Caring for sterling silver.

Tarnish is normal

Sterling silver tarnishes naturally over time, particularly with exposure to air, moisture and everyday chemicals such as perfume, lotion and household cleaning products. This is a normal property of the metal, not a fault, and it can usually be cleaned back.

Everyday cleaning

Clean your ring with mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft cloth. Work gently rather than scrubbing, dry the ring thoroughly afterwards, and avoid soaking it for long periods.

Be careful with texture and fine lines

The cast texture on the slopes and the fine engraved ridgeline on some pieces are deliberate design details, not flaws. Aggressive polishing, wire brushes or abrasive cloths can wear these details down over time. If you want to bring back shine on the polished ridge, use a soft polishing cloth there specifically and keep it away from the textured slopes.

Storage

Store your ring dry, and separately from other jewellery where practical, so harder pieces do not scratch it in a drawer or box. A fabric-lined box or a soft pouch works well.

What to avoid

• Chlorine, including swimming pools and hot tubs.
• Bleach and other harsh household chemicals.
• Prolonged contact with perfume, hairspray or lotion, applied directly to the ring.
• Activities likely to knock, crush or deeply scratch the band, such as heavy manual work, weight training or contact sport. Remove the ring beforehand if in doubt.

If a mark will not clean off

Ordinary tarnish usually responds to gentle cleaning. Deep scratches and heavy wear are a different thing: they are damage to the surface rather than a film on top of it, and no amount of cleaning will lift them. A jeweller offering refinishing is the right place for that.

If you are unsure which of the two you are looking at, contact Fell & Forge and ask before trying anything stronger. Harsh chemicals and abrasives take off the matt texture and the polished ridge along with the mark, and that cannot be put back.