Sterling Silver: Is pure silver, alloyed with copper to enhance its durability and prevent damage to the metal. Typically, sterling silver consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. For this reason it is usually Hallmarked “925” or “92.5” or “ster”
Tarnishing: Over time oxidation reactions will occur, especially with sulphur and oxygen, causing silver to become tarnished. Care should be taken to prevent this tarnishing. Silver does not oxidize in air. However, it does react with sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide in the air or other sulphur compounds and chloride salts, resulting in discolouration called tarnish.
Tarnish is a brown discoloration caused by air pollution, cigarette smoke, some foods, furnace fumes, etc. Egg yolks, mustard, table salt, vinegar, olives, salad dressing, perspiration, rubber floor coverings, rubber bands and sulphur in some household synthetic detergents can also tarnish or affect silver. Latex paints may contain rubber and will tarnish silver.
To avoid this tarnishing, try to avoid the following:
- Physical Activity (sweat)
- Applying hair colours or permanent solutions while wearing your jewellery.
- Showering or swimming with your jewellery on.
- Body lotions, hair spray, suntan lotions, or oils of any kind on your jewellery.
- Cooking and cleaning with your jewellery on.
- Certain medications causing an increase in skin acidity
- Storing in an moist environment
Removing Tarnish:
Tarnish on silver starts out as a yellowish tinge and is most easily removed at this stage. Silver tarnish progresses to a blackish purple coating becoming much more difficult to remove. Prolonged, unprotected storage is generally when tarnish occurs. Usually, tarnish will not appear on jewellery that is worn on a regular basis. The gentle friction from wearing and the contact of oils on the skin will likely keep your jewellery bright and sparkling.
Light tarnish or oxidation film can be removed with silver polishing cloths. You may find them at supermarkets, hardware stores or jewellery shops.
Heavy tarnishing will require commercially available polishing creams, or dip liquids. Use care with these, limiting the exposure of gemstones to silver cleaners as they may contain chemicals that can harm certain gemstones. After using any commercial polish, rinse the silver in water and polish dry with a soft cloth. Residues of some polish left on silver may cause silver to tarnish faster. Soap may dull silver. Detergents with phosphates may leave a stain if not rinsed.
Chemical electrolysis should not be used on silver items, which have oxidized areas as a part of the decoration, or on plated silver. The silver plate may be stripped off. Electrolysis can also affect some finishes and adhesives and may result in a hazy surface on some silver which then requires polishing. Although this method is easy, it may leave the surface dull. Consider the advantages and disadvantages before using this method. In electrolysis, the silver is placed in contact with aluminium and covered with a dilute solution of washing soda and water (1 ounce soda and 2 quarts water). Some experts suggest that only experienced conservators should use this method.
According to some experts, silver-dip, although quick to use, may remove decorative oxidation.
You can make your own chemical dip by following these instructions:
1. Fill sink full of steaming hot water.
2. Mix 2-tablespoons salt and 2-tablespoons baking soda in bowl.
3. Add mixture to sink of hot water.
4. Cut a small sheet of aluminium foil and push it to the bottom of sink. (or use a aluminium pan)
5. Dip silver items. Most tarnish will slide off. For stubborn stains, allow them to sit for up to 5-minutes at a time.
6. Rinse well.
7. Dry.
8. Store properly.
Be careful:Cream and dip liquid polishes will most likely remove tarnish and oxidation from your jewellery. They will also most certainly remove any decorative oxidation designs and patterns as well. Therefore, it's best to keep these items free of tarnish through proper storage and the use of cleaning cloths.
General Cleaning:
Silver is a soft metal. Use care in cleaning it. No matter how mild an abrasive polish is used, some silver will be removed each time it is polished. Rubbing with a soft cloth causes some wear.
Clean with soap (not detergent) and water. If additional cleaning is necessary, use as mild a cleaner as possible.
Rinse and polish with soft cloth or felt (tissue is not recommended). Silver is a relatively soft metal and can scratch, so don’t scrub with abrasive cloths or cleansers. Even a tissue can scratch silver.
Dry the silver jewellery very well before storage to prevent residual water stains.
Storage:
If possible, store your jewellery in a zip-loc plastic bag with anti-tarnish paper/ acid free tissue. If anti-tarnish strips are used, do not allow them to touch the silver and change strips regularly (every 3 to 6 months, depending on where you live and how fast jewellery tends to tarnish) as they can re-deposit the sulphur onto silver. Some jewellers use ordinary blackboard chalk in place of the no-tarnish strips. Add a single piece of white chalk to the drawer or cabinet where your silver is stored. White chalk is reported to prevent tarnish.
For jewellery you store on display racks or in trays or cases, place the rack and several no-tarnish strips inside a large plastic rubbish bag and close the bag up tightly with a twist-tie. |
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