Let us start by learning what German Silver Jewelry is. German Silver is basically an alloy originally named for its silver white color. It encompasses numerous elements, namely copper, zinc and nickel. However, it occasionally includes lead and tin as well. It is originally known as Nickel silver, Paktong silver, or Alpacca silver as well.
We often get asked the question, Does the German Silver Jewelry get tarnished? To answer this simply, Yes, ALL fashion jewelry necklaces, earrings or bracelets are capable of tarnishing - and some faster than others. The jewelry loses its essence over a period of time.
Why?
It's simple - over time, your jewelry comes in contact with moisture, acids, oils and air. They react with the metal in the jewelry, causing it to eventually wear down and tarnish.
The logical next question then is, What can you do if the jewelry gets tarnished?
Try to clean the Jewelry regularly. The right cleaning can be difficult because many cleaning agents designed for pure silver won't necessarily work the same way on German silver. Therefore, here are some ways you can take care of it:
1) Make sure you keep it away from water as water has the tendency to spoil the jewelry. Do not wear your jewelry while taking a shower.
Never wear them completing your household chores as cleaning agents don't help, rather as they are made of strong chemicals and leeches that have the capabilities to take off the polish on the jewelry as German silver jewelry isn't exactly pure jewelry having pure polish.
2) Keep the Jewelry out of direct sunlight! and wear the Jewelry often to help keep them shining.
3) Do not apply any perfumes or lotions after wearing your jewelry. Apply your perfume or lotion onto your body and then after giving it some time to settle in, put on your jewelry.
4) What can you do to increase the shelf life of the jewelry?
Place your jewelry in Air - Tight containers as it helps absorb excess moisture and prevent premature tarnishing. For some large pieces, it might be best to keep them stored separately inside a felt pouch or wrapped in a silver polishing cloth to limit exposure to the air.
5) Do not go for a swim while wearing German Silver jewelry as the chlorine content in the water can dampen its sheen very quickly.
A positive aspect of German Silver is that it is resistant to tarnishing. Hence, it does not tarnish as easily as pure silver does. It will tarnish when exposed to moisture for a certain period of time. But in general, it is highly resistant to tarnish and is therefore easy to clean and maintain. They change in color or tarnish depending on how well you can take care of your precious ones.
Here, you have it!
The 5 simple tips to Take Care of your German Silver Jewelry.
German Silver Jewelry is a MUST-HAVE in anyone’s wardrobe. Now that you are aware of these qualities, you can easily purchase and use the jewelry at your own comfort.
Comments