Caring For Silver Jewelry And Gemstones

Keeping your jewelry in pristine condition is quite easy and takes very little time. The most important factor to remember, is that you must look after it correctly and that includes keeping pieces clean. We generally discourage the use of chemicals to clean silver jewelry as in the long term, they can leave marks that are extremely difficult and in some cases, impossible to remove. Gemstones should never ever be cleaned using chemicals as there is very a good chance they will become damaged as a result. For all silver jewelry we only recommend that it be cleaned using a cloth specifically designed for cleaning silver. To use the cloth, simply rub the piece of jewelry and any trace of tarnish will come away leaving the item looking bright and well polished. Where possible, try to avoid using the cloth on gemstones.

Silver jewelry should always be wrapped in material or kept in a soft pouch when not being used as this will protect it from becoming scratched as well as reducing the build up of tarnish. Tarnish is caused because of various pollutants in the atmosphere and humidity, heat and bright sunlight can further contribute to the process. When cleaning silver, never use a brush or an abrasive no matter how soft, as it will almost definitely leave scratch marks. Silver which has been allowed to become excessively tarnished should still initially be cleaned with a silver cloth, however it is likely to take some time and a considerable amount of rubbing before it is returned to its original condition. In extreme circumstances, a good quality silver dip could be considered but we would recommend using this just once and the piece of jewelry should only be left in the solution for a very short period of time. A chemical solution should not be used however if the jewellery features a gemstone. Preventing the build up of tarnish is always easier than removing it!

Some people have an allergy to silver but in many cases this is actually to nickel which is often found as an alloy in silver. Pure silver is extremely soft so must be mixed with something else in order to strengthen it before it can be used for jewellery and other household products. This does not detract from its value as it is a necessity. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and the other 7.5% is usually an alloy of copper which can also include other metals such as nickel. Many of the alloys which have been introduced in recent years offer some benefit to the silver such as reducing the rate at which it tarnishes or eliminating the likelihood of firescale. Hypoallergenic silver is nickel free hence those with silver allergies may be able to wear it. Silver with a high percentage of copper tends to tarnish much quicker. The silver that we use in our jewelry at Stone Mania, contains very little nickel and a lower percentage of copper hence tarnishing is minimal. Painting the area of silver which comes into contact with the skin with clear nail polish often helps those who have a reaction to silver, but this does need to be re applied over time.

Salt is a corrosive and chlorine which is frequently used in swimming pools, can damage silver and also gemstones so jewellery should always be removed before swimming in a pool or the sea. Remember that sweat contains salt so when doing exercise in which you are likely to sweat profusely, such as when in the gym, jewellery and gemstones should also be removed. Never allow jewellery or gemstones to come into contact with household detergents as these may cause irreparable damage so either remove silver rings or wear gloves, there is some evidence to suggest that the latex in rubber gloves can speed up the rate at which silver tarnishes.

Minerals have evolved over millions of years but if not well looked after, a gemstone will quickly lose its sparkle. As with silver, gemstones should be stored somewhere cool, dry and dark and they should not be allowed to come into contact with each other. This is due to the possibility of softer stones being scratched by those that are harder. Wrapping them in a piece of material or keeping them in a pouch is ideal. A scale was developed in 1812 by the Viennese mineralogist Friedrich Mohs to measure the scratch resistance of one mineral against another, known as Mohs scale of mineral hardness, it is still used extensively today.

Having some basic knowledge about each gemstone in your collection is paramount to be able to look after it well. For example Chrysocolla is particularly soft measuring 2.5 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness so it may crack or chip easily. Malachite is very porous hence is likely to become damaged if it gets wet. Malachite is covered with a fine protective film which offers some protection against moisture, however this will gradually be washed away if a stone repeatedly gets wet. Amethyst, Emerald, Malachite, Opal, certain colours of Tourmaline and Turquoise are known to fade or change colour if exposed to excessive heat whilst Emerald, Opal, Garnet, Tanzanite, Peridot, Tourmaline, Quartz and Topaz can also crack if exposed to sudden temperature changes.

Another factor to be aware of if you have Turquoise jewellery or loose gemstones, is that it is particularly sensitive towards chemicals including perfumes, hair sprays and other cosmetics so great care must be taken around any such item. Contact with any of the aforementioned or similar products can result in Turquoise losing its colour, dehydrating or in extreme circumstances even cracking. It is always good practice to wipe a gemstone with a soft dry cloth before putting it away, this will remove any pollutants which it may have accumulated whilst being worn.

Gemstones if well looked after should rarely need to be cleaned. Some suggest using warm soapy water and a soft cloth or brush but this could damage a gemstone which is porous such as Malachite or those sensitive to chemicals such as Turquoise. If ever in doubt as to how to clean a gemstone, always seek professional advice first.