Historical Flashback - 1795 Boston Time Capsule Opened

We go through life collecting memories, of times of people, sometimes all it takes is a part of a song, or the sight of some long forgotten trinket to allow memories to come cascading back into our conscience minds.  Times capsules are nothing new, but what they do give us is a glimpse of a time gone by, insight into what the people who so tenderly put away their memorabilia considered important or worthy of being saved for later generations.  We do not have them here to let us know why they saved particular items, but we are allowed new insights. 

Sterling silver can make some of the finest jewelry and family heirlooms and, if properly cared for, it will last generations. Improperly stored, however, silver is fragile and can tarnish and corrode. Sadly, not all storage bags are designed in a way that will keep your silver safe and prevent harm. So how do you know if your storage bag will do more harm than good? To ensure safe storage, look for bags that:

Whether you make, sell or collect jewelry, tarnish is a major problem. This is especially true on silver jewelry but affects other metals as well. Many companies attempt to provide a solution with a wide array of anti tarnish products, but not all are created equal. So what should you look for? Here are our tips:

Many of us out there appreciate fine silver. Whether it’s a necklace, an ornament, or even silverware, we enjoy its striking aesthetic. After spending a good deal of money on silver, the last thing you would want would be for it to tarnish. After all, many of us appreciate silver for its beautiful luster and sheen. 

With demand for silver still very high due to high priced gold (even with the recent decline in gold prices), silver demand remains strong. However, the price forecast for silver in 2014 is expected to be lower than in 2013. This drop is expected to further increase interest in silver. 

One of the most common issues that retailers and manufacturers of silver and silver jewelry experience, is tarnishing of their silver when stored and/or shipped in their boxes. Many of these companies find out after the fact, that their packaging, be it ring boxes, bracelet boxes, etc., is causing the silver to tarnish rapidly.

Are you hosting the holidays this year? Before you break out the good silver for your parties and gatherings, learn how to avoid tarnishing your beloved silver valuables.

In our previous post "Keep Silver From Tarnishing", we identified some of the common causes of tarnish and discoloration on your silver jewelry and metal valuables. Now let’s take a closer look at the corrosion process. What exactly is going on here? Corrosion is the wearing away of a metal as the exterior interacts with the environment around it: oxygen, water, and atmospheric gases. The 3 types of corrosion are explained below:

Any jewelry lover, retailer or manufacturer can tell you that keeping tarnish at bay on silver and other metals is a constant battle. Before you can figure out how to prevent tarnish from ruining your silver, it would be helpful to know what causes it in the first place.