In addition to finding that my sensitive skin can wear sterling silver as well as it can karated gold, one of my biggest surprises with sterling silver is that one of the best ways to keep your silver tarnish free is to WEAR IT. The friction and rubbing that happens to a piece you're wearing, just from normal daily activities, seems to keep tarnish from accumulating. I have sterling silver rings that I wear all the time - with very rare exceptions - that have stayed shiny for  years now. This goes against the oft-heard advice to remove sterling silver when doing dishes, etc. However, I won't make any guarantees that you can wear your silver like I do mine without any negative effect.

 

Oxygen is not the only cause of tarnished silver. Sulphides are another. High humidity can greatly accelerate the process. One material that can be disastrous on silver is unfinished or unsealed wood (more specifically, the tannins in wood). In the category of 'learning the hard way,' I have seen entire jewelry collections turn BLACK because of this! So if you store your sterling silver in or near wood, ensure the wood is VERY well sealed. It is also a good idea, whatever your jewelry box is made of, to store jewellery in sealed Zip-loc bags.  Some plastics can contain sulfides so be wary (avoid polyvinyl plastic bags). Zip-loc bags are generally a safe bet. This will also help prevent scratching or damage to stones that could be caused by storing a piece loose with other items.

 

Buffing a little with a soft cloth is also not a bad idea before you store it. It's easier to take these small steps to keep your sterling silver bright and shiny than to clean pieces that have become heavily tarnished.

 

Another ally in maintaining the beauty of your sterling silver jewelry is tarnish preventing paper or plastic. These usually come in strips, but can be cut into smaller sizes (approx. 1" for one necklace) and placed in the bag with your silver. 3M Anti-Tarnish Strips are a well-known example. Another I've newly discovered is Static Intercept Non-Abrasive Anti-Tarnish tabs or strips and Corrosion Intercept Anti-Tarnish bags and pouches by Intercept Technology. They have a wide assortment of tarnish prevention products. I haven't tried their products yet, but I think I'm looking forward to doing so.

 

Silica packs (from pill bottles, for instance) can also help absorb excess moisture in the air.

 

The following materials have been associated with increasing the rate of silver tarnishing: wool, paper and cardboard, rubber, fossil fuels, foods like eggs and onions, some paints, latex gloves, salt water, chlorine, soap, perspiration, skin oils... etc. However, you usually don't have to look far to find someone who says they don't worry about this list - other than harsh chemical products - and their silver has held up just fine.

 

 

 

Frequent cleaning is a good idea to maintain the beauty and shine of sterling silver. The first cleaning method I would suggest is rubbing with a soft cloth. Sometimes that is all it takes and you've avoided using anything 'chemicals' or risking other materials in the piece.

 

 

There are several types of silver cleaning cloths available that are already impregnated with jeweler's rouge or other substances. I have found these to be my preferred way to restore the shine to my silver jewelry (if the plain soft cloth is not enough). Depending on what other materials are in the piece to be cleaned, you may want to proceed with some caution if cleaning certain gemstones. I have had good results with polishing cloths, with no damage done to stones, pearls, organic gemstones, etc. Excessive use of some polishing cloths on some stones can dull their finish, so when rubbing avoid gemstone surfaces if you can. It is a good idea to wipe a piece well, or even wash and dry well, after using a polishing cloth to remove any chemical residue.

 

The down side with polishing cloths can be that they can't always get into the small spaces created by intricate designs.  In this case, a very soft toothbrush, rubbed first on the cloth and then into the tiny spaces of the piece can help solve that problem... if necessary (see "Appreciating Patina").

 

 

They are tempting to use for their fast effectiveness... but BEWARE! Dip cleaners can destroy many jewelry materials, such as pearls, onyx, turquoise, etc., and can be a little unkind to the silver itself. Some stones are treated with special oils or finishes to enhance their shine and durability - which can be irreparably damaged by dip cleaners. Another item in my "learned the hard way" file.

 

Dip cleaners can cause your silver to tarnish more quickly afterwards. They can also remove any antiqued finish or details in a piece.

 

One product I have heard positive reviews on is Hagerty Silversmith's Wash. This is much less likely to cause any harm to stones or pearls and also includes chemical tarnish retardants. Hagerty and other companies also make dip products for cleaning delicate stones and pearls. Though these will not clean the metals of tarnish, they will generally not harm them either (see individual products usage instructions).

 

 

1. Put flour in a bowl and set the piece in the flour, then rub the piece gently with a toothbrush. I have used this method and found it to be slow and leave somewhat hard-to-remove flour inside beads.

 

2. Line a small bowl (about a half quart or litre size) with aluminum foil.  Add hot water and a tablespoon of Tide or Arm And Hammer washing powder (not liquid or "with bleach") and stir. The washing powder causes a reaction with the aluminum foil and the tarnish leaves the silver and attaches to the aluminum. I have not tried this method so cannot speak to its validity.

 

You may have heard suggestions to clean your silver with toothpaste or baking soda. These however, can be abrasive and scratch or damage the polished shine of your silver.

