How to care for your silver: a guide to keeping heirlooms luminous.

01 · Understanding tarnish

It is not damage. It is chemistry.

Tarnish is the dark film that develops on silver over time, and it unsettles people more than it should. It is not rust. It is not corrosion. It is not your silver deteriorating. It is a thin layer of silver sulphide, formed when silver reacts with sulphur compounds in the air — the same compounds present in wool, rubber, certain foods, even the air in a busy city.

Tarnish is entirely cosmetic. It sits on the surface and polishes away in seconds. Many collectors and artisans consider a light patina desirable — it adds depth to engraving and texture, the way age adds character to leather or wood. The goal of silver care is not to prevent tarnish entirely but to manage it gracefully.

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The best thing you can do for your silver is use it. Handled silver tarnishes less, not more.

Atelier note · 2025

02 · Daily care

Use it. That is the first rule.

The single best thing you can do for your silver is use it. Silver that is handled regularly develops less tarnish than silver that sits untouched in a drawer. The oils in your hands create a micro-barrier on the surface. The friction of use polishes it naturally. A silver tumbler used for water every day will maintain its glow with almost no intervention.

After handling, wipe the piece with a soft, lint-free cloth — cotton or microfibre. That is it. No chemicals. No polish. No elaborate ritual. Thirty seconds of gentle wiping after use is more effective than thirty minutes of aggressive polishing once a year.

03 · Cleaning tarnished silver

Three levels. Match the method to the tarnish.

• Light tarnishA silver polishing cloth is sufficient. These cloths are pre-treated with a mild polishing compound. Rub gently in long strokes, not circles. The cloth will darken — that is normal.
• Moderate tarnishWash the piece in warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap. Use a soft sponge — never a scrubber. Rinse in clean water, dry immediately with a soft cloth. Do not air-dry; water spots form.
• Heavy tarnishMake a paste of baking soda and water. Apply with a soft cloth, rub gently, rinse thoroughly. This method is safe for pure silver (999) only. Do not use on silver-plated pieces — the abrasion can wear through the plating.

04 · Storage

The enemies of stored silver.

Silver that is not in daily use should be stored in anti-tarnish bags or pouches. These are lined with a treated fabric that absorbs sulphur compounds before they reach the silver surface. We include one with every Nazarana piece. If you need more, any jewellery supply store stocks them.

Avoid rubber bands — rubber is one of the most aggressive sulphur sources and will leave permanent black marks. Avoid newspaper — the ink contains sulphur. Avoid plastic cling wrap — it traps moisture. The ideal storage environment is cool, dry, and away from direct sunlight. A lined drawer or a fabric-wrapped shelf in a cupboard is perfect.

05 · What to avoid

The short list of things silver hates.

• Harsh chemicalsBleach, ammonia, and chlorine-based cleaners will damage silver permanently. Keep silver away from household cleaning products.
• The dishwasherThe heat, the detergent, and the contact with other metals in a dishwasher are devastating to silver. Always hand-wash.
• Salt and eggsBoth contain sulphur compounds that accelerate tarnishing on contact. Rinse silver immediately after exposure to either.
• Acidic foodsCitrus, vinegar, and tomato-based foods can etch silver surfaces. Use silver serving pieces for dry or neutral foods.
• Rubber and latexRubber bands, rubber mats, and latex gloves are among the fastest routes to tarnish. Keep all rubber away from stored silver.

06 · Pure silver vs silver-plated

Different metals, different care.

Our Luxe 999 pieces are solid pure silver — 99.9% silver through and through. They are more forgiving of cleaning because there is no plating to wear through. You can use a baking soda paste, a polishing cloth, or even a professional silver dip without risk of exposing a base metal underneath.

Silver-plated pieces require gentler care. The silver layer is thin — typically 20 to 40 microns. Aggressive polishing, abrasive cleaners, or repeated dipping will wear through the plating over time, revealing the brass or copper substrate. For plated pieces, stick to mild soap and a soft cloth. When in doubt, less is more.

07 · A note on heirlooms

The pieces you care for become the pieces you pass on.

Silver is one of the very few gift materials that becomes more valuable with time — not less. But that transformation depends on care. A silver bowl kept in an anti-tarnish pouch, wiped after use, and polished once a season will look as beautiful in thirty years as it does today. It will carry thirty years of dinners, of festivals, of hands that held it. And when you give it to your daughter, she will hold it and feel the weight of all those years.

That is what silver care is, ultimately. It is not maintenance. It is custodianship. You are not just keeping an object clean. You are keeping a story alive.