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Jewellery care guide
How to keep your jewellery bright and sparkling?
It’s not a secret that silver jewellery tends to lose it’s shine with time. It happens as a result of metal reaction with hydrogen sulfide present in the air – and causes dark spots (silver oxide) on jewellery surface. Good news - they can be easily removed, without even having to go to a professional jewellery cleaner.
- The easiest way is to simply wash your favourite silver rings, earrings, pendants, etc in luke-warm water with soda bicarbonate – 50g soda powder dissolved in 1 l of plain or soapy water should be enough. After rinsing, simply wipe your silver jewellery dry with a soft cloth.
- To brighten up the colour you can also add 1 table spoon of ammonia to the solution. Don’t forget to rinse your silver jewellery in clean water after dipping in any chemical solutions, though, as long contact with chemicals may damage the metal if not removed by rinsing and then wiping clean and dry.
- Household aluminum foil is known to “absorb” the dark spots of silver items. Add a spoonful of soda bicarbonate into 1 l of boiling water, and place foil at the bottom. Dip your silver jewellery and items into the water, and allow to clean for a few seconds.
- Another way to use foil for jewellery cleaning is to place it at the bottom of container, with silver earrings, rings, etc on top of the foil, and add hot water. Allow the jewellery to stay in this solution overnight.
- Be very careful when cleaning silver jewellery with gemstones. Some gemstones – corals, turquoise, pearls – need to be handled with great care. Some are very porous (as turquoise and coral) and can easily absorb any chemicals and colourings, that may affect the overall look of the stone and change it dramatically. Some are easily scratched (pearls), allowing dirt and other dangerous solutions through the protective outer layer and damaging the stone from the inside. We recommend that your silver jewellery with gemstones is cleaned professionally to avoid the possible damage. But most jewellery will handle a gentle wash in luke-warm soapy water. So if the item is not heavily soiled, it may help to reveal the original shine and luster of the noble sterling silver.
- It’s become very popular to add a layer of precious Rhodium metal to protect the otherwise easily oxidising sterling silver jewellery. Rhodium plated silver jewellery is more durable and safe from impacts of chemicals (such as perfumes, oils, etc). As it’s only a thin layer on top of the sterling silver base metal, it wears off with time, exposing the inside sterling silver in the end. It is not recommended to clean Rhodium plated silver jewellery other than to lightly polish it with a flannelette.
Sterling silver is a relatively soft and easily deformed material, so it’s always better to take your jewellery off while performing household chores or doing any other activities where your silver rings, bracelets and other jewellery may get in direct contact with chemical solutions or even cosmetics (especially those that contain mercury or sulfur salts). Store your sterling silver jewellery away from direct sunlight in dry and soft surrounding – as in jewellery box, or at least soft cloth around your favourite necklaces, bracelets, rings , or earrings.
And, of course, wear your jewellery as often as you can! Enjoy your collection, and expand it with our latest offers at TIMOTHEUS!