2009 November | Sterling Silver

November 20, 2009

Tips to Keep Your Sterling Silver Tarnish Free

Sterling silver is continuously growing its popularity from before until the present times. Some jewelers even come up with sterling silver that has already been tarnish. They claim that this design or style is highly fashionable and is very in for the Gothic look. In general, sterling silver is a delicate metal that is prone to tarnishing. If you don’t take good care of your sterling silver, the tarnishing will rapidly advance. In this article, you will learn the proper ways on how to clean, maintain and store your sterling silver. In line to the said discussion, are few preventive measures that you can do to avoid the unwanted tarnishing.

Let’s begin with proper cleaning. Make sure to clean your sterling silver before and after use. Use a silver cloth to clean your sterling silver. Most silver cloth comes in two parts: first cloth would be the cleaning cloth and the second cloth would be the polishing cloth. Incase you don’t have a silver cloth, then you can also use a clean old
T-shirt or a flannel cloth as a cleaning alternative. These alternatives can help you clean your sterling silver however; it cannot give you that polish look like the silver cloth can. Silver cloths are also used to seize or remove tarnishing when it is still in its early stage.

Sterling silver tarnishes or corrodes because of many factors. It could be the climate, the level of acidity in your body, close contact with substances that advances tarnishing and improper cleaning techniques. That is why it is essential for you to know that sterling silver should be put away or remove when you apply your lotion, perfume or hair products such as hairspray. These chemicals will definitely invite tarnishing. Should you already applied these substances take a few seconds or minutes to ensure that the substances has already been absorb by the skin before putting on your sterling silver jewelry.

Another ways on how you can maintain your sterling silver shinny, glossy and tarnish free is to ensure that you keep it away from air and light. When storing your sterling silver, make sure that you clean it and wipe it first then store it in an airtight container or zip locks. It is believe that less air and light exposure could help lessen the chances of tarnishing especially when you are not using or wearing your sterling silver jewelry. It is believed that air and humid invites tarnishing. That is why you should not leave your sterling silver jewelry exposed to moist and air because it becomes inevitable.

Incase, the sterling silver jewelry is already suffering from severe tarnishing and your silver cloth is not helping anymore, it is advisable to bring it to your jeweler already. Never attempt to clean it by using alcohol or other harsh substance because this might worsen the case of your sterling silver. Remember, I’ve mentioned that silver is a delicate metal and should be handled with care so never attempt any measures of cleaning or treating especially if you are not quite sure of what you are doing.

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November 19, 2009

How to Clean Your Sterling Silver Jewelry

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: clean your sterling silver jewelry, jewelry, Sterling Silver, sterling silver jewelry — admin @ 12:00 pm

A sterling silver jewelry is a very beautiful piece and also very affordable. Especially when compared to gold and other more precious metals, silver is always priced less. But that does not mean it is less attractive than gold jewelry. Silver has its own lasting quality. It has its own level of shine or gleam that attracts people to it. Its luster is generally characterized as soft and which is the preference of many. This is why it is often the choice of most people who love to wear jewelry on a daily basis because it is less extravagant and less prone to getting stolen or robbed.

But if there is one disadvantage in wearing a sterling silver jewelry is that it can easily be tarnished or simply put, its luster can easily diminish. But rest assured that it is not permanent and that you can always bring back that beautiful shine from your jewelry if you know how to clean your piece the right way.

Here are some tips that you can follow on how to clean your silver jewelry even if you are not a professional jewelry cleaner.

1. Frequency is the key.
You must clean your sterling silver piece as often as you can. Even if it still does not show any lack of luster, you should still clean it so you can avoid accidentally wearing a dull piece of jewelry. Another is that you should frequently wear your silver jewelry because if you just keep it in your jewelry box, it is also one reason why silver tarnishes easily.

A simple way to clean it is by washing it with a phosphate-free detergent under running water. Do not rub it too hard because you can easily scratch your silver jewelry that way. You should also not wash it together with other utensils like spoons, forks and knives because any contact with another metal might scratch your silver jewelry.

