Ever noticed your favourite piece of sterling silver jewellery is turning black? Stress no more, because an expert has simple trick to halt the tarnish in its tracks. Sterling silver is a metal alloy made up of 92.5% pure silver and 7.
5% in other metals, most commonly copper. It’s used a lot in jewellery due to its durability quality, malleability, and due to it being relatively affordable yet retains its value well. However, it’s also quite easy to look after, but is prone to tarnishing, which can dull its shine badly.
So what's the key to keeping your shiny trinkets gleaming without tirelessly buffing them every day? Blake Asaad from Goodstone explains: "You can keep silver jewellery that you use daily sparkling by polishing it regularly with a soft cloth." And don't worry if your gems spend more time in the drawer than on display - Blake has the answer for that potential problem too. "There's one easy thing you can do to stop your stored sterling silver jewellery from tarnishing," he shares.
"Put it inside an airtight bag to keep it protected from air and moisture. Air moisture causes tarnishing to happen quickly." Blake also suggests using zip-lock bags or any airtight container to store each piece of silver separately to avoid scratching or tangling.
He adds: "Put anti-tarnish strips in your airtight storage bag, too. You can also add silica gel or activated charcoal to absorb moisture, or a packet of desiccant crystals." He further recommends wrapping sterling silve.