Question for those who set some of their gems in silver

[beaujolais]

On a recent threat, some of you said you set your less expensive stones in silver settings. Tell me, how do you clean the tarnish from the setting without bothering the stone? Also, most of those silver cleaners say something about "can cause cancer . . . state of California". That rather creeps me. However, I''d love a less expensive setting option.

thanks

 

[Fly Girl]

I use a silver polishing cloth. They cost about $5 at a jewelry store. I even keep one in my desk drawer at work, just in case something needs a bit of a touch-up during the day.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I find that my silver very rarely tarnishes (probably a slightly different alloy, I know it doesn''t have nickel and some american silver does).

Unless the pieces has very sensitive stones, I put the pieces in water with some baking soda and a piece of aluminum foil. Very gently, heat the water (you can boil it if you like and the stones will take it - most do if you heat slowly, but I don''t see a need to be that agressive) until the tarnish transfers to the foil (this doesn''t deplete the silver). Let it cool slowly back to room temperature, avoiding sudden changes of temperature (which can crack a stone

)

For pieces with pearl or opal, I use a polishing cloth, but it doesn''t always get into all the nooks and crannies.

 

[strmrdr]

The new silver alloys don''t tarnish as bad as the old.
I recommend Avon jewelery cleaner
http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?level1_id=300&level2_id=584&pdept_id=515&dept_id=519&pf_id=2549
It works really well for sterling but not as well as others on gold.

 

[beaujolais]

WOW - thanks all.

I never knew about that, LD. Cool.

Thanks Storm. I've heard the new silvers are better but I haven't had anything for silver for Years as I got so turned off to it and the "cancer in Calif" cleaners. Will look into the Avon cleaner.

It's the nickel in silver that causes the tarnish?

 

[simplysplendid]

May I know if there are any silversmith to recommend? Or would any jeweler be able to set the gems in silver? Thank you..

 

[neatfreak]

Sonoma almost everything in California has that stupid label...

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 9/29/2008 1:49:12 PM
Author: sonomacounty
WOW - thanks all.


I never knew about that, LD. Cool.


Thanks Storm. I've heard the new silvers are better but I haven't had anything for silver for Years as I got so turned off to it and the 'cancer in Calif' cleaners. Will look into the Avon cleaner.


It's the nickel in silver that causes the tarnish?

No its the silver and copper in sterling that tarnishes.
nickel when used retards the tarnish but not as good as the new alloys.
the black tarnish is silver and red tarnish is copper.
Newer alloys replace some of the copper with other metals.

Traditional sterling is 92.5% silver + 7.5% copper and a lot of the corrosion comes from the copper.

 

[strmrdr]

Argentium sterling silver is one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentium_sterling_silver
When heated it forms a coating that blocks oxygen and sulfer from reaching the metal.

Sterling Silver Alloy with Platinum is another, with the high cost of plat it isn't used much right now.
http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/articles/2005/mar05/0305bwt2.html

Silver palladium is another.

sulfer is the most common cause of silver to tarnish so it tarnishes a lot faster in the cites than it does in the country.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks Storm. Now is most silver out there now the better type? Or is there still some of the tarnished quick type?

---

Storm = diamond genius. Yes.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 9/29/2008 5:13:38 PM
Author: sonomacounty
Thanks Storm. Now is most silver out there now the better type? Or is there still some of the tarnished quick type?


---


Storm = diamond genius. Yes.

They are all on the market right now.
You can ask but most of the places that sell them on the low end don''t know what they are made from.
Even the lowest cost ones aren''t likely to be traditional sterling right now as the price of copper is way high right now.
More likely is a mixmash of silver copper zinc and or nickel.

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks again, Storm.

The oracle has spoken.

 

[strmrdr]

I do like the Argentium silver.
Here is a list of suppliers some wholesale and some retail.

http://www.argentiumsilver.info/index.php/suppliers

I got the settings foe wifey2b's rings here:
http://www.jamminggems.com/

No clue what they are but they aren't traditional silver/copper and so far so good.
They are holding up very well.
I bought them on price and figured that if needed I can replace them in a few years when I had more money.

 

[beaujolais]

"kewl" site. Thanks again, Storm. I'll have to try something from them, probably one of their ss rings and see how it goes.

Sonoma

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 9/29/2008 7:42:29 PM
Author: sonomacounty
''kewl'' site. Thanks again, Storm. I''ll have to try something from them, probably one of their ss rings and see how it goes.


Sonoma

the rings are nice the earrings less so, the posts are silver.