Get the shine without the tarnishSterling silver jewellery is usually very well priced, has a beautiful shine and allows for a lot of creativity. However, sterling silver has one major drawback - the tarnish that forms either for people with certain (normal!) skin types, or when you've stored your silver jewellery for a while. Today we check out 5 easy way that you can safely clean your sterling silver jewellery.
With soap and water
If your sterling silver jewellery is only suffering from a little dust, dirt or sweat, any mild dish soap or hand soap and warm water will safely clean it.
Make sure you dry your sterling silver jewellery after cleaning with soap and water, otherwise you'll end up with subtle rinse spots that will dull its natural shine.
Silvo
Remember 'Brasso'? There is also an equivalent silver cleaning solution commercially available for just a few dollars. Silvo is usually stocked at supermarkets, and while it seems like an everyday way to clean your silver, you should be aware that:
- Silvo is very mildly abrasive, so don't scrub too hard with it or use it too often on detailed pieces
- If your item is only silver plated, Silvo will eventually cause it to flake or thin out
With toothpaste
If you don't have Silvo available, any toothpaste will help remove tarnish from silver. The same precautions apply, however.
Making an electrolytic cleaning solution
You don't have to be an amateur chemist to electrolytically clean your sterling silver jewellery - you just need a few basic household items and the ability to follow directions. This method for cleaning silver jewellery is ideal for highly detailed pieces, where a toothbrush and 'Silvo' just can't get into all the cracks. Also great for pandora bracelet charms.
Here's how you can clean sterling silver jewellery electrolytically:
?Line a saucepan with aluminium foil
?Fill it with enough water to completely cover your item
?Stir in some baking soda - around half a cup per 500ml of water
?Boil the water
?As soon as the water starts to boil, take the pan off the heat and add your silver
?Use tongs to move your item around in the water
Take care using this method with sterling silver jewellery that also includes features like gemstones or cameo plating, as the boiling water could affect these.
Rhodium plating
Rhodium is a natural white metal similar to platinum, used to give pandora charms sale higher shine and better tarnish resistance. You can have any piece of sterling silver jewellery rhodium plated - even heirloom pieces. While it is not a cleaning method per se, rhodium plating can help your sterling silver jewellery last much longer between cleanings, and look better too. If you have a piece of silver jewellery rhodium plated, you should use steam or hot water to clean it - chemical cleaners will strip the finish and make it look patchy.
Affordability
The most obvious fact as to why pandora charms sale is better to buy than gold is affordability. pandora charms sale is more inexpensive than gold primarily due to issues of quality and abundance. Gold is rarer in the ground than its counterpart. Although both metals have similar melting points and are considered precious metals, gold is heavier and doesn’t tarnish. Silver tarnishes only slightly and has proven durability as silver coins in relatively good condition, dating back to the Roman Empire some two thousand years ago, have been discovered. Affordability also gives silver an advantage in variety of design. Vermeil jewelry also known as yellow gold plated silver jewelry in the form or rings, earrings and bracelets are a great alternative to gold. In this case, you can have a gold look and pay silver prices while not losing on quality. Given the range of affordability, as a collector, buying jewelry made with silver gives you the ability to own multiple silver pieces for the price of one gold piece.
Popular Variety
The popularity of silver material in applications outside of jewelry is growing. Sterling silver is used for silverware, appliances, jewelry, furniture and plenty of other industrial artifacts. Sterling silver jewelry, such as rings, earrings, and bracelets have become more popular than gold because of a growing understanding of the practical value of silver in commercial industry as well as jewelry fashion. The use of combination's of silver and gold in earrings, rings and bracelets is now commonplace. As the popularity of silver jewelry increases so to will the breadth of choices widen. More jewelry designers are offering high product lines made in silver. Companies like Tiffany and Co. continue to grow as silver jewelry gains interest. This large focus on silver jewelry will continue to increase popularity which in turn will spawn varied and exciting jewelry expression, benefiting the buying public.
Value
pandora bracelet charms can be a smart investment. Given historical prices and high demand, the value of silver will likely continue rising. As more industries find uses for silver, it will attract investment dollars as consolidation occurs and stability is established. As a wearer and owner of silver jewelry you can rest assured that your piece has intrinsic value as a precious metal in a commodities market. Recent history shows that silver has outperformed gold in many instances. Since 2000 silver prices tripled. Given the low price of silver as it relates to gold, there is a tremendous upside potential still yet unrealized. Here is, in conclusion, yet another benefit to owning silver as the mere buying of jewelry is considered a method of investing in commodities.