The BEST Information & Advice EVER on Silver Tarnishing
When you purchased your womens or mens silver ring, it arrived all shiny, bright and gorgeous but after a time, you noticed a horrid dark green/black ring appearing around your finger. Have Love2Have sold you a faulty ring made of nasty cheap materials? Well, of course, the answer is no. Silver naturally tarnishes so here is everything you need to know in this article about this.
Made from the UK standard 925 sterling silver all our jewellery is hallmarked at a British Assay Office. Pure silver cannot be used to make jewellery as it is too soft, you must alloy it with other metals such as copper in a ratio of 92.5% to 7.5%, hence the name 925 Sterling silver.
'Ah but' you say, I have worn silver before without it tarnishing so I must be having an allergic reaction to your jewellery. Again the answer is no; it is just the sterling silver oxidising. If you have had silver jewellery that you have not reacted to before, then it could be that this is imported silver which is different to UK silver. It is possible that the jewellery may have been plated or coated with something to prevent tarnishing, or it may well be that it isn't silver at all.
'Ah but' you say, my partner also bought one of your rings, and he/she hasn't had any problem with tarnishing. Well, the problem is that there are factors that affect how quickly silver will tarnish. As individuals, we all have very different skins which don't react in the same way to substances that we come into contact. The acids will vary in your skin which can affect the speed at which the silver will tarnish. What you eat, drink or smoke, perfumes, soaps, hairspray, cosmetics and even time of the month (sorry ladies) can affect the tarnishing process.
Hydrogen Sulphide is the culprit for making silver tarnish, and unfortunately, this substance is something we are all exposed to during our normal daily life. From rubber bands, wool, paint and fossil fuels (hence pollution) to the atmospheric humidity, we really cannot escape this substance.
Can tarnishing be prevented? Not really although some silver jewellery manufacturers will plate the jewellery to avoid it coming into contact with the skin. Why don't Love2Have recommend this? Well plated jewellery will be harder to clean, and the plating with wear and the cleaning will eventually remove it, and it will need redoing. As the plating wears off, your jewellery will take on a somewhat unpleasant patchy look, and the tarnishing process will begin again.
So what is the best way to tackle tarnishing of silver?
With continued wear, the tarnishing should be less of a problem, but you should not wear your jewellery all the time and take it off when you have a bath and when you go to bed. Polish it with a soft silver cloth - you can buy these on the high street. As a golden rule, if you want any jewellery to stay looking beautiful, take it off when you get home and put it on when you go out again.
Can silver jewellery be returned if it tarnishes? The answer is no. Tarnishing is a natural process, and it is up to individuals to decide whether silver is a suitable material for them to wear before purchasing from Love2Have.
Information on cleaning silver
With regards to care, we suggest using silver dip if it becomes tarnished in any way (rather than a silver cloth) as this will get in the nooks and crannies to lift any dirt out. And then going over it with a toothbrush and soapy water to clean any other parts that need it if necessary.
For anyone interested in cleaning their jewellery professionally you may have heard about Ultrasonic Cleaning. However, by far, the best way to avoid any issues with your silver is to prevent it altogether if you find that tarnishing is a problem for you. There are other alternatives such as gold for instance. However gold is expensive, so the ever-increasing popularity of titanium and steel as an alternative could be for you. Both of these metals are hypoallergenic - meaning no skin reactions whatever the case.
How to remove scratches from your sterling silver jewellery
Step 1 – Take a tablespoon of baking soda and mix it with a few drops of water until a goopy, thick paste is formed.
Step 2 – Use a pure cotton rag or polishing cloth to apply the water and baking soda paste to the sterling silver.
Now that you have read the best information and advice ever on silver tarnishing, it's time you take a look at the best silver rings and silver jewellery in the UK in our MENS JEWELLERY UK and SILVER JEWELLERY sections ONLINE in the UK!
Additional reading
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