|
|
Sterling silver is composed of 92.5% silver alloyed with copper to strengthen it. Silver has one of the highest reflectivities of any metal, giving it unmatched brilliance, making it perfect for jewelry designs. Silver is relatively abundant and easy to extract from ore, so it is reasonably priced and affordable making it ideal for jewelry that will appeal to a wide audience.
At various time in history silver was even more valued than gold and had a mystical allure to it, often being associated with the sea, moon and lunar goddesses. A stamped mark is on the silver to identify its origin and purity and is often an important part of determining the value of a collectible piece.
There are other alloys of silver with a higher content of silver than sterling. Mexican and Britannia silver each have about 95% silver and coin silver typically has 90% silver.
The cleaning of sterling silver can be a burdensome task, which is why much of the silver jewelry manufactured today has various types of anti-tarnish finishes ranging from a flash overlay of pure silver, waxes, proprietary coatings and the currently very popular rhodium plating. Rhodium in fact is a more expensive raw material, but does not have the high brilliance of silver, however its superior anti-tarnish property outweigh its lower reflectivity value.
TO MAINTAIN THE BEAUTY OF YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY FOLLOW THESE RULES:
Remove your jewelry before washing dishes, swimming or using any product that contains bleach, ammonia, alcohol, turpentine & fingernail polish removers that contain acetone. These items could cause a breakdown in the metal alloys leaving your jewelry beyond repair, dull or pit the surface of the gemstones. Avoid using strong chemicals, spraying hairspray, or putting on makeup etc. while wearing your jewelry. Put jewelry on after using hairspray & putting on makeup.
Store jewelry in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth or a plastic zip- lock bag made of Mylar (turkey cooking bags) or polyethylene. But beware some plastic contains sulfur compounds which can cause your jewelry to tarnish faster or stain, so do not use polyvinyl plastic bags. Avoid storing directly on wood surfaces, & do not place in a card board box or on paper as they contain sulfur producing compounds that increase the rate of oxidation.
Keep tarnish to a minimum by storing properly & cleaning before it becomes overly tarnished. Check for loose stones or parts and have them repaired immediately to prevent lose of stones or parts. Stones may loosen over time. If a stone rocks in its setting you will need to tighten the bezel around the stone to prevent loss of gemstones. It is advisable to consult a jeweler to tighten the bezel.
Sterling Silver Jewelry is a metal that is meant to be worn. Your body oils will slow the tarnishing process. Touch your jewelry a lot. If you leave it lying around, it will tarnish. This may sound funny, but you won’t have to clean it as often & remember, using a cleaning & polishing cloth just takes a few minutes.
STORING YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY:
Sterling silver stored in the open air & humidity for extended periods of time can cause it to tarnish quickly. Tarnish first appears as a golden hue then quickly turns to black. This process is normal and is caused by oxidization, moisture & sunshine.
To reduce tarnish, sterling silver jewelry should be kept in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth or a plastic zip- lock bag made of Mylar or polyethylene, but do not use polyvinyl plastic bags. Zip-lock bags work well for storing. Some jewelers store their sterling silver jewelry in plastic bags. Sterling silver jewelry, stored properly and worn often requires minimal cleaning. Sterling silver jewelry is scratch resistant but it isn't scratch proof, so you should store your jewelry so that it isn't rubbing up against other articles.
Avoid storing your sterling silver jewelry on wood surfaces, especially Oak, because wood usually contains acids that can mar the finish. Your sterling silver should not be stored with other metals, like copper or rubber, as these too may cause tarnish and damage.
CLEANING YOUR STERLING SILVER JEWELRY:
Clean your sterling silver jewelry with a soft 100% cotton cloth (nub free), flannel cloth, special sterling silver cleaning cloth or very soft bristle brush, (i.e. babies tooth brush or horsehair silver brush) and gently rub off any excess makeup or dirt. Remember silver is a very soft metal& can be scratched so don't rub too briskly. Do not use paper, polyester, or coarse fabrics as they often contain wood fibers or synthetics that can cause tiny scratches on sterling silver jewelry. Dirt left from previous cleanings may also scratch your jewelry.
LIGHT CLEANING: Light dirt, fingerprints or makeup can be removed by using a small amount of mild liquid detergent to 1/2 cup of warm water. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. If your jewelry contains gemstones be careful as a cleanser that is too harsh could damage the polish on stones. Dry the jewelry completely before storing in an air tight zip lock bag. Sterling silver jewelry can also be cleaned with little effort using a polishing cloth. After polishing it buff with a soft cotton cloth (i.e. old diaper or cotton t-shirt).
DEEP CLEANING is divided into 2 parts. Cleaning jewelry with and without gemstones: If the jewelry is heavily tarnished and needs more cleaning than a polishing cloth can provide, use a silver paste, liquid cleaner or a silver polish spray. Deep cleaning of sterling silver jewelry with gemstones requires a little more care. Some paste cleaners are not recommended for soft, porous gemstones, so make sure to use a polish or cleanser that will not harm your gemstones.
DEEP CLEANING sterling silver without gemstones: To clean excessive tarnish, clean with a soft cloth and a non-abrasive liquid or paste silver polish.
Rub with a lengthwise motion, as a circular motion may cause scratches. Don't feel that you have to get every bit of tarnish from lines and crevices. Some choose to leave tarnish in the deep crevices to enhance the look of the piece. Leaving some of the tarnish in hard to reach areas just adds definition and an antique look. If you want to remove tarnish in hard to reach areas, use a very soft brush, like a child's tooth brush, a jewelry horse hair silver brush, or a mushroom brush. A mushroom brush can be found at most grocery stores. After cleaning with a silver polish, use a clean cloth to remove any residual cleaner from your jewelry. After using the paste, the liquid or the polishing cloth make sure all trace of the polish has been removed from gemstones and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Be Careful not to scratch the surface: Tiny scratches on the surface diminishes the sheen as the light can’t bounce off the surface as well as it once did. Pieces that are terribly scratched, should be taken to a bench jeweler to see if they can be re-polished and scratches removed to return the jewelry to its’ original or close to original shine. Soft cotton cloth, soft sponges or soft bristle brushes should be used to clean your sterling silver. If in doubt, test a small area not easily seen and clean that area first. Wipe it dry and inspect it under a strong light to see if the brush used left scratches. Remember, all metal cleaners have some type of small abrasive particles that help to clean and may inevitably cause some form of fine scratches. These are not that obvious and after a time will blend with the fine scratches caused by wearing the piece.
Long term care of your jewelry adds to its life: Unfortunately, everything changes with time, use & wear. You need only to look in the mirror to be reminded of that fact. Sterling silver & Sterling silver jewelry with gemstones is no different. There are several things that can help prolong the life of your jewelry. Keep it clean. It is much easier to remove tarnish & soil when it is minimal. If you allow your jewelry to turn black with tarnish, it may damage the metal. The longer you go between cleanings the harder it is to restore it to its’ original luster. So best to keep it clean with a polishing cloth & store it in an air tight bag to keep tarnish down.
REMEMBER, WHATEVER CLEANER YOU CHOOSE ALWAYS FOLLOW MANUFACTURER'S ISTRUCTION!!
|