Sterling silver isn't fragile, but it asks for a little attention. The notes below apply to every sterling chain, and the same habits will keep our 14k gold earrings looking new for as long as you wear them.
Sterling tarnishes. That is, in fact, its nature — it is what separates real silver from the chrome-plated alternatives you can buy by the yard at any mall. A chain that never tarnishes is a chain that isn't actually silver. The good news is that tarnish is surface-only, and is easily reversed with a soft cloth or a proper polish.
We don't offer in-house polish or repair services — we're a retail jeweler, not a workshop. For meaningful damage (broken links, failed clasps), any local jeweler can handle the repair. If you're not sure who to take it to, write us — we're happy to suggest what to look for in a good bench.
What follows is the short, honest version: how to wear a sterling chain, how to store it, and what to keep away from it. None of this is complicated. Most of it is common sense.
Five habits that will keep a sterling chain looking new for a very long time.
A soft, lint-free cloth — the one your chain ships with works for years. Wipe along the grain of the weave, not across it.
Showers, swimming, the gym. Chlorine is the chief enemy of sterling; saltwater is second. Soaps and lotions accelerate tarnish even when they don't visibly stain.
In its pouch, in a dry drawer, with the clasp closed. Sterling against sterling, in a tangled pile, is how kinks happen.
The "silver dip" works briefly and then strips the patina off the finish. A polishing cloth is gentler and better.
Skin oil is the best protective layer sterling has. A chain that lives in a drawer tarnishes faster than one worn daily. Use the thing.
Solid 14k gold doesn't tarnish like silver, but it does scratch under pressure. Treat the earrings the same way — off for water, off for sleep, stored dry. The same polishing cloth works on gold as on silver.
A chain that lives in a drawer tarnishes faster than one worn daily.House rule № 4
The cloth. A jeweler's polishing cloth (Sunshine, Selvyt — any decent brand) will handle ordinary surface tarnish in a couple of minutes. Stretch the chain out flat and pull each link through the cloth, two or three passes per side. This is the right answer 90% of the time.
Warm water and a little soap. For grime in the crevices of a rope or figaro, a soft toothbrush, warm water, and a drop of plain dish soap. Rinse and pat dry with a lint-free towel. Air-drying spots the metal.
Heavy tarnish. Black, blotchy tarnish that won't lift with a cloth means the chain has sat unused too long. A local jeweler with a polishing wheel can restore it in 15 minutes for a small fee.
Don't try to fix a snap. A broken link should be rejoined cleanly by a jeweler with the right solder and a steady hand. Drugstore epoxy turns a 20-minute repair into an hour-long restoration, and it always shows.
If a clasp fails. Spring-loaded lobster clasps wear out eventually — ours are good for many years of daily use, but nothing lasts forever. Any jeweler can swap one for a few dollars in materials.
Write us first. If you bought the chain from us and you're not sure what's wrong with it, send a photo. We'll tell you honestly what we see and suggest the next step.
