Everyday care for sterling silver

Tarnish isn't dirt, and it isn't a defect. Silver reacts with sulfur in the air, in certain foods, and in your skin, forming a thin layer of silver sulfide — first yellow, then brown, then black. 925 silver is 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, so it tarnishes slightly faster than fine silver.

How fast varies enormously from person to person. Body chemistry, medications, even local air quality all play a role. Some people wear the same piece for ten years without it darkening.

The polishing cloth included with every MALALUNE order carries a mild polish and anti-tarnish agents — for everyday care, it's all you need. Wipe gently in one direction, use a clean section of the cloth each time, and never wash it.

For antiqued pieces with darkened recesses (like oxidized relief), polish only the raised areas. If you brighten the black in the grooves, the pattern disappears.

Hot springs and chlorinated pools: sulfur and chlorine dramatically speed up tarnish and can permanently pit the surface.

Perfume, hairspray, and sunscreen sprayed directly onto jewelry: matte and antiqued finishes hold onto residue that's very hard to remove.

Silver dip on pieces with stones or antiqued finishes: it strips the oxidation instantly and can damage porous stones.

Rough scouring pads — they leave permanent scratches.

Air and moisture are the enemy. Keep your jewelry in the flannel pouch it came with, tucked in a drawer. Bag pieces separately so they don't scratch each other.

Anti-tarnish strips in the drawer genuinely work, and they're cheap. Replace them twice a year.

The natural oils on your skin form a light protective film, and the friction of daily wear is itself a gentle polish. The piece you wear every day usually needs far less attention than the one locked in a box.

Pieces that stay off for long stretches — a seasonal necklace, a bracelet saved for formal occasions — are exactly the ones that need the most attention when you take them out again.

Any jeweler can repolish and re-antique our pieces for a small fee — usually under $15 — restoring the surface completely, blackened recesses included. Worth doing: silver itself doesn't wear out, so there's no need to replace anything.