 

 

 

These can be safe to use on pieces made ONLY of sterling silver (or other metals as indicated by the manufacturers). However, if a piece has turquoise, pearls, onyx, or other gemstones, ultrasonic cleaners can make the stones turn black or even crumble.

 

 

Perhaps what I'm really recommending is "polishing" your silver rather than "cleaning" it. Many people are very fond of the patina that silver takes on over time. Harsh cleaning methods will remove this.   This is another reason to use gentle methods first to polish your sterling silver jewelry. This can enhance your silver's incomparable shine without taking away too much of its equally incomparable patina

 

 

 

 

The methods used to clean sterling plated jewelry are generally the same as those to clean solid sterling silver. However, with sterling plate, it is recommended that you use the gentlest method possible as anything that removes tarnish also removes a small amount of silver. Heavily plated items can stay shiny for a lifetime with reasonable care. With sterling plate, polish gently with a soft cloth free of chemical cleaners and be sure to store your plated jewelry in Ziploc bags to prevent tarnish. You can also purchase tarnish prevention strips made of plastic or paper impregnated with chemicals that help neutralize tarnish-causing elements (see examples above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Stone" is generally a pretty durable material. So are most gemstones, but these precious materials still warrant some special care to keep them 'precious' for generations.

 

Transparent gemstones can take a bit more 'scrubbing' and stand up better to potentially abrasive substances (like toothpaste). This is because they tend to be crystals of a single mineral with their molecules tightly aligned. Opaque stones - as we can see in a wet stone at the beach, for instance - are generally more porous. However, even the hardest gemstones can be vulnerable to damage - so give all your beautiful gemstone jewelry the care it warrants.

 

If doing something 'rugged' where your jewelry may scrape or impact rough materials, remove your jewelry.

 

Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for any stones but diamonds, rubies and sapphires - and even these are not invincible if they have inclusions that could weaken their structure.

 

For opaque stones like onyx, turquoise, malachite, lapis lazuli, etc. remember that because they are porous materials, they can absorb chemicals and cleaning solutions which may remain in the stone and damage or discolour them over time. These are best cleaned by wiping with a soft cloth or using cleaning solutions designed for delicate jewelry materials.

 

Organic gemstones like pearls, amber, coral, etc. can be more vulnerable to breakage. Some, like amber, are quite soft materials. Opal is similar in delicacy to these 'stones' in that it can be badly damaged by harsh chemicals such as ammonia, as well as by strong heat or light.

 

When cleaning sterling silver or other metal pieces that include these stones, do your best to keep cleaning chemicals off the stone itself. After cleaning, polish with a clean dry cloth to remove chemical residue. Cleaning the stones themselves can be done by buffing with a soft cloth or with a cleaner specially designed for delicate jewelry (eg. Hagerty Delicate Jewel Cleaner, Connoisseurs Revitalizing Delicate Jewellery Cleaner).

 

Remember that many gemstones are softer than the metal they are set in or paired with, so use care when storing pieces together to ensure they don't scratch or damage each other.

 

 

 

 

Pearls are organic gems that have a few care requirements beyond that of other gem materials. Pearls are made of layers of nacre produced by the clam, oyster - or other similar 'creature' - in response to an irritating foreign material inside their shell (usually placed there by humans to give us "cultured pearls"). The thicker the nacre the more durable the pearl. All pearls, though, are relatively delicate and can be chipped or damaged from impact or abrasion. So protect them by storing them carefully in ways that will minimize this risk.

 

I have heard and read many sources of advice saying that you should not get your pearls wet, unless it is a product designed for pearls, such as Connoisseurs Revitalizing Delicate Jewellery Cleaner. And then again, I have heard testimonials from others who report using liquid cleaners and soaps on their pearls with no apparent detriment. I can tell you from experience that harsh cleaning liquids such as silver dip cleaners can quickly strip the shine and lustre from your pearls.

 

So here's a few "Do's and Don'ts" I've come across:

 

·         Put your pearls on after applying makeup and perfumes, rather than before.

·         Take off pearl rings before applying creams, lotions, hand sanitizers, etc.

·         Wipe your pearls with a soft cloth when you take them off.

·         If you get your pearls wet, make sure they are fully dry (including inside stringing holes) before storing them.

·         Clean pearls with mild soap and water (Ivory Flakes are especially good), remembering to dry as above.

·         Do not use harsh detergents to clean pearls.

·         Don't use silver dip cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners, products with bleach or ammonia, or abrasive cleaners.

·         Store in a manner that prevents impact and abrasion by other pieces of jewelry that could scratch them. If you don't have a special space for them, put them inside a cloth bag or wrap in soft fabric before putting in your jewelry box.

·         Pearls can dry out, so don't leave them too long without wearing them. If in a high heat or low humidity setting, place a small dish of water near them occasionally to maintain sufficient humidity and store them in a well sealed bag to prevent too much moisture loss. Again, make sure you only do so when the pearls - and especially the stringing material - are not damp. Moisture is apparently an issue for pearls that requires the right balance.

·         If you have white pearls that have darkened over time and wish to whiten them, seek out a professional with the proper means to do so (not all jewellers will be able to offer this).

·         Above all, enjoy your pearls without letting all these bits of caution and advice diminish that!