Jewellery Care
Now that you have a piece of jewellery that you love, here are some tips on how to keep it just as lovely as the day you received it.
As with all precious metals, sterling silver can start to look a little dull and becomes tarnished over time which is why we now only use 100% recycled and tarnish resistant, Argentium silver in all our new jewellery (from January 2024). Argentium silver is purer with 960 parts out of 1000 silver with the remaining alloy made up of germanium and a tiny amount of copper.
When tarnish does occur, it's because Sterling Silver uses copper (much less with Argentium) to create a harder, more durable alloy than pure silver. The copper reacts with the sulphur-containing substances in the air forming a thin dark layer on top of the jewellery. 9ct gold and 18ct gold can also be affected if they are alloyed with copper.
If you want to extend the finish of your jewellery, it is advisable not to expose it to perfume, chlorine, body lotions or high humidity.
Jewellery also tarnishes whilst worn of course (occasionally it can be accelerated through a person's sweat or cosmetics), but it is fairly easy to remove the tarnished layer with silver dip. Submerge the jewellery in this solution (the tarnish will normally be gone within a few seconds) before making sure it’s thoroughly rinsed in water and dried.