Signs You’re Not Caring for Your Silver Jewellery Properly

Many people love silver jewellery because it lasts a long time and can be worn in a lot of different ways. Even the most beautiful things can lose their beauty if they aren't taken care of. If you pay attention to these warning signals, you can fix tiny damage to your silver collection and keep it dazzling like the day you first wore it.

Fading, Blackening & Discolouration

• Uniform Dullness or Haze: A small loss of shine is often the first symptom of rust, not darkness. Your silver may not shine as brightly, which could make it look dull or foggy all around, as if a transparent film has fallen over it.
  

• Yellowing or Brownish Tints: The dullness might develop darker and change to yellow or brown as the rust gets worse. Things that are really shiny make this very evident. It means that elements in the environment, such as humidity, air pollution, or being around body oils for a long time, are making the tarnishing process quicker.
  

• Blackening in Crevices: This is the traditional, unmistakable evidence of rust that has been there for a while. The black hue shows up earliest and most strongly in the fine details, engravings, and recessed regions of your jewellery. These places are better at holding on to water and sulphur compounds, which allows tarnish to build up more quickly.
  

• Uneven or Patchy Discolouration: If your silver isn't dull all over but has black or dark spots, it could signify that there are certain touch points. This happens a lot when you touch some materials, or even when you scrub unevenly and miss some locations. Uneven discolouration is a strong clue that some things that cause jewellery to tarnish, such as direct chemical exposure or improper care.

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Frequent Breakage or Bending

• Bent Rings or Out-of-Shape Bands: If your silver rings often cease being round and start looking oval or misshapen, it's a good clue that you're not wearing them right or they're under too much stress. Silver is a soft metal; thus, it can bend.
  

• Broken or Weakened Chain Links: You can tell that a chain is under stress if it breaks or has links that are stretched, bent, or weak. This happens a lot when you tug on the chain or when you put it away in a way that makes it get tangled up, and then you have to apply force to untangle it.
  

• Loose or Missing Gemstones: If the stones in your silver jewellery fall out or shift around a lot, it's a major sign that you're not taking excellent care of it. Using aggressive chemicals, scrubbing the silver vigorously, or simply allowing the temperature to change fast might harm the metals’ settings.
  

• Damaged Clasps or Fasteners: If the clasps won't shut right, bend, or break, it implies that the piece has been handled carelessly. If you pull clasps at odd angles, strain them, or don't check them often, they can break. If your clasp breaks, not only does it make your jewellery less safe, but it also means you could lose the whole thing.

Skin Reactions and Their Causes

• Green or Black Discolouration on Skin: The most common skin reaction is a green or black mark left on your skin where the silver jewellery touches. This is not usually an allergic reaction to silver itself, but rather a result of the silver reacting with substances on your skin. It often happens when the copper in sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) oxidises due to exposure to sweat, body oils, lotions, or certain perfumes.
  

• Skin Irritation, Redness, or Itchiness: If you experience actual skin irritation, redness, or itchiness beneath your silver jewellery, it’s a more concerning sign. While pure silver is hypoallergenic, some individuals might react to the other metals in the sterling silver alloy, typically copper, or to nickel if it's present. More often, however, this irritation is caused by a buildup of dirt, grime, soap residue, or tarnish itself trapped between the jewellery and your skin, leading to chafing or bacterial growth.
  

• Allergic Reactions to Coatings: Sometimes, jewellery advertised as silver might be silver-plated over a base metal that contains allergens like nickel. If the plating wears off due to improper cleaning or heavy wear, the underlying metal can be exposed, causing an allergic reaction in sensitive individuals.
  

• Residue from Cleaning Products: If you develop skin irritation shortly after cleaning your silver jewellery, it could be a sign that cleaning product residue was not thoroughly rinsed off. Chemical silver dips, abrasive pastes, or even certain household cleaners used on jewellery can leave behind irritants that react with your skin. 

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Signs Your Cleaning Products Are Too Harsh

• Dull Appearance After Cleaning: If your silver doesn't look glossy after you clean it, but instead looks dull, flat, foggy, or even a little white, that's a sign that your cleaning product is too harsh.
  

• Increased Tarnish Speed Post-Cleaning: It's odd, but if your silver seems to rust faster after you clean it, it might be due to the cleaner. Harsh chemicals or harsh cleaners can leave silver with a rough, porous surface or leave behind bits that make it easier for sulphur compounds to stick to it.
  

• Visible Scratches or Swirl Marks: Your product (or the manner you used it) is too abrasive if you clean your silver and subsequently find little scratches, swirl marks, or a worn look on the surface. Toothpaste, too much baking soda, or cloths that aren't intended for silver (like dishwashing pads) can all cause this damage.
  

• Damage to Gemstones or Settings: If you clean your jewellery with something too abrasive, the gemstones can look clouded, dull, or even loose. Pearls, opals, and turquoise are fragile and porous stones that can be damaged by rough tools or chemical treatments.

Tips to Reverse Minor Damage

• For Early-Stage Tarnish: Use a silver polishing cloth if your silver is starting to look dull or has a hint of yellow. To get the shine back, just use the cleaning side of the cloth to gently wipe the dull spots. This is the easiest and best technique to deal with the first things that make jewellery tarnish.
  

• For Moderate Tarnish: A gentle wash with lukewarm water and mild soap (dish soap without phosphates) is sometimes adequate to get rid of tarnish that a polishing cloth can't. Use a soft-bristled brush, like a baby toothbrush, to get the soap into the gaps.
  

• For Targeted Spots of Tarnish: If you have little spots of tarnish on simple silver that hasn't been oxidised or has any fragile gemstones in it, a paste made of baking soda can help. You can make a thick paste by mixing a little water with some baking soda. Put a little bit on the spot with a cotton swab or a soft cloth and rub it in very gently in small circles. Wash and dry right away.
  

• For Minor Bending or Slight Deformations: If the rings or simple parts are only a little bent, you might be able to gently straighten them out by hand. Don't try to fix it yourself if the bend is more than a little bit or the piece is really intricate. If you bend the silver too much or use too much effort, it will become weak and break.

From everyday wear to special occasions, Touch925 silver jewellery is made to last and made to care. Explore pieces that shine with you!