Cleaning jewellery.

[eleganza]

I wonder if anyone knows a good tip for cleaning tarnished jewellery. I have a bracelet that my boyfriend's mum gave me. It's not really expensive or anything, but it has sentimental value.
I noticed it had discoloured because of my perfume and would like any tips on how to restore it to it's silver colour. It's not really discoloured all over...only on a few links of the chain.
Any ideas let me know.

 

[kellymeeker]

http://www.connoisseurs.com/ has a lot of great polish, dips, creams, clothes, etc. They work well.

 

[eleganza]

Thanks Kelly....I will see if I can find this product in England, as it looks like the type of thing that will do the trick on my bracelet.

 

[kellymeeker]

You're welcome. I hope you can find it.
Wright's Silver polish is good, too- just in case you need another option.

 

[eleganza]

Thanks Kelly, I'll look out for this product also, just in case I cannot find the other. Hopefully it will sort out my much treasured bracelet!

Also you have a nice website. I really like your jewellery design. The pieces are really beautiful and stylish.

Thanks again for your advice!!!

 

[mello_yello_jen]

I use the Tiffany's sterling silver polishing cloth on my sterling silver and it removes the tarnish and makes it shine like new =>

It's only $5 for a cloth (the small size)

 

[eleganza]

Thanks also for your advice!!
I do have a silver cloth and have tried it, but as I think my bracelet is made of nikel (or similar), it doesn't seem to work.....my bracelet has sentimental value rather than money value!!!! So I'm not really sure if silver treatments will do the same job as if it were sterling silver.

I just hope I find something that works!!!!

I'll let you know if I find a good product!!

 

[kellymeeker]

Thank you so much for your compliments, eleganza!
When you do look for polish, make sure you read the label to make sure it's *safe* for Nickel. Some polishes do bad things to certain metals.

 

[Luna]

It's probably plated silver.... I use one of those buffing clothes to untarnish my silver stuff.


Edit: Just read above, realized my post is pointless! Argh.

 

[kellymeeker]

Some polishes eat through silver plate, also. So, be careful.

 

[Luna]

Oooh.. good to know, Kelly. TY.

 

[eleganza]

Thanks for all your comments!! I will have a look and see if I can find something suitable and do a test patch first, just to be on the safe side...!!

Looking at the tarnish on the silver, it is a pink/copper colour. I don't know if by this you can tell what metal it is, or if it's just the chemical reaction of the perfume with the metal that has made it go this colour.

Hopefully I will be able to restore the silver colour, but I'll make sure I never wear any perfume/cream etc again on the wrist I wear my bracelet to avoid this problem.

 

[eleganza]

Just to let you know I managed to restore my bracelet. I used a product called silver plate by Antiquax(£9.99). All you have to do is rub the liquid on, it makes the silver(or in this case the nickel) blacken a bit and then you are able to clean it to a shine. It looks as good as new.

I did try Silvo, but it didn't remove the tarnish, it only is good to make the silver shine.

So I hope this info is useful to others wishing to restore their jewellery.