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SPRING DEALS

TAKING CARE OF YOUR SILVER JEWELRY

Silver is a timelessly beautiful and delicate noble metal which can retain its initial appearance over a lifetime if basic maintenence practices are followed. It is important to relax and enjoy your jewelry and to not worry constantly about it because after all jewelry is for wearing and enjoying. And remember, that at worst case scenario if it is not been maintained ideally, the great majority of the time it can still be recovered to its initial condition with a small effort later.  

This article covers commonly asked questions about what is safe and what isn't for your silver jewelry purchased from Esculpta. It also applies to the silver jewelry you own at home. With a few simple tips of advise, anyone can take care of their jewelry and enjoy the timeless sparkly sensation of their jewelry forever. 

taking care of your silver jewelry

Best practices if you want your jewelry to look at its best forever

  • You can wash your silver jewelry with soap and water as long as you pad it dry afterwards
  • You can enter the sea with silver jewelry but its always best to rinse with fresh water afterwards (like you would your sunglasses) - then pad dry.
  • Chlorinated pools are not advised, but if you forget to take an item off in the pool don't panic as the damage of chlorine occurs over a long time at common poolwater concentration levels. Just rinse with fresh water and dry afterwards.
  • Oxidation is a natural process that occurs on types of silver including sterling silver (high purity silver) causing silver items to go dull 
    • Oxidation (or tarnishing) occurs inevitably over time but the main factors that accelerate the natural chemical process are
    • heat, 
    • humidity
    • contact with oils found in cosmetics
    • contact with specific human skin-types (often very acidic)
    • Most of these factors can be avoided or reduced. Reducing these factors will extend the amount of time your silver will look like new without needing to polish it
  • For padding dry, always use a soft cloth. Any t-shirt-like fabric will do.
  • Avoid leaving your jewelry out in a room enviroment (like exposed on a table) if you can help it. Its best not exposed to all the elements of your home and it will look fresher and sparklier when the time comes to wear it! If your jewelry comes in a case, use the case provided to store your jewelry or pack it in a drawer away from heat and moisture.
  • Never enclose your jewels in a case, bag or other enclosure if it hasn't dried out properly. This will cause moisture to be trapped in the case and accelerate oxidation.
  • Cases are also good in order to protect the body of the silver from scratches and dents. Silver is a relatively soft metal and it must be treated delicately. If you keep yout jewelry with coins and keys they are likely to scratch the surface of your jewelry as they are made from harder metals.
  • Gold jewelry is chemically less sensitive as it has more stable oxidating properties than silver. Gold maintains its shine effortlessly depending on it karats. With karats of high purity (18K) it is vertually inert and requires no special handling.
  • If you haven't cleaned your jewelry for a long time and its looking dim and dull, fear not! - you can always recover it to 'mint' condition again. All you need is an inexpensive silver polishing cloth from any harware store or purchased online. These cloths come pre-emersed in a anti-oxidating agent which helps remove the tarnishing quickly and easily by rubbing the dim surface. Without in any way endorsing, a good silver cloth brand that we like to use is towntalk
  • We do not recommend the use of other silver-cleaning products like liquids, creams, etc. (apart from dry pre-emersed polishing-cloths). Such chemicals as are in in the products described are often too harsh, can cause damage, are often toxic and are rarely necessary.

 


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