jewellery care
jewellery care
made with love and crafted with sterling silver, our jewellery pieces are meant to last a lifetime. use our easy instructions to ensure that your treasured pieces stay beautiful and pristine. perfect for gifting and cherishing for years to come.
WHAT is sterling silver?
sterling silver is an alloy (a mix) of silver containing 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of other metals, usually copper. that's why it's called 925 sterling silver it’s the other metals that make the precious metal strong enough to work with and wear. without them, fine silver would be too soft as a metal for the everyday wear of jewellery.
WHY does sterling silver jewellery tarnish over time?
ALL sterling silver jewellery will age and tarnish naturally. however, with proper care, your precious metal will retain its beauty and shine. it is therefore recommended you clean your jewellery regularly if you want to keep your pieces in great condition.
silver tarnishes when it is exposed to the air. this process is called oxidization and results in a tarnishing effect on the silver which is called silver sulphate. this is the chemical reaction the other metals and copper have with the air. this is what creates that darkening on the silver. it can also leave marks on your skin if you haven’t cleaned the jewellery item.
HOW to care for sterling silver jewellery?
to enhance the life of your sterling silver jewellery:
- avoid contact with all liquids and chemicals, such as perfume, body lotions, sea water, chlorinated pool water, hairspray and sweat. contact with these substances will increase the rate of tarnishing.
- always protect your jewellery from sharp blows, scratching, chemicals, direct sunlight and extreme heat/cold, particularly humid conditions.
- when you put away your jewellery, make sure it’s completely dry and kept it in the box or cloth pouch provided when you bought the jewellery. this will protect it from scratches and help slow the tarnishing process. try to keep pieces apart so they don't rub together.
- remember to put your jewellery on after you’ve used hair spray, body spray or perfume, as these products can tarnish it.
WHAT to do if your sterling silver jewellery does tarnish?
cleaning silver jewellery is best done with a professional jewellery cleaning product. the tarnishing effect can be removed easily by buffing with a silver jewellery cloth or using a specialised silver cleaning product.
WHAT to do if you still have questions?
if you still have any questions regarding your jewellery care, please feel free to drop me a line at victoria@loveheartsanddaisies.com