Sterling Silver, Gold Plated or Stainless Steel: How to Care for Each

Most jewelry does not wear out. It gets ruined, usually by something avoidable, and usually in the first year. Knowing which metal you are wearing solves almost all of it.

925 sterling silver

What it is: 92.5% pure silver mixed with a small amount of another metal, usually copper, because pure silver is too soft to hold a shape. That 925 stamp is a real standard, not a marketing number.

Why it goes dark: Tarnish is not dirt and it is not a defect. It is a chemical reaction between the silver and sulphur compounds in ordinary air, and it happens faster in humid rooms, near rubber bands, and against skin that runs acidic. Everybody's chemistry is slightly different, which is why the same bracelet tarnishes in a month on one person and a year on another.

How to fix it: A silver polishing cloth, and nothing more aggressive. Rub gently until the shine comes back. Do not use toothpaste, do not use baking soda paste, and be very careful with liquid silver dips.

How to slow it down: Store it dry, in a closed pouch or box rather than an open dish. Air is the problem, so anything that limits airflow helps. Wearing it often also helps, because skin contact keeps the surface polished.

18k gold plated

What it is: A layer of real gold bonded over another metal, in our case usually 925 sterling silver or brass. The gold is genuine. The layer is thin, which is the entire reason a gold-plated piece costs what it does rather than what solid gold costs.

What destroys it: In order of damage done: perfume, hairspray, hand sanitiser, chlorine, and any liquid jewelry dip. All of these attack the plating chemically. Once the plating has thinned in a spot, nothing brings it back.

The one rule: last on, first off. Jewelry goes on after perfume, moisturiser and hairspray, and comes off before you shower, swim or wash up. That single habit is worth more than any cleaning product.

How to clean it: A soft dry cloth. If it needs more than that, a barely damp cloth and then dry it immediately. Never use a polishing cloth intended for silver on a plated piece, because it is mildly abrasive and it is removing gold.

316L stainless steel

What it is: Surgical grade steel, the same specification used for implants and body piercings. It does not tarnish, it does not react with water, and it is the most durable option we sell.

What it survives: The shower, the sea, the pool, the gym. This is the metal to choose if you want something you genuinely never take off, or if you react to everything else.

How to clean it: Warm water, a drop of washing-up liquid, a soft cloth, dry thoroughly. It is almost impossible to damage.

Pearls, opals and enamel need their own rules

These three are the exceptions and they are the ones people ruin first.

Pearls are organic and porous. Perfume and hairspray dull them permanently, and they should be wiped with a soft damp cloth after wearing.

Opals contain water. Never put them in an ultrasonic cleaner and never leave them somewhere hot and dry for long periods, because they can craze.

Enamel is essentially glass fused to metal. It chips if knocked against something hard and it does not like sudden temperature changes.

None of the three should ever go near a liquid dip.

Storage, briefly

Separately, so pieces do not scratch each other. Dry, because moisture accelerates everything bad. Flat rather than coiled, so chains do not kink. Out of direct sunlight, because a few stones fade, amethyst among them.

The short version

• Sterling silver tarnishes and polishes back. Use a silver cloth.
• Gold plated does not tarnish, it wears off. Use only a dry cloth, and keep chemicals away.
• Stainless steel is waterproof and effectively indestructible.
• Pearls, opals and enamel: dry cloth only, no dips, no ultrasonic cleaners.
• Jewelry goes on last and comes off first. That one habit does most of the work.

The materials for every piece are listed on its product page, and there is more detail on our materials page.