2. Polish your jewelry.
Sometimes simple washing will no longer be enough to keep your silver jewelry clean and shiny. This means you will have to polish your jewelry. You can buy a specifically formulated polish for silver pieces from a jewelry store or specialty shop. It usually involves a sponge and a paste-like substance that serves as the polishing material for your jewelry. You just need to rub that paste onto your silver jewelry and it will bring back the luster.

3. Keep your sterling silver in a safe place.
If you are not going to wear your silver jewelry, store it in a specially made place for it. You can buy an anti-tarnish paper and then wrap your jewelry in it. You can also use any acid-free paper for this same purpose. Also put a silica gel nearby wherever you keep your silver jewelry. This will lessen the humidity which greatly contributes to the tarnishing of the silver piece.

By frequently cleaning your silver jewelry and keeping it in its appropriate place or box, you can be sure that you will be enjoying your jewelry for many years ahead.

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November 18, 2009

Sterling Silver Jewelry and How It Tarnishes

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: jewelry, sterling, sterling silver jewelry, sterlng silver — admin @ 12:00 pm

For hundreds or even thousands of years, people have been using silver in creating beautiful jewelry pieces. These adorn the royalties and influential people, but notably kings, queens, princes and princesses and other noble individuals. Sterling silver, which means it is made of 92.5 percent pure silver, is the metal of choice of many jewelers even in the old days because of the ease of use in shaping it into almost any jewelry piece that they want.

Women have adorned themselves with silver earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Men on the other hand have used it for their rings and nowadays, for cuff links. Even children today are adorned by their parents with little sterling silver jewelry that shine whenever they are playing in the sun. This shows that silver is the one metal that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

But it is not just the gender and the age that makes silver a very likable piece of jewelry metal. Because of its very affordable price, silver is a constant favorite among all people for their daily jewelry. For example, if you are just going to the office and you still want to adorn yourself with a piece of jewelry, you definitely do not want a highly expensive gold jewelry. What you want is an equally beautiful jewelry that is made of the less expensive silver so in case that it gets lost or worse, if stolen, it will not hurt your pocket that much. Of course it is a completely different matter if that sterling silver jewelry has sentimental value for you.

So how does silver tarnish? It can easily be tarnished if it is exposed to hydrogen sulfide. This substance can be found in rubber materials such as gloves and bands. There are other factors that can make a silver tarnish but this is the most common one. Weather changes can also be a factor as well as other every day items like eggs. That is why you will not see chefs wearing a silver ring while preparing food.

You can say that silver tarnishes because it loses its gleam or its shine that you noticed the first time you saw it. Over time, this gleam fades away that is why it is highly advisable that you should clean your sterling silver jewelry as often as you can to prevent losing its luster as well as to maintain its existing gleam.

One way to prevent your silver from tarnishing is to buy a do it yourself jewelry cleaning kit. It usually includes a cleaning mixture and a sponge or a piece of cloth specifically designed for cleaning jewelry. But most professionals would rather advice you to just bring your silver jewelry to a jewelry shop where they can professionally clean your jewelry for you. This second option is a better one but it will of course cost you more money to have it cleaned by someone else. Anyway, do not mind the added expense as long as you can be sure that your jewelry will be properly cleaned for it to last longer.

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November 17, 2009

Sterling Silver Jewelry for Affordable Adornments

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: jewelry, sterling, Sterling Silver, sterling silver jewelry — admin @ 12:00 pm

A lot of people feel that they always should be wearing a piece of jewelry whenever they go out. Some even when they are just staying in their homes. They even claim that they usually feel naked when they are not wearing any jewelry at all. You might think that it is quite an absurd claim, but the fact is people have their own strange characteristics and to some, wearing jewelry may be an important part of their whole being. But what will you do if you are not well off? If you have very limited budget in purchasing the kind of jewelry that you want? Usually this kind of jewelry comes in the form of gold, platinum and other precious metals adorned with diamonds and other highly valuable stones or gems. But if you do not have the money for all of these, then you can turn to buying a sterling silver jewelry that is equally beautiful but at just a portion of the price of most jewelry sets.

