Welcome To The World Of Silver.
Globally, twice as much silver as gold ends up in Jewllery.
Italy and Germany have relinquished their position as dominate silver jewellery manufacturers and exporters in favour of countries such as Thailand and China where large scale production facilities operate modern European machine technology working alongside a robust cottage industry.
To fully understand proper care and maintenance of sterling silver we first turn to some background information regarding sterling silver. There is a difference between Silver and Sterling Silver. Both are considered a precious metal and both are closely related. Silver was first used anciently for jewellery pieces and for utensils and many other uses because of its malleability. Silver is easy to work with as far as metals go. But it is quite soft.
Because of its softness, it wouldn't hold its shape very well. Because of that, sterling silver was developed. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent true silver the remaining 7.5 percent is comprised of an alloy which is usually copper and zinc, but not always.
Sterling silver does tarnish. It is a simple fact of nature. Silver tarnish is caused by a reaction between the silver and oxygen and sulfur. It is also caused by swimming while wearing your sterling silver jewellery, using hair spray while wearing your sterling silver jewellery.
Over time sterling silver develops a mellow patina which often results in an appreciated antique look. Often a black oxidation builds up in the fine details which gives your jewellery piece a beautiful and unique look.
Understanding YOUR Sterling Silver Jewellery
Some sterling silver jewellery pieces are coated with rhodium which gives it the appearance of platinum. This process is design to make your jewellery tarnish resistant. Not all sterling silver jewellery comes this way because most prefer the true silver look of sterling silver. Understanding what you have is important in the care of sterling silver jewellery. The presence of rhodium means you'll care for your jewellery differently. Generally you'll clean rhodium coated sterling silver with a soft polishing rag or a fine cleaner. Don't use silver dip because of the potential damage that can occur on the rhodium finish. It can also damage certain gemstones.
Prevention
When storing your sterling silver jewellery you want to avoid scratching the jewellery piece and you want to minimize the oxidation process. It would be best to store your sterling silver jewellery in an air tight container lined with something soft. The less air exposed to will slow the oxidation and the soft lining with avoid scratches.
A simple way to store your sterling silver jewellery would be to line a sealable bag with soft cloth. When not wearing your jewellery keep it there. Storing your sterling silver jewellery pieces in separate sections of your jewellery box so that each piece isn't touching the other is good also.