Silver and gold have been used to refer to wealth and luxury for centuries. Silver is a prized metal for jewelry because it is supple and beautiful. Interestingly, silver has other qualities that extend its use beyond jewelry.
It has antibacterial qualities and also conducts electricity. As a result, it is also a favourite metal for use in technology as well as medicine.
Is Silver Affordable?
The long and short of it is, yes. Silver is affordable. It is a lot less expensive than other precious metals such as platinum, gold and palladium. These metals do not get mined as much as silver is.
In addition, it is one of the most beautiful metals you are likely to come across. Silver pendants, rings and earrings are popular accessories in the world of fashion. In fact, a silver heart necklace is a very fashionable piece of jewelry to own.
Silver has a unique colour and luster. What’s more, it does not tarnish easily and goes with just about any outfit. It is also perfect for events such as weddings and anniversaries.
When Silver Tarnishes
Silver does not give in to tarnish easily but when it does lose its sheen, it turns black. This happens when you expose your silver to air and humidity. Silver contains other metals such as copper. These react with the sulfur and moisture in the air to cause the loss change in colour.
In addition, keep your silver away from your makeup, perfumes and sprays and other cosmetics as well as detergents. They cause your beautiful silver jewelry to tarnish more quickly.
How to Prevent Tarnish
To keep your silver lustrous and lovely, you must be careful with it. That means that penchant you may have of unclasping your silver heart necklace and tossing it needs to stop. You may not be able to completely prevent it from tarnishing but you can slow it down considerably.
Here are a few things you can do to take care of your silver treasures.
1. Storage
As mentioned earlier, one of the causes of tarnish is exposure to air. The first thing you do, therefore, is to ensure that your silver is not exposed to air.
- Store your collection in airtight bags and add anti-tarnish strips therein
- Store it in an air-restricted jewelry box
- Consider other low humidity methods of storage
- Introduce a piece of chalk or silica gel to keep moisture from the air at bay
2. Household Chemicals and Exposure
Again, as stated earlier, do not just remove and toss your jewelry onto the nearest table. Take the time to clean it before storing it away. Your silver is precious and will stay longer if you take care of it.
Your body oils and cosmetics have stuck to the necklace or rings and need to be cleaned off. Spend a little time cleaning your silver to prevent or slow down tarnishing. Also, when you go swimming, remove all your silver. Do not go into the shower wearing it.
Also, keep it away from your chemicals in the house, makeup, latex, wool and onions. In fact, keep it out of the kitchen altogether. When dressing up, let the silver be the last thing you wear.
3. Maintaining Your Silver
- Clean it using warm water and soap
- Wash the silver items gently
- Dry thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth
You may also polish it to slow down the tarnishing process. Taking good care of your investment makes it last longer while retaining its beautiful colour and sheen.
What if it is already Tarnished?
If your silver is already tarnished, do not despair for you can restore it by polishing with a silver jewelry cleaner. Here’s how:
- Dab a little cleaner onto a soft cloth
- Buff your silver gently
- Wash the jewelry off in warm water to rinse the cleaner off
Conclusion
Silver jewelry is a great investment that you can pass down to your descendants. It lasts long and looks great while at it. All that is required of you is to take great care of your silver jewelry collection.