Rings, bracelets, earrings, chains, necklaces and more, just name it and you can be sure to find a silver jewelry of that shape or purpose. In the past, silver is highly priced as a precious metal and usually adorns kings and queens of old. But the abundance of silver deposits or sources is perhaps the one great factor that made its price go lower than gold. But still the significance of it as a metal for jewelry making has not faded but in fact has grown since it has now become so much more affordable for the masses to adorn themselves with stunningly beautiful pieces of jewelry that are made of sterling silver.

Keep in mind that silver used in jewelry making are usually 92.5 percent pure silver. It is mixed with another metal to make it stronger because pure silver is very soft and can easily be scratched. So when you are in the market for a silver jewelry, make sure that what you are buying is made of 92.5 percent pure silver which is the highest amount used by jewelry makers today.

In fact, that soft or malleable property of silver makes it a favorite for jewelry makers because it is very easy to shape a piece of silver into any design imaginable. And because it is priced so much lower than gold, jewelers can create as many designs or versions of a popular design as they want. And in return, people can buy any sterling silver jewelry that they adore. For this reason it comes as no surprise that you see people from all walks of life wearing a set of lovely jewelry as they walk down the street or just go out with their friends for a nice chit chat.

Sterling silver is very affordable but that does not mean it is admired less. On the contrary, more people own this type of jewelry as compared to gold or platinum, which are both very expensive and are usually beyond the purchasing power of most people. So take care of your silver jewelry and clean it as often as needed and you will find that it will last for as long as you want it to last.

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November 16, 2009

Tips on Selecting Sterling Silver Cutlery

Filed under: Sterling Silver — Tags: sterling, Sterling Silver, sterling silver cutlery — admin @ 12:00 pm

Some people have high tastes when it comes to dining at home. They can also be connoisseurs of high quality living, signifying their prominent place in society. Whatever the reason, one way to show that you admire the good life is by collecting sterling silver cutlery either for occasional or daily use for your meals or just for display for your guests to admire.

This may be the best symbol of luxury, of one’s prominence in life and in society so buying an expensive set of cutlery can already be considered as a status symbol. For this reason, choosing a set is no laughing matter and requires more than just selecting from the store’s display.

While others buy their sterling silver cutlery, many are fortunate enough to inherit these instead. That is because expensive and high quality cutlery are often considered as a prized heirloom that has been constantly handed down from one generation to another. It is something a family takes pride of, and of course they do not shy away from showing it off to their friends.

Perhaps the most important thing that you should look for when buying a silver cutlery is to make sure if it is made of 92.5 percent pure silver. You should not look for a hundred percent pure silver cutlery set because there is no such thing. Silver at that point would be too soft for practical use that is why it has to be mixed with another metal to make it harder or stronger.

Also, if you are buying from a well known brand of cutlery, make sure that each piece of the cutlery set is hallmarked or simply marked by the company’s seal or logo. That is because it proves the authenticity of the cutlery and has an added impact of signifying prestige and excellence as all other things that are hallmarked.

Balance is also important with any sterling silver cutlery. For example, try holding a spoon from that cutlery set in a normal eating position. Does it feel too heavy on your fingers? Is one end too heavy that it droops without your knowing it? If that is the case then it is a poorly designed piece of cutlery because it lacks the characteristic of maintaining a good balance when being held.

You must also consider the box or the storage which comes with the cutlery. Remember, you will not be placing it in a manner as you would any ordinary set of spoon and fork. You definitely want a storage that is highly presentable and at the same time, very effective in maintaining the pristine condition of the cutlery set. If it is a box, check if the box is sturdy enough or if it is just made of cheap cardboard that will soften through time.

Buying a set of sterling silver cutlery is a status symbol so it is important that extra care is given in selecting and storing it. It is a high quality piece of utensils that can be given as a wedding gift or passed down to your children as a heirloom. Choose wisely so you will never regret your purchase.

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