Care Instructions for 925 Sterling Silver:

Store silver in an airtight box or a sealed plastic bag when not in use.

Silver can tarnish. The reason for tarnishing is the presence of sulfur in the air that has come into contact with the silver. Sulfur combined with silver is not a good match. Unfortunately, it cannot always be avoided.

Sulfur is found in the air, in certain foods, on hands, in rubber bands, in cigarette smoke, and in some materials. The tarnishing commonly referred to as silver oxidizing is actually not oxidation but sulfiding. The sulfide coating that forms is a gray-black film.

NOTE: Jewelry with black-oxidized details (e.g., Robin and Ida) should not be placed in any polishing liquid as the oxidation will disappear if you do. These should only be polished with a polishing cloth.

JEWELRY WITH STONES

It may be fine to clean them the same way, as long as the stone is a genuine gemstone that can withstand heat and is NOT glued. If you are unsure, contact your nearest jeweler for advice.

If the jewelry is very dirty or has a coating of something (e.g., lotion or grease), you may need to clean it before polishing. Use lukewarm water and a drop of dish soap on a soft toothbrush and gently brush the jewelry clean before polishing it.

 

BLACK-OXIDIZED SILVER

Black-oxidized silver is exactly what it sounds like—silver that has been oxidized using a special oxidizing liquid. You should not do anything to these pieces, how great is that?! However, the oxidation on the jewelry may fade over time, and I can always re-oxidize it for you. Alternatively, you can place the jewelry in a sealed bag with boiled egg white for a day. This causes a chemical reaction, and the egg naturally oxidizes the jewelry. It doesn’t smell very pleasant, though. This is why you shouldn’t eat eggs with a silver spoon. Rinse thoroughly afterward but do not polish with a cloth, as that will remove the oxidation—just dab and air dry.
Already oxidized jewelry can be advantageously displayed openly as they oxidize naturally and stay beautiful and dark.

POLISH YOUR SILVER JEWELRY

Here’s how:

1. Line the bottom of a basin or larger dish with aluminum foil. Sprinkle some baking soda over it.
2. Place the silver or gold items you want to clean on top.
3. Cover with more baking soda.
4. Pour boiling water over. Don’t be alarmed when it starts bubbling; it’s the baking soda releasing carbon dioxide when it meets the water.
5. Wait until the water has cooled. Lift out the now clean items and rinse them with water.
6. Dry the jewelry completely with a cotton cloth, then polish the shine with the same cloth.

The time this method takes varies depending on how much sulfide coating is on the silver. It can take anywhere from a couple to five minutes. The process is electrolytic, and the aluminum will have darkened significantly while the silver has become shinier.

See a photo guide on how to proceed here:
HOW TO POLISH SILVER IN PICTURES


GOLD JEWELRY

You can polish gold jewelry the same way as silver with baking soda if it is very dirty and hard to reach in small crevices.
It is also fine to use a toothbrush, warm water, and dish soap to scrub clean; this often works wonders for transparent gemstones such as diamonds, sapphires, and tourmalines. They look like new when washed with a toothbrush underneath and rinsed thoroughly with water.
If it is difficult to remove dirt, the jewelry can be soaked overnight in warm water with dish soap to dissolve the grime.