Care guide

Why silver darkens

Sterling silver is 925 parts silver and 75 parts other metal, normally copper. Both react with sulphur compounds in air, in water and on skin, forming a thin layer of silver sulphide on the surface. That layer starts as a warm yellow tint, goes grey, then black.

It is a surface effect, a few molecules thick. The metal underneath is unchanged, and polishing lifts the sulphide away rather than removing silver in any meaningful quantity. A piece can be polished for decades without measurably losing weight.

The rate varies enormously between people and places. Skin chemistry, medication, perfume, hairspray, wool, rubber bands, humidity and central heating all speed it up. A piece worn daily against skin often stays brighter than the same piece left in a drawer, because friction keeps polishing it.

The same band, before and after ten seconds with a polishing cloth.

The cloth — for surfaces

A two-layer impregnated polishing cloth is the right tool for anything you can reach with a fingertip: band faces, disc charms, bangles, hoops, the flat faces of a curb link.

1. Work with the inner treated layer first. It carries the polishing compound and will go black — that is the tarnish coming off, not the cloth failing.
2. Use short straight strokes along the length of a chain, never across it.
3. Finish with the outer buffing layer to bring up the shine.
4. Do not wash the cloth. Washing removes the compound and the cloth stops working. Replace it when it no longer picks up dark residue.

The immersion bath — for recesses

A cloth cannot reach between the links of a rope chain, into the gap under a hinge, or into the cleft of a heart charm. That is what the immersion bath is for.

1. Dip for a few seconds only — this is a chemical reaction, not a soak. Follow the time on the bottle.
2. Rinse thoroughly in clean water. Residue left in a recess will keep working and can leave a dull patch.
3. Dry completely, including inside hinges and clasps, before storing.
4. Finish with the cloth on the flat faces to even out the shine.

When not to clean

• Never immerse a piece with a compressed spring such as a lobster clasp held shut — residue inside a spring will seize it.
• Never immerse strung, glued or deliberately oxidised work. We do not sell any of these, but you may own some.
• Do not use toothpaste, bicarbonate of soda or a household abrasive. These are harder than the silver and leave a field of fine scratches that no polish will remove.
• Do not use a silver dip on a herringbone chain. Handling it wet increases the chance of a crease, and a crease is permanent.

Water, chlorine and salt

Plain water and soap do no harm to solid silver. The problems are chemical and mechanical, not water itself:

• Chlorinated pool water attacks the copper in the alloy and the solder at every link joint. Repeated exposure makes a chain brittle at exactly the points that hold it together. Take pieces off before swimming.
• Seawater accelerates oxidisation heavily and leaves salt in recesses that keeps working after you get out. Rinse in fresh water immediately if you forget.
• Hot tubs combine both problems with heat, which speeds up everything. This is the worst place to wear silver.
• Soap residue builds up between stacked rings and inside hinges. Separate stacked pieces to dry.

Which pieces are shower-safe

Every product page carries this as a yes or no. Here is the whole catalogue in one view. Shower-safe means water is not a problem — it does not mean the piece is indestructible.

Storage

• Store pieces separately in the tarnish-inhibiting pouch they came in. Silver against silver scratches.
• Lay chains flat or hang them. Coiling a snake or herringbone chain is how it gets creased.
• Keep them dry and out of direct sunlight. A sealed bag with a silica sachet slows tarnish substantially.
• Keep silver away from rubber bands, wool and untreated wood — all three release sulphur.

Cleaning liquid — safety information