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Timeless Tidbits

The Ugly Truth About Tarnish

11/4/2018

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​There's nothing worse the going to your jewelry box to pick out your favorite piece of silver jewelry and finding this...the dreaded TARNISH!

You are not alone, it happens to everyone...  Yep, tarnish is an equal opportunity offender!

The Truth About Tarnish:
Tarnish effects precious metals such as sterling silver and gold.  In time, all sterling silver and real gold will tarnish, regardless of where you bought it from or how much you spent on it. Tarnish is inevitable, tarnish is natural, and tarnish doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your jewelry.  It is just a natural process. We have to get our hair cut or it will start to look straggly.  Same goes for your jewelry – you need to care for it and clean it so that is stays looking at its best!
 
Tarnish causes a dark and dull discoloration of your jewelry. It is a natural chemical reaction that occurs when some metals are exposed to the air.  Another factor is hydrogen sulfide – and this can be found in the paper and boxes that you may use to store your jewelry in to keep it safe. Also, as summer is quickly approaching, the humidity will cause your silver to tarnish even faster! Anti-tarnish bags and polishing cloths can help minimalize the tarnish to your sterling silver jewelry. But, when the inevitable occurs and you notice your jewelry has darkened or become dull, there is GOOD NEWS! Tarnish is not permanent…AND it is easily removed!


Here’s a list of things that Silver has a bad reaction with:  Wool, Rubber Bands, Latex Gloves, Oils from your Hands and Fingers, Ammonia, Chlorinated Water, Carpet Padding, Air Pollution, Perfumes, Hair Sprays, and believe it or not, some foods can even make Silver tarnish. Foods like: Onions, Mayonnaise, Salad Dressing, Eggs and Salty Foods. (Put down those Chips!)
In fact, just the humidity alone can cause Silver to corrode!

Tips To Help Your Jewelry Stay Looking Brighter Longer:
 - Avoid wearing your jewelry in the shower, at the beach, in a swimming pool or in the hot tub
- Always be sure to store your jewelry in a dry place.  I recommend storing it in a sealed plastic bag with an anti-tarnish strip or chalk.  You can also use the little silica gel packs that you find in vitamin bottles.  Keeping your jewelry in Tupperware or Rubbermaid bins also work great, especially those that seal air tight.  This will not keep your jewelry from tarnishing, but it will delay the process.  
- Avoid contact with hairspray, perfume, body lotions and put your jewelry on AFTER you have applied these things.  
- After taking your jewelry off, clean it with warm water, then dry it with a soft cloth or a polishing cloth before putting it away.  This will help to remove any residues that may be on your jewelry.  

What Do I Do When It Does Tarnish?

There are numerous ways to remove the tarnish from your jewelry.
  • When you order from A Timeless Impression, you are provided with a Pro Polish Pad.  These pads work beautifully to remove the tarnish.  If your charm is flat with little texture, place your pad on flat surface, then move it in circular motions.  You can purchase additional Pro Polish Pads here (shown in the first video) and you can purchase the blue Polishing Cloths here (shown in the 2nd photo.)  I like to use the Pro Polish Pad first, then follow up with the Polishing Cloth.  
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  • If you no longer have your cleaning pads and do not want to order any, another safe and effective way to clean your silver jewelry is to place a piece of aluminum foil in the bottom of a glass pan.  Heat some water to almost boiling.  Lay your jewelry on top of the aluminum foil.  Sprinkle equal amounts of baking soda and salt on top of your jewelry to cover it.  Pour the water into the pan until your jewelry is completely submerged.  Let sit for 5 - 15 minutes, depending on how tarnished the silver is.  Once the water has cooled enough not to burn you, remove your jewelry and rinse in cool tap water.  If your pieces still appear tarnished, repeat the process with a new piece of aluminum foil.  Dry and polish with a soft cloth.
  • There are many commercial silver cleaning products on the market.  While these products will remove the tarnish, they may also remove any blackening that was applied.  If this does happen, you can return your piece to me to reapply the blacking.  I do not charge for this service.  All I ask is that you cover your return shipping costs.
  • Lastly, you may send your pieces to me and I will clean them free of charge.  Again, all I ask is that you cover your return shipping fees.  ​


Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need help cleaning your beautiful keepsake.  

And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAILING LIST so we can periodically send you these helpful tips.
2 Comments

What Is Metal Clay?

10/7/2018

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Metal clay is the medium in which I work with to make your treasured keepsake jewelry.  Fine silver metal clay was introduced in Japan in the early 1990's by Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and finally made it's way to America around 1995.  Since then, there are many other companies offering metal clay, and it is now also available in gold, bronze, copper and steel.  

Metal Clay is made from powdered metal combined with an organic binder and water. It can be modeled, molded, or sculpted then when heated to a high temperature in a kiln, the binder burns away, and the metal particles sinter (or fuse) into solid metal.  I work with numerous forms of metal clay and they contain the following properties:
  • Fine Silver is .999 fine silver after firing.  It is a bright silver and tarnishes less quickly than sterling silver.
  • Sterling Silver is .960 silver after firing.  Standard sterling is .925, but I use a higher percentage of fine silver to help hinder tarnishing as quickly.  Sterling silver is a bit harder than fine silver and is recommend for bracelets, keychains, rings, or anything else that will get bumped around more.
  • Gold metal clay is equivalent to 18k gold in terms of strength.  It is very expensive so it is not widely used by metal clay artists.  Some silver items are plated with gold, which is usually 22k or 24k gold. 
  • Bronze is solid bronze after firing.  It is not as bright as gold, but is gold toned.  While I protect all base metals with a sealant, bronze may patina over time.
  • Brilliant Bronze is solid bronze after firing.  This bronze is as close to gold color as you can get with base metal.  While I protect all base metals with a sealant, bronze may patina over time.
  • Rose Bronze is solid bronze after firing.  This bronze has a pink tint to it...not as bright as copper, but somewhere between bronze and copper.  While I protect all base metals with a sealant, bronze may patina over time.
  • Copper is solid copper after firing.  I typically leave the copper in its natural state, but it can be antiqued for a more rustic look.  While I protect all base metals with a sealant, bronze may patina over time.
  • Steel is solid steel after firing.  This metal is very lightweight and very strong and durable.  The color can vary from light gray to almost black, depending on the process.  It has a silver tone to it, but is not as bright as silver.  Steel is protected with a sealant to prevent rust and is not recommend to be worn in water at all.  
  • White Satin is a unique combination of iron, copper and tin.  This metal is also very lightweight and very strong and durable.  The color can vary from dark silver to light gray to dark gray.  When polished to a high polish it has a silver tone, but is not as bright as silver.  White Satin is protected with a sealant to prevent rust and is not recommend to be worn in water at all.  

I sincerely thank you for visiting A Timeless Impression and invite you to subscribe to my mailing list, where you will be notified of new products, special promotions and new events.  ​
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