How To Store Silver

It’s really important for any breastmilk and memorial jewellery artist to learn how to store silver to prevent tarnishing and scratching. When you send finished jewellery to your clients you should provide them with some care instructions, we have a free download for silver jewellery care here (and resin jewellery care here) but what does tarnishing look like and how should you store the findings and settings in the mean time? It’s also a good idea to learn how to store silver so you can pass this info on to your memorial and breastmilk clients!

Here is a ring set I made a couple of months ago for a Tree of Opals client. In my packaging video you saw that I include the care instructions and a silver polishing cloth, and that the rings are always sent in an acid-free jewellery box with a silica gel sachet but why is that so vital? Why do some pieces tarnish and others don’t (hint: some of them might be rhodium plated).

Here is one of our bubble rings which has been stored in the envelope it was sent in. The client hasn’t done anything wrong but with a little extra knowledge you can save yourself the trouble of having to remove the tarnish before making a cremains or breastmilk ring.

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If you don’t already have a storage solution I would recommend either buying a specific anti-tarnish container or DIY. You can tape Ziplock style bags into a binder file and add silver storage strips and silica gel sachets to keep moisture away. Each piece should be polished with a silver polishing cloth on receipt then stored with storage strips – I have a few products that will help https://keepsakersupplies.com/product-category/equipment/consumables/polishing/town-talk/ I’m lucky that my studio is warm and dry and I don’t find my pieces start to tarnish for at least six months out in the open but I do recommend everyone stores silver according to the advice for good practice.

It may be an environmental factor but basically my jewellery is handmade and not rhodium or silver plated so it does need to be looked after. If a piece is rhodium plated, it’s not likely to tarnish until the plating has worn away; I wouldn’t plate my handmade silver findings anyway because it’s unsustainable when pieces need re-plating every so often! Another tip is you can use Renaissance polish to prevent tarnish but a lot of clients don’t like the smell.