Part 11 of a series on metals. 

 

#7512 diamonds set in silver over gold.

Patina is the surface layer of wear, shine and grime that develops on the surface of antiques over the years. While some might call it 'schmutz', others respectfully regard patina as the sign of true age. Patina adds authenticity to an antique.  Removing patina is like scraping away the layers of respectability that took years to accumulate. 
Even a noble metal such as gold will show gentle signs of wear as the years pass. Dirt collects, alloys go green, surfaces rub and wear away a little.

How can we prevent these signs of age? How can we remove them? Should we remove then? What is right and what is wrong when it comes to storage, using and cleaning our antique metal jewelry? 

It may be a fine line, but there is a difference between dirt and patina. Dirt can and should be removed. Patina should stay. We have all watched the Antiques Road Show when an over-zealous housewife scrubbed down her antique only to learn that it is now worth a fraction of the price. Signs of age add value. 

                            #5912 gold dog brooch.

   

Silver vs Gold. How we relate to silver and how we relate to gold might be entirely different. 
 
Silver will tarnish with time. This means that instead of that beautiful shiny surface that shows diamonds off to best effect, we will look at black mounts. Even worse, tarnish leaves black marks on skin and clothes. Even with dry-cleaning, who wants a grubby black stain on their beautiful satin outfit? We need to keep silver tarnish at bay.
The best way to store silver is in Pacific cloth. This is a pink colored, soft fabric that is impregnated with chemicals that prevent silver from turning black. Yes, it really does work and will save you hours of cleaning. 

Anti-tarnish strips are available, but in my experience, they are not nearly as good as Pacific cloth.

It might be a nuisance to repeatedly clean your silver. The consequences of failing to do so can be dire. Initially, the problem is simply tarnish. But tarnish left untreated will progress to pitting and once that takes place, the silver is almost beyond repair. 

When silver does get dirty (and it does, very fast), there are plenty of chemicals out there to deal with it. Choose something soft and gentle, like a silver cleaning cream and not an abrasive liquid. While the latter will wash away the tarnish, it washes away the patina as well and we certainly don't want that. 

There are silver and gold cleaning cloths on the market. Again, they are cloths impregnated with chemicals. Rub gently to regain shine. This is fine if there is only a very little dirt. If there's more tarnish, you will need more force than might be good for the item. You will need more time than you want to spend cleaning that item and get unsatisfactory results. Best to go to the cream cleaners. 

Don't forget to wear gloves when you clean your silver and gold items.  Make sure to protect your eyes. Cleaning chemicals can be very nasty, and you do not want them near your face.  

If your gold jewelry is looking grubby, it might be that body oils or simply dust have accumulated on the surface. This can and should be washed away. We have given explicit directions to washing your jewelry in a previous post. Simply line a basin with a towel to protect the jewel if you drop it and to catch a falling gem. Use warm water, dish-washing liquid and an old, soft toothbrush. Rinse gently. Dry. 

Try to store jewelry in such a way that it doesn't rub against or scratch other items. Velvet-lined boxes, silk bags are perfect. Remember to keep gems like pearls and opals in an environment where they won't dehydrate.  Keep both silver and gold away from sunlight. Unfortunately, much silver, such as Grandma's candlesticks, were made to be seen, so resign yourself to regular cleaning sessions. Put on the radio and dance while you do it.

Speaking of pearls and opals: Perfume, hairspray and body lotions contain chemicals that can permanently damage the surface of pearls and opals — always put them on last. 

27 candlesticks  

 

Questions and comments: Please email antiques@brendaginsberg.com
Find jewelry on www.brendaginsberg.com
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