Many people wonder just how to take care of their sterling silver jewelry. When you first purchased that silver necklace, ring or broach it was shiny and beautiful. In time silver tarnishes from the interaction of silver and sulfides in the air. First the tarnish will take on a golden hue, and eventually, it will turn the piece black. This is a natural process.
Higher sulfide levels are associated with humidity and/or air pollution. Keep in mind that the more humid the climate, the faster sterling will tarnish. On a summer day in Jackson, Mississippi, all you have to do is walk out the door and the silver starts turning black very quickly.
(1) Sterling silver will polish up by rubbing or buffing it with a soft cotton cloth. A chemically treated cloth, like a Sunshine Cloth, makes the job a lot easier and faster.
(2) Sterling silver dips are fast and easy. However, be careful! First, many dips will take the color and polish off many gemstones. Second, when using a dip, if you leave the piece in too long, or don't rinse it well enough with fresh water, white residues will be left on the piece when it dries. The residue is difficult to rub or pick off. When using a silver dip, dip the piece quickly in and out of the dip. Then immediately rinse it in clean water. When the piece dries, buff it with a soft cotton cloth or a Sunshine Cloth. The buffing brings out more of the shine, helps take off any residue left on the piece, and with a Sunshine Cloth, leaves a little bit of a protective anti-tarnish coating on the piece to keep it shiny longer. A dip should only be used when a buffing with a dry cloth doesn’t work.
(3) Tarnish Shield, or similar lacquer shield, will keep the piece of jewelry shiny until the tarnish wears off. You should be aware that pieces that have been lacquered don't age well, until all the lacquer has worn off. In spots where the lacquer has loosened from the sterling, but not worn off, the silver will tarnish, but you won't be able to buff it.
If you use a dip to clean a piece that has a tarnish shield, often the dip will get under parts of the lacquer, leaving a residue, wherever the lacquer is beginning to wear off. If the piece is a chain, or a filigree, the lacquer will form a film within the openings and cracks. This obviously makes the piece ugly. The simplest way is usually the best way. Get a clean, soft cloth and polish your silver. It will be beautiful again!
Sterling Silver, or .925 Silver, is an alloy that is made of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper. Pure silver is too soft and malleable of a metal to be made into jewelry or any other ornamental piece. Therefore the most common form of silver that is used in day-to-day life is sterling silver. There is also Mexican Silver, which is actually more pure than the sterling variety and is made of 95 percent silver and 5 percent copper. Brittania Silver, another silver alloy usually used in silver tableware and wrought plates, is made up of 95.8 percent silver.
Silver has been known of since the Book of Genesis, where it was first mentioned. There is historical evidence that silver was being separated from lead as early as 3,000 B.C.E. Although this metal is (slightly) harder than gold, it actually has been and still is worth less in value than gold.
Ancient Greece first used silver to make coins, although it is no longer used in modern coinage. Silver has been used in the making of adornments for the body since these ancient times as well. The metal became a symbol of wealth during the Renaissance when silver was used in ornamental pieces to be displayed in the home or in churches. This eventually led silver to be used in the making of dinner ware. During the 19th century, expensive and fashionable flatware and other kitchen implements were made of silver in wealthy homes.
When the New World was being discovered one the main attractions to this new place were the discovery and abundance of not only gold but also of silver. It was said that conquistadors in Mexico during this time used silver instead of iron in their horses’ horseshoes because of the abundance of this metal.
Nearly everyone has heard of the gold rush on the Pacific Coast during the 1800s, but it is also a lesser known fact that there were many silver rushes in the United States and Canada during the same time period. These rushes were also in the western part of the United States, mostly in Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and California. This metal also contributed significantly to the economy and helped to create an increase of settlers in the western part of the country.
Silver played a large part in the history of the United States. Before the country converted to the gold standard, in 1900, it was actually based on the silver standard. Silver was used to make coins, flatware, jewelry and folk art. There are many political interpretations of the famous book The Wizard of Oz saying that the fairy tale was based on the time when the country was converting from the silver to the gold standard (Dorothy’s red slippers were originally silver slippers).
Silver coins continued to be used in the United States until the 1920s, but silver could still be found in coins till 1964. In 1965 silver was removed from all coinage in the country. Today, the only silver that you can find will be in sterling silver jewelry and other ornamental pieces found throughout the home.
Both Shuki Waisbart & David Tang are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Shuki Waisbart has sinced written about articles on various topics from Wedding Bells, Boxing and Silver Jewelry. Introduction to the world of old silver jewellery from the Land of the Queen of sheba.. Shuki Waisbart's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
David Tang has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Modelling and Biking. Amber Singleton is a writer for 925 Silver LLC. . One of the largest online. David Tang's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.