Firstly, in order to care for your silver jewellery properly it is important to understand what silver is! Pure or solid silver is actually 99.9% pure silver and is a soft metal, far too soft to be made into silver jewellery capable of withstanding daily wear and tear. So, in fact most silver jewellery is an alloy of silver, strengthened by other metals and is known as sterling silver. Sterling silver is hallmarked as “925”. This hallmark shows the quality of the silver and allows you to distinguish it from mere imitations such as silver plated jewellery. Silver plating is where a base metal such as brass or nickel is put through an electroplating process which coats the base metal with a very very thin layer of pure silver. The result is an item that initially looks like sterling silver and seems to be available at a much reduced price. This is because the silver plating tends to wear off quite quickly exposing the base metal, thereby ruining the appearance.

So when purchasing and caring for your items ensure you know the type of silver you have.

So to care and clean – did you know that air, perfume, chlorinated or salt water and household cleaning products will all cause damage or tarnish your silver jewellery? In order to protect your silver be aware of this and treat it carefully. Investing in a little time and effort in your daily routines will ensure you are rewarded with pieces that look beautiful long after you have purchased them. To keep your jewellery as good as new ensure your put the jewellery on after you apply body lotions or perfumes and make sure these have had sufficient time to be absorbed into the skin. Likewise apply all hair products including hairspray before you put on your silver jewellery. Remove your jewellery at the end of the day and before any exercise. Keep your jewellery pieces separate so they do not scratch each other and put away in air tight boxes, wiping gently beforehand with a cotton cloth. The more you protect your jewellery from air and light the longer it will stay looking great.

To actually clean it simply polish with a soft cotton cloth. For greater effect you could also use a silver cleaner and anti-tarnish agent on the cloth but take care if your silver jewellery also has delicate gemstones and protect these.

Professional cleaning serves are available and are recommended for signature valuable pieces.

Before purchasing your jewellery check it carefully to ensure the retailer has been looking after it. Check the hallmark so you know you are purchasing quality items. A reputable retailer will be able to reassure you and will also offer advice on care. Some retailers have suppliers who specialize in silver jewellery that does not tarnish. Even when purchasing on line you should be able to satisfy yourself on these points. It should be easy to contact the retailer and also to see from the on line stock the sort of quality pieces they offer. Any good retailer will be happy to answer questions and provide information for you.