Care ·
How to care for sterling silver
Silver darkens because it reacts with the air, not because it is wearing out. Five minutes of care keeps a piece bright for decades.
Sterling silver is 92.5 per cent pure silver alloyed with a little copper for strength. The copper is what lets the metal hold a fine edge and a stone, and it is also what reacts with sulphur in the air to form tarnish. Tarnish is a surface film. It is not damage, and it comes off.
Wear it
The simplest care is to wear the piece. Skin contact and the light friction of daily wear keep silver bright far better than a drawer does. Pieces that sit unworn tarnish first.
Keep it dry and away from chemicals
Take rings and bracelets off before swimming, showering and washing up. Chlorine, hot water and detergents speed up tarnish and can dull stones. Perfume, hairspray and hand cream should go on before the jewellery, not over it.
Polish gently
Use the cloth that came with your order, or any soft cotton cloth, and rub in straight lines rather than circles. For heavier tarnish, a proprietary silver cloth impregnated with a mild cleaner works well. Avoid dips and liquid cleaners on anything set with turquoise, coral, pearl or opal: these stones are porous and the chemicals will mark them.
Store it properly
When a piece is not being worn, keep it in the linen pouch or a closed box, ideally with the anti-tarnish strip we include. Store pieces separately so stones cannot scratch each other.
Stones need a lighter touch
Pearls and coral should only ever be wiped with a damp cloth. Turquoise and opal dislike heat and dryness, so keep them away from radiators and long spells in direct sun. Harder stones such as garnet, amethyst and zircon can be cleaned with lukewarm water and a drop of mild soap, then dried thoroughly.
If a piece needs more than a cloth can give it, write to us. We are happy to re-polish anything we have sold.
Written by Andromeda. Questions? Write to us.
