Storing your sterling silver in the open air and humidity for extended periods of time can cause it to tarnish quickly. Tarnish first appears as a golden hue on your sterling silver then quickly turns to black. This is a normal process that is caused by oxidization and moisture from air and believe it or not sunshine. To keep tarnish to a minimum it is advised that you store your jewelry pieces when not wearing them.
To reduce tarnish and keep your pieces tarnish free for months at a time, it is recommended that you keep your sterling silver jewelry in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth or you can use a plastic zip lock bag. Be warned that some plastic contains sulfur compounds which can cause your jewelry to tarnish faster or stain. Never use polyvinyl plastic bags. We store and ship our jewelry in tiny zip-lock bags that are perfect for this. I have found zip-lock bags work well for storing your sterling silver jewelry in and most jewelers store their sterling silver jewelry this way as well.
Sterling silver, stored properly, can be worn often and with minimal cleaning required, making it very easy to care for and lots of fun to wear.
Although your jewelry is scratch resistant it isn't scratch proof, so we recommend that you store your jewelry so that it isn't rubbing up against other articles, like in a loose drawer or jewelry box. Also, when storing remember that exposing it to air promotes tarnishing, so use the zip lock bags to protect from scratches and tarnish.
Avoid storing your sterling silver jewelry directly on wood surfaces, because wood usually contains acids that can mar the finish. Oak seems to be the worst for this. Also, avoid storing your sterling silver with other metals, like pennies, and rubber, these too cause tarnish and damage.
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