Mimi,
I bought a Speed Brite Ionic cleaner a few years ago and use it for
taking the tarnish off of chains and other silver pieces. I have been
very pleased with the performance of the Speed Brite. The trick with
cleaning chains is to lay them in the cleaner without having them
overlap themselves.
A silver dip would be the next best solution.
There is also a method using an aluminum foil, baking soda, and salt
which I’m sure someone will chime in with the method. If not search
the Orchid Archives.
A caution with ionic cleaners and dips. They will remove all
oxidation including blackening specifically applied.
Do not try to polish chains on a buffer without formal training on
how to do it. You can lose a finger in a heartbeat.
With sterling silver chains it has become a buyer beware market with
the market flooded with silver plated chains being marked as solid
sterling. A reliable chain source is key. Azur Global Imports is the
best I’ve found for quality and price: http://www.azur1.com
Rick Copeland
rockymountainwonders.com