Keeping jewelry from Oxidizing

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello! What is the best way to keep jewelry from oxidizing? I want
to finish (and polish) a lot of pieces and keep them as inventory.
My past experience has been that the jewelry tends to oxidize, even
in a sealed plastic bag. How can I prevent this in the future?

Thanks,
Ariella

2 
My past experience has been that the jewelry tends to oxidize, even
in a sealed plastic bag. How can I prevent this in the future?

Either put a piece of anti-tarnish paper in the bag with the jewelry
or buy anti-tarnish plastic bags from Stuller.

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
Colorado Springs, Colorado
home.covad.net/~rcopeland/

3

Hi Ariella. If you mean that you want to keep sterling silver from
tarnishing, most fabric stores sell a product known on the west
coast of the US as Pacific Cloth. On the east coast, it is called
Atlantic Cloth. Down here in SoFl, I found it as Anti-tarnish Cloth.
Keep a small strip with each piece to help prevent tarnish.

James in SoFl

4

Hello Ariella,

First, I’d suggest making all your new work in the Argentium silver,
which is tarnish-resistant. That should help a lot!! I think it
will become the industry standard in the future, simply to avoid the
drudgery of polishing tarnished silver… not to mention the absence
of firescale!! I’m excited about the stuff and am experimenting
with it.

For standard sterling, here are a few ways to control tarnish.

  1. Find an old silverchest - usually not very expensive at a flea
    market. It’s lined with “Pacific cloth” which inhibits tarnish.
    Put the pieces in resealable bags and store them in the silver chest.

  2. Buy “Pacific cloth” and sew up some bags. Put the jewelry in
    the bags and put them in a sealable container - again look at flea
    markets and yard sales for Tupperware.

  3. There are some new plastic resealable bags on the market, that
    are said to control tarnish for a couple years. I’ve not tried them
    and since they’re new on the market, who knows about the two year
    life.

  4. 3M makes paper strips and tabs that absorb the gases causing
    tarnish. If inserted in a sealed bag or container, they work for
    perhaps a year. However in time, they lose effectiveness, and you
    know that by the appearance of tarnish.

If you want to completely control tarnish, you have to keep the
silver from exposure to the atmosphere. I’ve noticed tarnish appears
more quickly in winter, due to the increase in combustion by-products
from heating units.

Good luck with all this. I’ve no affiliation with any of the above
mentioned products or supplies - just a satisfied user, Judy in
Kansas where we have seen some welcome rain and the fishing is still
good. Walleye, anyone??

Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
B.A.E. 147 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhatttan KS 66506
(785) 532-2936 FAX (785) 532-6944

5

Hi Ariela:

Try putting a piece of aluminum foil in the plastic bag and be sure
it is selaed. This seems to work well for me.

Sandra

6

Dear Ariella,

When transporting or storing jewelry always wrap you pieces in
non-tarnish tissue paper then place in a plastic bag. We carry it in
rolls or sheets, it can be found in our newest Display and Packaging
catalog on page 251.

Sincerely,
Thackeray Taylor
Rio Grande Technical Support.

7

Hi Ariella,

I have been using the plastic anti tarnish bags from Stuller and
since you have to buy 1000 at a time I have also been giving them to
my customers as they purchase with the advice to keep my piece in the
bag while they are not wearing it. So the double advantage is my
stock stays brite and my customers are thrilled.

Betty Belmonte

8

camphor will retard silver oxidation. available at walgreens… a
small piece closed in a bag with silver item

Jim

9 
camphor will retard silver oxidation. available at walgreens... a
small piece closed in a bag with silver item

Jim

I have had good luck putting the piece in a plastic bag, with a
piece of aluminum foil. I would prefer this to camphor, due to
camphor’s odor and somewhat hazardous fumes.

Margaret

10

hi all,

I have been using use stainless shot in a tumbler for about the
last year. I firmly believe that the tumbled finish lasts longer
before oxidizing than a buffed finish. None of my jewelry is cast,
so i can’t say anything about those type pieces.

Anyone else out there have the same experience?

steve

11

When I asked the list how best to keep stored silver jewelry from
tarnishing one of the answers I got was the following:

Try putting a piece of aluminum foil in the plastic bag and be
sure it is selaed. This seems to work well for me.

Very interesting! Can anyone explain why this works?

Ariella

12

Ariella

The theory seems to be that the sulfide (tarnish) ends up on the
aluminum foil instead of the silver.

Margaret

13 
a product known on the west  coast of the US as Pacific Cloth. On
the east coast, it is called  Atlantic Cloth.

It’s called Pacific cloth up here near Baaahston, too. I have large
pieces that I line storage trays with, or wrap stock in between
shows. About $10/yd at well-stocked fabric stores.

Tas
www.earthlywealth.com

14

All the posts on this topic seem to be for packaging or storing
jewelry. I’ve been looking for something for use in a permanent
display. It’s a display window in a hotel. Closed. Lit 24/7 with
diffused fluorescent lights. High, dry climate. I find I have to
polish the silver much more often than I would like…Any
suggestions?

Thanks,
Janet