Post # 1
Member
138 posts
Blushing bee
Hi bees. I love my jewellery but I’m on a budget (and having been for the last year due to full time study and not being able to work) so the most I can afford atm is sterling silver. I know sterling silver is still good but I’m finding after several months of use it loses its shine and looks tarnished. I use a jewellery cleaner cloth but it only does so much. I’ve heard people say using toothpaste is good to make jewellery shine but so much of my stuff has a lot of intricate swirls and engravings and I can just imagine the tooth paste getting wedged in crevices and such. Do you have any tips on how to restore and maintain sterling silver shine?
Post # 2
Member
118 posts
Blushing bee
My rings are platinum and I use Connoisseur cleaning solution regularly – i’m pretty sure they also make one suitable for silver so maybe you could try that, just make sure it’s the silver one. Otherwise I have used silver cloths on silver jewellery which work well but I guess it may be your intricate design that means the cloth can’t reach in any Patterns.
Post # 3
Member
138 posts
Blushing bee
melbournebee87: thank you! I will have to see where I can buy that 🙂
Post # 4
Member
2127 posts
Buzzing bee
Are you in the UK? If so try Goddards silver dip. Works like a charm. You just need a quick dip, then a rinse under the tap and a quick polish with a silver cloth. If you’re not wearing your jewellery then try to store it in dust bags. Silver jewellery will tarnish though. It’s just a natural property.
Post # 5
Member
480 posts
Helper bee
While toothpaste does remove tarnish, it’s also abrasive enough to leave the silver with a dull surface finish. I’d also be careful with the silver dip. It not only ‘cleans’ the silver; it actually removes a layer of it as well. Connoisseurs Jewelry Wipes (dry disposables) have been the most effective for keeping my silver pieces shiny and new-looking.
Post # 6
Member
138 posts
Blushing bee
BubblesandCupcakes: no, I’m in Australia, but thanks I’ll read up on what you recommended 🙂
Post # 7
Member
138 posts
Blushing bee
quantumleap48: thanks for the tip! Any idea where I can buy them from in Australia?
Post # 8
Member
118 posts
Blushing bee
gemstoneheart: hey I didn’t realise you’re also an Aussie Bee. The only place I’ve found the connoisseur stuff is Saleras, But luckily they’re in most westfields and other big shopping centres.
Post # 9
Member
480 posts
Helper bee
gemstoneheart: I’m not familiar with stores in your region, but found them on eBay in Australia. The seller is antiquegoldandjewels and they’re sold for AU $15. They have 100% positive feedback for 4,630 items sold.
They’re also sold by a jeweler called Hoskings (http://www.hoskings.com.au/products/connoisseurs-jewelry-wipes.html)
The only other place I could find them was on fishpond.com, but they were quite expensive there – $91.
Post # 11
Member
274 posts
Helper bee
I find giving it a whirl in the ultrasound cleaner every once in a while to get the dirt out of crevices helps to keep things shiny. Hope it helps!