Keep your sterling silver charms and bracelets tarnish-free

Silver has been a popular choice of jewelry making metal since ancient times. Silver was initially very expensive many centuries ago, but when the western hemisphere continents were discovered, many silver mines were also uncovered and this resulted in an increase in the overall supply of silver in the world, this making the metal a very popular choice for jewelry making among goldsmiths and craftsmen. The late 1700’s saw the most production of silver mining than there has ever been in all the prior centuries all combined together. However, pure silver was too soft to create jewelry that would last a long time without being damaged. Therefore, the silver was mixed with other type of metals to create a more durable precious metal for making jewelry pieces that would have more durability. This resulted in the creation of sterling silver, which is the most popular form of silver that is used for jewelry now.

All types of silver and sterling silver charms, pendants, bracelets, amulets and other jewelry pieces tend to tarnish when exposed to air. This leads to the metal looking dull and withered and the original shine and sparkle that it had when you first bought it will become duller as time goes by. Many people prefer the tarnished look that sterling silver jewelry takes on with wear because it gives the piece a more vintage and old fashioned look. This gives the jewelry piece the illusion that there is a past associated with the jewelry, thus making it more exciting to wear and show off. However, if you do not want your sterling silver charms to lose out on its sparkle and charm, there are simple steps you can take to ensure that it remains tarnish free and always sparkles.

The best way to protect sterling silver charms and bracelets is to store them is anti-tarnish cloths and bags. Anti-tarnish cloths are treated cloth pieces that slow down the overall tarnishing process of sterling silver jewelry. Many jewelry stores sell anti-tarnish bags to protect your sterling silver jewelry. Additionally, make sure that you don’t keep too many jewelry pieces in one cloth or bag because the friction caused when the pieces touch each other can also lead to tarnish. If you cannot find anti-tarnish cloths or want to invest in a cheaper option to store your silver, you can always make your own anti-tarnish bags to store your jewelry. This involves buying plastic bags (preferably ziplock kinds). You also need to purchase anti-tarnish strips and you can find these in most jewelry stores. Now all you need to do it throw in a piece of the anti-tarnish strip along with your sterling silver charm into the plastic bag and remove as much air as you can from the bag before sealing the plastic bag. Store this in a cool, dry place and you can keep your sterling silver jewelry tarnish free for a long time.