If you are fortunate to own anything from Tiffany & Co one of your most important objectives is appropriate care and storage of your Tiffany & Co. silver treasures. Silver jewelry, dazzling diamonds in silver settings, cufflinks, key rings, watches, or gift items from Tiffany & Co. are highly valued valuable. You want to keep them tarnish and scratch free.
The following are tips for caring for your silver, whether it’s Tiffany and Co. or inherited silver wear that has been in the family for years. Keep your silver well polished and the sparkle will help maintain the value over time.
Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #1: Never use bleaches or abrasives.
Bleach seems like the answer to most household cleaning problems, but not when it comes to silver. Bleach and abrasives can cause irreparable damage to silver and stones. You’ve probably read or heard that it is okay to use toothpaste or backing soda on your silver and jewelry. It is not a good idea. It will not polish your silver, and that is the last thing you want to when cleaning silver from Tiffany & Co. Jewelry experts also recommend steering clear of scouring powder and even creamy opaque jewelry cleaners.
Small brushes are useful, but I have found more success with soft, new toothbrushes than used ones. I used an old toothbrush to clean the nooks and crannies around a Tiffany & Co. bracelet given to me by my mother-in-law. It is not very noticeable, but apparently there was enough toothpaste residue to make miniscule scratches in the silver. The scratches can’t be seen unless you examine it closely, but it has taken away significant luster. This can never be repaired or recaptured. Learn from my mistake. The Tiffany & Co. silver bracelet is still an heirloom, but I affected its shine, which ultimately affects its value. Learn from my mistake and don’t ruin your family silver.
Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #2: Water, Salt, and an aluminum plate.
Maybe you would like to clean your sterling silver with a jeweler recommended solution. Take an aluminum plate, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking soda, and hot water (not boiling). Pour the hot water in the pie plate to dissolve the powder solutions. Once the cleaner is mixed, dunk your silver jewelry, or any silver piece from Tiffany & Co.
This is guaranteed by some silver aficionados as a tried and true method. They do caution, however, that if your item is highly tarnished, it may still require polishing after tarnish removal.
Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #3: When using commercial products buy silver specific cleaners.
There are so many jewelry and silver cleaners available, some claim to clean everything from your silver to your kitchen sink. When purchasing a commercial product for silver cleaning I recommend sticking with name brands that have been proven over time. Don’t buy products that promise to clean everything: silver, gold, titanium, aluminum, steel. Those products are out there.
A brand name commercial product designed to remove silver tarnish can usually be trusted to safely remove tarnish from Tiffany & Co. silver. I have also used commercial polishing clothes, which I prefer to paste, to clean silver ware and silver serving pieces. This worked quite well. I prefer clothes to paste because it doesn’t make as much of a mess. Either will get your silver polishing job done.
Jewelry experts even warn that you should be careful with polish, because it can wear away some of the silver. So these are probably not your best options for keeping Tiffany and Co. jewelry clean and polished.
Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #4: Steer clear of ammonia cleaners.
Some people have used ammonia to recapture the shine of silver. This works only on real silver, such as most items purchased from Tiffany & Co. However, ammonia products are used on sterling silver it will oxidize the finish. One day your beloved sterling silver baby spoon or duck bank will show signs of tarnish and rust.
I used ammonia for years, until I began to notice the tarnish on silver returning more quickly. Perhaps the use of pure ammonia or products containing large amounts of ammonia make a difference, but I have ceased to use ammonia altogether.
Cleaning your Tiffany & Co. silver Tip #5: Keep Tarnish away with Pacific Cloth
If you are storing your silver, store it in an airtight container lined with anti-tarnish cloth, also known as Pacific Cloth. This can be purchased at most fabric stores. Once you take the silver out for display, or to wear, wipe it clean with a soft polish cloth and replace it in the airtight Pacific Cloth lined container. If you do not wipe it clean, you may be disappointed to find tarnish the next time you pull out your Tiffany & Co. silver pieces.
Whether your silver pieces are from Tiffany & Co., grandma’s heirloom collection, or any other silver producer store them carefully and clean them gently to ensure long life and brilliant shine.
***Do not use these methods on silver jewelry which contains gemstones. The delicacy of the gemstone may result in scratching, or other permanent damage.
