Sterling Silver Jewelry Care

Pure silver, also called fine silver, is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper.

Although any metal can make up the 7.5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, centuries of experimentation have shown copper to be its best companion, improving the metal's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color.

The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal's value. Instead, the price of the silver item is affected by the labor involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.

Sterling Silver Care
With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.

Clean Your Silver Jewelry Regularly
Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible.

Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling.

Look for the fineness mark and the maker's mark on the underside of the silver item you are considering to ensure the quality.

Sterling Silver Care And Cleaning

Tarnish is a product of oxidation, caused by the interaction of silver style jewelry with certain elements such as oxygen or sulfur as well as with certain acids. Tarnishing on silver jewelry, when worn on a regular basis, usually does not occur.

• Storage for a prolonged time causes silver jewelry to tarnish.
• Contact with rubber bands may cause tarnish - the sulfur in rubber is a catalyst for tarnish.
• Taking a medication that changes the acidity of your skin may cause silver jewelry to tarnish.
• To keep your silver tarnish-free, frequently clean your silver in a mild dishwashing liquid diluted in water.
• Thoroughly dry your silver jewelry after exposure to water.
• Store silver in a dry container or a plastic bag with anti-tarnish paper.

To remove tarnish or oxidation film from silver you can use fresh, uncontaminated commercial silver dip liquid, polish paste or polish cloth, available in supply or hardware stores. Make sure there are no loose stones or parts. Limit the gemstone's exposure to silver cleaners - cleaners may harm certain kinds of gemstones. Please read the cleaning product's instructions before cleaning. Thoroughly rinse jewelry after cleaning, and dry with a soft cloth until it's completely dry.

Tips: How to Wear Silver Style Jewelry

Silver Styleis a special thing in your daily life. You should find the best way to wear it. Maybe you are very puzzled about how to choose a silver jewel for your clothes. Now there are some rules that can help you.

1. Professional clothes should come together with fine silver necklace.
2. Leisure clothes should come together with sterling silver necklace.
3. Lovely clothes can come together with sterling silver bracelets with a little bell. It will make you very happy and lovely.
4. Sterling Silver jewelry with colorful man-made stone should go together with young girls.
5. When you attend a party or wear a gorgeous dress, you should come together with sterling silver jewelry with a diamond or other gems.
6. Silver jewelry will be oxidized and some part will turn black. Please don't worry that it will affect you image. It looks like retro style. It's another sense of silver jewelry.
7. Silver jewelry is a fashion thing. Please prepare more styles for a change.

Hope these rules can help!