Jewellery care

"White and shiny"

Silver is one of the first metals that was processed and used by man. Polished, it shines quite exceptionally, even more than platinum. That is why the element symbol "Ag" is used for silver, from the Latin word "argentum", which means "white and shiny". The Latin expression comes from the Greek "argyros", which is derived from the adjective "argos", which in ancient Greek means "shining, luminous".

The Greek word for silver is "asimi" and comes from the expression "asimos argyros", which stands for unmarked silver or silver without marking. The German word "Silber" is of different origin and has Germanic roots.

Silver belongs to the precious metals, together with ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, palladium, osmium and gold.

As a precious metal, it is used both for the manufacture of jewellery and as a store of value and for commercial transactions.

In equity trading, silver is measured in ounces and its value is subject to changes in the international equity markets, just like other precious metals. It is used for the production of medals and trophies and was also used for coin production until the 1970s.

As it has the best conductivity for electricity and heat of all metals, it is used in many areas of technology as a material for industrial and scientific applications.

Silver as jewellery

Silver can have different looks and textures in jewelry, such as shiny, matte, deliberately oxidized, sandblasted, satin or antique, depending on the process used in its manufacture.

Silver in its pure form is almost as soft as gold, which makes it impossible to create durable silver objects. Silversmiths therefore mix it with harder metals for jewellery making. For a piece of jewellery to be considered 'silver', the silver content must be at least 92.5% (up to 95%) - hence genuine silver jewellery bears the stamp with the number 925. You can also buy jewellery with a lower silver content, but this is not genuine silver jewellery and of course you will not find such pieces at Emmanuela-de.

Its brightness, resistance to the accumulation of bacteria and its rarity make silver the ideal material for jewellery production.

However, to ensure that you enjoy your jewellery and can always impress with it when you wear it, you should take good care of it.

In our workshop we make our jewellery using techniques to increase the durability of the pieces so that you can wear them for a long time and enjoy them without having to clean or repair them frequently. Whenever the design and manufacturing conditions of a piece allow, we rhodium-plate the silver parts so that they do not tarnish and are more resistant to impact and distortion. Rhodium, which belongs to the group of platinum metals, is a very expensive precious metal that is harder than silver and shines just as brightly, but unlike silver it does not tarnish.

We even coat the dark parts with black rhodium. Many of our pieces are also plated with 24K gold, which of course does not tarnish.

Tarnishing with silver jewellery

Silver jewellery is not significantly affected by external factors, but if not coated with rhodium or gold, it tends to tarnish over time, leaving stains that can be easily removed at an early stage by rubbing with a soft cloth. At a later stage, when the jewellery has become too tarnished, you will need to use one of the many liquid cleaners for silver pieces that are available anywhere on the market. The tarnish layer is formed by surface oxidation caused by the contact of the silver with the hydrogen sulphide in the atmosphere.

You should be very careful when using a liquid cleaner, as it is possible to cause discoloration of other elements of the jewelry such as pearls, corals, semi-precious stones, etc. Carefully clean only the silver surface with a soft cotton cloth soaked in the Silver Cleaner. Rub better in horizontal and vertical rather than circular movements.

Toothpaste? Not a good idea...

The common advice to polish silver with toothpaste is probably not a good one, as toothpaste can contain corrosive ingredients that can tarnish or dull the silver even more. So we do not recommend this as a method of polishing silver.

The "rules" of silver...

As with all jewellery, you must follow a few rules to keep your silver jewellery as shiny and beautiful as new:

⦁ Never wear your jewellery when you are sweaty, swimming, playing sports or doing hard physical work, as chlorine in the swimming pool, salt in sweat and moisture in general are enemies of silver. In addition, silver can easily be scratched or warped.

⦁ Make sure that you first use any cosmetics you may use (perfume, makeup, hairspray, creams, etc.) and only then put on your jewellery. Silver should not come into contact with the chemicals and acids present in these products.

⦁ It is good to clean the pieces with a soft cotton cloth after each use. It is even better to wash them with lukewarm water and some soap. Dry them well and keep them separate from the rest of your jewellery. In this way you keep them away from the corrosive substances that stick to it.

⦁ Store the pieces in plastic bags, preferably those that seal and insulate their contents so that they do not come into contact with the air.

⦁ Keep them separate from other jewellery or hard objects that could scratch the surface of the silver.

⦁ Store the pieces so that they are not exposed to light.

There are also special strips or fabrics on the market that are anti-corrosive and which you can add to your jewelry for more effective and long-term protection.

Do you have any Additional questions?

We would be happy to tell you more about the precious and semi-precious materials of our jewellery and the processes we use in jewellery making. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions: info@emmanuela.gr