Silver tarnishes quite quickly when it comes into contact with oxygen or sulfur. Happily, the best measure to prevent this is wearing your silver jewelry often. The oils in your skin help prevent tarnish. (This varies depending on your own body chemistry.)

When storing your silver jewelry, use an airtight plastic bag (like a Ziploc) and if you can, put in a piece of chalk or a silica gel (the little packets in new shoes) - these will help prevent tarnish while you are not wearing your silver.

If your silver is tarnished the best way to clean it is with a jewelry polishing cloth. We happen to carry one of the best around!

There are also many viable home remedies for cleaning silver online. Just remember that silver is very soft so use something like a very soft baby toothbrush to avoid scratching.

Mix a small amount of mild dish detergent with warm water in a bowl. Put the jewelry into the bowl and let sit for a few minutes. Use a soft toothbrush (like a baby tooth brush) to gently scrub the jewelry. Remove item from soapy water, rinse it and dry thoroughly with a soft polishing cloth. 

You can also use our Jewelry Cleaning Cloth for extra shine and to remove any tarnish. (Sometimes 14k gold can tarnish a bit - particularly on earrings and the inside of rings - depending on your skin chemistry, but it is a very easy fix.)

A small at-home ultrasonic is also a great, fairly modest investment, especially if you are very keen on keeping your jewelry at its most sparkly.

Pearls and gemstones need special care. To ensure a long life, keep them away from cosmetics, hair spray and household chemicals. Use those products first, and then put on your pearls. When you take them off, wipe the pearls with a soft cloth. Store them separately from other jewelry to avoid scratches. Also, avoid strong blows or knocks. Have your pearl necklaces checked yearly for worn or broken strands or clasps. Ultrasonic cleaners or harsh chemical dips may damage your pearls and we do not recommend that you use them.

Note: pearls improve with wear, gaining luster from the natural oils in skin. We recommend that you wear your pearls as often as possible (everyday!).