Will my Aquamarine Silver jewellery tarnish?

Aquamarine Silver jewellery is made from Sterling Silver which can sometimes discolour, this is known as tarnishing. Tarnishing is a natural reaction that the silver has to sulphur compounds in the air, it is not a flaw and can be easily avoided and rectified.

How to avoid tarnishing.

1, Moisture and humidity can increase levels of tarnishing, this can come from sweat and showering. Remove it whilst sleeping and dont wear your jewellery in the shower - removing it from the bathroom will help - dont just leave it on the back of the sink!

2, Cosmetics and sunscreen. Of course sunscreen is vital, particularly on diving holidays, applying it then letting it soak in before putting on your jewellery will help protect it, the same goes for moisturisers and perfumes. After it has been worn, a quick wipe with a cloth, or a quick rinse with soapy water to remove cosmetics will help look after your jewellery.

3, Swimming. Chlorine is a huge no-no with silver, as is the salt in sea water. We all like to look great in our dive photos however there are plenty of reasons to not dive in jewellery. Our fingers will be a bit smaller with cold water and mask straps can pull at earrings so there is an increased risk of loss. Jewellery can also be a snagging hazard with diving, so please leave it on shore.

4, Keeping your jewellery in an air tight box or bag will help reduce tarnishing inbetween use, also keeping it wrapped in acid free tissue can help - your aquamarine jewellery box will come wrapped in it so keep it in this.

Removing tarnish.

A little tarnish can be removed with a polishing cloth, a heavier build up will need silver polish, apply with cotton wool, leave it for a few minites then rub it off with clean cotton wool. Rinse any excess off with warm water and dry with tissue. If the tarnish will not clean, please contact me for a quote for repolishing.

Dip - Dip type polishes damage silver, please dont use them. The strong chemicals strip the surface of the metal to make it look shiny, the piece will look great for a few weeks then the tarnish returns worse than ever, sometimes the damage is not repairable.