silver Jewelry with Other Gems in the Setting
Some gems set in silver jewelry are fragile, such as opals or pearls.
If your jewelry contains these stones, clean the jewelry according to the care method recommended for the particular stone.
Storing Your Silver Jewelry
Humidity, oils from your skin, perfumes, lotions, hair products and other substances cause silver jewelry to corrode and tarnish.
Protect your silver jewelry by wiping it off thoroughly with a polishing cloth or other soft material, like a cloth diaper, before storing it.
Place the silver in an area that is dark and dry, such as a jewelry box or drawer. Allow plenty of room for each piece of jewelry.
It is best to store the jewelry so that other pieces are not on top of it and are not touching each other. Storing your silver jewelry in this manner ensures that it will stay looking attractive for many years.
What Kind of Silver Is Used in Jewelry?
Look for the “925” (or “92.5”) stamp when shopping for silver jewelry. This indicates that it is sterling silver – the highest grade of silver metal for jewelry.
The stamp proves that the metal is 92.5 percent pure silver alloy. It also tells you that 7.5 percent of copper (or other metals) has been added to the metal to increase its strength.
Silver on its own is soft, flexible and malleable. This makes it prone to scratches without the addition of other metals.
