Tiffany & Co. is known for its fine jewelry and silverware worldwide. It became especially recognized as it pioneered the use of .925 sterling silver in their works. It is now adopted by the United States as Sterling Silver Standard.
If you have the privilege of owning such products, you should learn how to keep the brilliant and luxurious sheen of your Tiffany Sterling Silver. To attain such goal, you first need to bear in mind that all silver articles, must be kept clean and must be free from dust and moisture.
The tarnishing process starts even when the silver jewelry is kept inside any jewelry case. This can be avoided when something is done to control the moisture level or humidity of the container. This can be kept to a minimum rather simply with the use of water absorbing dried out silica gel. This will keep the relative humidity at a low level.
In choosing a silica gel canister, ensure that it has a built-in indicator. This indicator will turn the gel from blue to pink, signifying that it is saturated with moisture. This will give you the signal that you should then dry the canister inside the oven. Read the attached directions of the silica carefully, and keep in mind that silica is a health-hazard when inhaled.
An activated charcoal or other similar commercial product is also effective in removing tarnishing gases. On the other hand, certain oils, fabrics, and paints can hasten tarnish formation. Thus, it is recommended that the interior wood surfaces of your jewelry case with polyurethane or lacquer paint should be sealed. Similarly, Latex paint may be applied but must be allowed to dry up for at least four months. You should check on the details of your jewelry box just to be sure.
Here’s the trick to further minimize tarnishing during storage, silver items should be individually kept in sealed polyethylene bags. For best results, each piece should be first wrapped with soft, anti-tarnish tissue or a non-buffered tissue paper that is acid-free and of storing quality. This is to protect the silver object against humidity changes, as well as to avoid transfer of harmful elements from the storage environment in to the silver. Cloths that are tarnish-absorbing also make excellent choices for wrapping the object. Placing small containers of dehydrated silica gel and activated charcoal inside the storage bag is another smart way to keep your sterling silver from tarnishing.
However, if your sterling silver does not have tarnish yet, a phosphate-free detergent may be used to clean the item after use. Your silver jewelry can be used daily, however gently wash and immediately dry the item after use. This simple step will prevent tarnish from developing. Be extra cautious when washing your sterling silver, coming in hard contact with a metal sink might scratch it deeply.
Tarnish can be easily removed when first detected, usually it starts as a yellowish tint. It will gradually be more difficult to deal with as it turns into light brown and finally blackish stain. Frequent light cleanings as mentioned earlier, may be all you need before the tarnish gets so stubborn. GP
