HOW TO CARE, CLEAN AND STORE YOUR NEW 925 SILVER JEWELLERY?

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ILLARIY JEWELLERY!

At ILLARIY we pride ourselves on the distinctive and timeless sterling silver jewellery that we create in our workshop in Sydney, Australia.  Our jewellery pieces are designed and manufactured to set the standard for quality in the industry, but even the finest sterling silver jewellery will lose its lustre if not properly cared for. It is critical that you properly care for your new purchase to keep it looking as beautiful as it is today. Proper sterling silver jewellery care includes being aware of how you wear it, store it and clean it. But first, let's learn about sterling silver.

WHAT IS STERLING SILVER OR 925 SILVER?

Pure silver (also called fine silver) is soft, very malleable, and easily damaged. For use in jewellery, it is combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper or zinc. Centuries of experimentation by silversmiths have shown copper to be the best companion metal as it improves the silver's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful colour. The small amount of copper added to silver has very little effect on the metal's value. Interestingly, the price of sterling silver jewellery is influenced most by the labour involved in making each piece of jewellery, the skill of the jeweller and the complex of the design.

925 SILVER HALLMARKS

ILLARIY Jewellery pieces are stamped with a hallmark. This stamp indicates the precious metal content of the jewellery. Hallmarks are sometimes located in plain sight on tags or clasps. Other times artisans will hide them in the design or even under moving pieces. Silver Hallmarks might include:

• Sterling
• Sterling Silver
• 925

WHAT CAUSES TARNISHING?

Tarnishing (also known as oxidation) is a result of oxygen or sulphur coming into contact with sterling silver. Tarnished silver is duller and sometimes a dark colour. ILLARIY Jewellery is based in high-quality Sterling Silver and higher purity silver will tarnish more quickly. Some of our designs are intentionally oxidised to create depth in the filigree or to highlight certain details on a piece of jewellery.

HOW TO STORE YOUR 925 SILVER JEWELLERY

Oxygen and moisture in the air will tarnish Sterling Silver Jewellery, so it's important to properly store your jewellery to help minimise the oxidation process. Here are a few storage tips:

• Store in an area with low humidity (no bathroom storage)
• Store each piece in an airtight bag
• Place a packet of silica or piece of chalk in the storage bag
• Keep clasps unhooked to avoid moisture buildup

WEARING YOUR 925 JEWELLERY

You can avoid tarnish by wearing your jewellery often! The natural oils in your skin will actually help protect and clean the silver. However, there are certain activities that can cause your jewellery to lose its lustre quickly! You should remove your Silver jewellery before doing any of the following:

• Working Out
• Swimming
• Showering
• Cleaning
• Applying any type of Hair Products
• Putting on Perfume and/or Lotion

CLEANING YOUR 925 SILVER JEWELLERY

Even the best care for jewellery will sometimes require cleaning. Polishing your silver jewellery will typically be the best way to clean it. Be sure to do the following:

• Use a special non-abrasive cloth to avoid scratching like our Town Talk cleaning productswhich are made in UK and are the best in the market.
• Avoid areas that are intentionally oxidised as part of the design.
• Do not rub in a circular pattern, follow the grain of the silver.