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Silver Jewelry: Care And Maintenance
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Published: July 25, 2006
As recorded in the book of Genesis, silver has been used to create jewelry since Biblical times. In both its ancient and modern uses, silver has long lived up to its reputation as one of the world's most functional metals, being used to create coinage and silverware. It has proven to be a mainstay in jewelry design throughout history due to its attractive, metallic, white color and malleability.
With a hardness of only 2.5
to 3 (on a scale of 1 to 10), silver- in pure form- is relatively soft, very malleable and easily damaged. For these reasons, it is usually combined with other metals to become more durable.
Silver most often is combined with copper, which lends strength without changing silver jewelry's color. This combination, which usually consists of a 92.5 percent silver and 7.25 percent copper ratio, is most commonly referred to as sterling silver.
Sterling silver is popularly created, not only because it bears attractive, industrial and household uses, but also because it is hard enough to withstand easy damage while being malleable enough to be molded in various ways at a relatively low cost.
While silver jewelry is a cheaper alternative to other, more expensive metals such as platinum and titanium, these jewelry pieces do not come maintenance-free. Rather, silver's continued exposure to oxygen creates silver oxide, which gives silver jewelry a corroded, dark gray or black appearance.
How to care for silver jewelry:
• Oxidation is caused by moisture in the air, so it is best to keep silver jewelry in air-tight containers or protective bags.
• Do not store silver jewelry directly on a wooden surface because it usually contains acids capable of damaging the finish.
• Do not store silver jewelry with other metal pieces as they may cause tarnishing or scratching.
• Keep jewelry clean. Do not wait until a piece becomes overly tarnished. It is much easier to remove smaller amounts of distortions in regular cleanings.
• Always remove jewelry before using any household cleaners or chemical solutions (including fingernail polish remover). These substances may break down the metal alloys in a piece of jewelry and leave it permanently damaged.
How to clean silver jewelry:
• To remove light dirt, fingerprints or makeup, mix a small amount of mild liquid detergent with warm water to wash the jewelry. Then rinse and let the silver jewelry air dry.
• To remove tarnishing from jewelry, a silver cleaning solution or polish spray is best. Clean articles with gemstones carefully, as silver jewelry cleaners may damage the stones.
• To quickly clean a piece of jewelry, rub away oils and light dirt with a soft, lint-free, 100 percent cotton cloth.
With a hardness of only 2.5
Related Articles
Silver most often is combined with copper, which lends strength without changing silver jewelry's color. This combination, which usually consists of a 92.5 percent silver and 7.25 percent copper ratio, is most commonly referred to as sterling silver.
Sterling silver is popularly created, not only because it bears attractive, industrial and household uses, but also because it is hard enough to withstand easy damage while being malleable enough to be molded in various ways at a relatively low cost.
While silver jewelry is a cheaper alternative to other, more expensive metals such as platinum and titanium, these jewelry pieces do not come maintenance-free. Rather, silver's continued exposure to oxygen creates silver oxide, which gives silver jewelry a corroded, dark gray or black appearance.
How to care for silver jewelry:
• Oxidation is caused by moisture in the air, so it is best to keep silver jewelry in air-tight containers or protective bags.
• Do not store silver jewelry directly on a wooden surface because it usually contains acids capable of damaging the finish.
• Do not store silver jewelry with other metal pieces as they may cause tarnishing or scratching.
• Keep jewelry clean. Do not wait until a piece becomes overly tarnished. It is much easier to remove smaller amounts of distortions in regular cleanings.
• Always remove jewelry before using any household cleaners or chemical solutions (including fingernail polish remover). These substances may break down the metal alloys in a piece of jewelry and leave it permanently damaged.
How to clean silver jewelry:
• To remove light dirt, fingerprints or makeup, mix a small amount of mild liquid detergent with warm water to wash the jewelry. Then rinse and let the silver jewelry air dry.
• To remove tarnishing from jewelry, a silver cleaning solution or polish spray is best. Clean articles with gemstones carefully, as silver jewelry cleaners may damage the stones.
• To quickly clean a piece of jewelry, rub away oils and light dirt with a soft, lint-free, 100 percent cotton cloth.
