JJ Jewelry

Q :

Two sterling silver necklaces purchased last year have become dulled. Jewelry cleaners and silver polishes did no good. What else can I do to restore their shine?

A:

Decide, first, what darkened the silver line-in your neck. Have you worn the necklaces constantly? Your body chemistry or medication may be reacting with the metal to darken it. Was your silver shiny-bright as chromium auto bumpers? Some silver jewelry is coated with rhodium to keep it tarnish free, but the thin coating can wear off or be damaged by hair spray and spray-on fragrances – the alcohol content can damage even precious metal jewelry.

Is your jewelry labeled “sterling”? Federal regulations require sterling to be so marked. Look-alike silver doesn’t polish clean once tarnished. Most sterling jewelry isn’t easy to clean. A silver polish is best but it is difficult to flush from an intricate jewelry design, says Debbie Graham at Oakwood Jewelers. She suggests taking the necklaces to a jewelry repair service to see if buffing restores the shine.

For an inexpensive home test, try this century-old sterling cleaner. Boil water and pour into a pan, sink or bowl lined with aluminum foil. Place silver pieces onto foil, and standby; the foil attracts the tarnish. Regularly polishing with a treated silver-cloth keeps it shiny.

Tagged as Cleaning Jewelry, Dull jewelry, Polishing Jewelry, Tarnished Jewelry + Categorized as Bracelets, Old & Antique Jewellery, Precious Metals, Silver