The real reason your jewellery tarnishes....

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Tarnish is a natural process and not because you are doing anything wrong.... well thats not actually strictly true but... it is oxidisation which occurs when silver is in contact with oxygen and sulphur.  Tarnish appears as a dullness or a slight golden colour or can be as extreme as a total black coating.

So.... before you reach for your cleaning products, take your jewellery off.  Your cleaning products contain bleach which speeds up the process of tarnishing.  Before you jump in the pool, take your jewellery off and definitely before you spend all day relaxing at a spa.  Again, the chlorine in the pool contains bleach and your jewellery may end up looking rather less sparkling than when you bought it!

Extra sweat during physical exercise can also speed up the tarnishing process and more importantly, you don't want to bump your ring on dumbells or embed your claw setting diamond ring in the face of your fellow netballer!  Remove your jewellery and enjoy popping it back on when you have finished working out!

Recently I received a cry for help from a customer who bought a hoop necklace from me and then spent the day at a spa.  I gave her jewellery a little polish with a polishing cloth to get the worst of the tarnish removed and then put the necklace through my tumbler.  A tumbler spins for over an hour in a warm bath of water, soap and steel shot.  Everything comes out beautiffly shiny and only needs a good wash, dry and then re polish with a polishing cloth.

Have a look at the before and after photos....

If you can't find your polishing cloth which came with your CHJ pieces, then please get in touch and I can arrange to send you one.  They are really useful for avoiding the tarnish and keeping your jewellery looking like the day you bought it!

August 2021