Here are a few basic things to keep in mind when taking care of your handcrafted jewelry, especially pieces with sterling silver beads, findings or accents.

First and foremost is STORAGE.
Store it well and it will look it’s best for years to come!

 Care:

“Tarnish is a layer of corrosion that develops over copper, brass, silver, aluminum as well as a degree of semi-reactive metals as they undergo oxidation. It is analogous to rust, but with a slower rate of occurrence. It is mainly caused by chemicals in the air such as sulphur. It appears as a gray or black film over the metal.”

That is the definition Wikipedia offers.  And while you may not have known what caused it, I am sure that you are all too familiar with it!  Tarnish is far and away the biggest obstacle to keeping sterling silver jewelry looking it’s best.  All to often, I see articles touting suggestions to keep your jewelry out in the open – to use it as a decoration in your dressing room, to hang it where you will enjoy it.  What they neglect to point out is that this should only be done with jewelry that does NOT have any sterling components!  And certainly not by those of you living in humid climates - otherwise you will end up with blackened, tarnished pieces!

Store sterling silver jewelry in an airtight container Pieces of jewelry with sterling silver components need to be kept in an airtight environment.  A well designed jewelry box with a tarnish resistant lining is great.  Another option is to use clear covered boxes, with or without a lining, which allow you to see the jewels without exposing them to air.  My preferred method is to store pieces in separate  zip lock baggies!  This allows me to view the pieces and to keep them separated so they don’t scratch each other - which is the second basic concern. 

Store pieces separate from one another
Keeping jewelry separated prevents gemstones from scratching metal and from getting scratched themselves!  It also keeps delicate parts from becoming tangled and possibly damaged as you try to extract them. 

Do not store anything but other high quality jewelry with your sterling silver pieces
Base metal jewelry, objects and change (like pennies) should NOT be stored in the same container as your jewelry as they will accelerate tarnish.  Interestingly, rubber (as in rubber bands) contains sulfur which will cause the same problem.

Cleaning:

There are many many products out there to combat tarnish once it has occurred.  Depending on the type of piece, you may want to try one of the following products.

Dips:
Chemical dips are tempting – they seem to offer a quick and easy solution but be very careful!  Some will discolor or destroy gemstones and if you do not rinse the piece completely after the process, chemicals may remain and cause spotting. 

Cloths:
Cloths are an easy and inexpensive way to clean a piece that is not too badly tarnished.  There are chemically treated cloths available that clean, polish and actually add a protective, anti-tarnish coating.  We sell this type of cloth - just email us and we can send one out to you, or ask a salesperson at any show.  You can also use any clean, soft cotton fabric, like an old tee shirt, to buff without the added treatment.

Tarnish shield:
Tarnish shields are essentially a lacquer that covers the silver.  While it may look good when it is first done (and even this is questionable as many ornate surfaces will not be covered cleanly), it will age poorly.  The finish will often wear unevenly, causing some areas to be prone to tarnish while others may still be protected or worse yet, the finish will become opaque, dulling the luster of the piece.  The finish will also preclude the effective use of a dip.  All in all, a solution to be avoided wherever possible.

Gemstone Beads:
Gemstone Beads strung without sterling or other metal accents, can be washed gently with a delicate soap and warm water.  Avoid getting water on any findings and DRY THOROUGHLY!  There will still be water INSIDE the beads, even after you dry the outside so be careful to let them dry out thoroughly, on a surface covered in papertowels, or a towel, before storing them. 

Actually, WEARING your jewelry is truly the easiest way to keep it tarnish free!  But since you can't wear ALL of your jewels ALL of the time, storage is key – and there are many creative solutions out there.  One customer submitted this fun idea.  She keeps her bracelets in a clear glass jar on her nightstand.  It allows her to see and enjoy her pieces and looks like a jar of candy!