Jewellery Care
Silver Jewellery Care Advice
Why does silver tarnish?
925 Sterling silver jewellery will need regular cleaning to maintain its colour and shine. Silver jewellery will tarnish and discolour over time. Sterling silver is made up of 92.5% silver and 7.5% alloy, usually copper. The alloy can contain a variety of base metals, which is why some jewellery will tarnish more. The alloy reacts with chemicals in the atmosphere, perfumes, cleaning products, soap, shampoo and beauty products. Tarnishing or discolouration of your jewellery does not mean it is not silver or it is poor quality silver.
How can I avoid tarnishing?
Avoid contact with any chemical, perfume, soap, shampoo etc. Remove jewellery before showering, swimming, cleaning with chemicals. It is impossible to avoid tarnishing completely, most silver will tarnish eventually. Store your jewellery in grip seal bags when not being worn.
How do I clean my jewellery?
We recommend using a soft polishing cloth, especially designed for use on silver. These are usually impregnated with a cleaning and polishing agent. They are easy to use and produce great results with little effort. If your jewellery is more dirty, try using warm water with washing up liquid to remove the dirt and polish afterwards when your jewellery is dry. If you want to use a silver dip, always follow the instructions carefully. If you have a satin or oxidised finish to your jewellery, do not use a dip. Try using an eraser to remove any tarnish.