To love and wear your jewellery as long as possible, it is best to take loving care of your lovely jewellery.
Storing your jewellery
When you don’t wear your jewellery store it safely in a closed down pouch or jewellery box. This way you will protect it from scratches that might occur as well as minimalise the contact with air and sunlight.
When in storage your jewellery is most vulnerable to the effects of air, sunlight and moisture. Sterling silver jewellery oxidizes, which is a natural process in which a chemical reaction occurs between the silver and particles in the air. The silver could tarnish because of this, which appears as a dull, grey or lack film over the silver.
Do store your jewellery in a dry and dark place.
Tarnish
Silver jewellery tarnishes over time, this is the result of a chemical reaction of silver and sulfur particles in the air, which forms a layer on the silver. It is a natural process which occurs on real silver and isn’t harmful to you or your jewellery. When silver does come into contact with this substance, a thin layer of film is formed over the silver which creates this dull and greyish black tarnish on the silver.
It is best to clean your silver jewellery with a dry silver polishing cloth.
Tips
- Storage When you aren’t wearing your jewellery store it safely in a jewellery box or pouch. This way you reduce the contact to air, sunlight and moisture.
- Water Take your jewellery off when you are taking a shower or going swimming. Soap residue, chlorine, salt, and other particles could cause discoloration.
- Sweat Take your jewellery off when you are going to perspire. For example, when it is hot outside, or you are going to work out.
- Sulphur Take your jewellery off when you are cleaning or when you get in contact to products containing Sulphur. Products such as cleaning detergent, chlorine, hairspray etc. could contain Sulphur which causes tarnishing.
- Perfume/cosmetics Prevent your jewellery from being in direct contact with perfume, cosmetics, soap, make-up, and lotions.
- Sleeping Take your jewellery off when you are going to bed. Sleeping with your jewellery causes it to wear out more quickly and causes undue stress which results in breakage.
- Sunlight / Tanning bed Minimize the time your jewellery is exposed to bright sunlight or the tanning bed. This accelerates the tarnishing process and may cause discoloration.
- Put in on last Simple but so effective! Put them on last to ensure it won’t catch on any other piece of clothing which could cause it to break.
- Cleaning cloth Make use of a dry silver jewellery cleaning cloth for polishing and cleaning your jewellery.