Sterling silver is very popular in jewellery, especially children's jewellery. Probably the most popular metal used in jewellery today. But heat and humidity and gases in the air, can cause your silver jewellery to tarnish. So, some maintenance is required.
Tarnish can happen very gradually over years, but it can also happen very quickly. All sterling silver jewellery can become tarnished. It doesn't matter how little or how much you paid for it, sterling silver can, and does, tarnish.
To avoid this problem, store your silver pieces with plain blackboard chalk or silica gel in their storage boxes to absorb moisture. A piece of activated charcoal stored with your jewellery will effectively absorb the gases that cause tarnishing.
Last Summer was particularly humid and we were kept busy replacing silica gel packs and buffing up our silver. Sulphur in the air (which can't be avoided) is the main cause of tarnishing.
Don't put your jewellery away and forget about it. The best way of preventing tarnish is to wear your jewellery. If you do store it, take the advice above, but also, bring it out and check it over, every few months. If there are signs of tarnish, use a jewellery cloth to buff it up before it becomes too big a job.
It doesn't take much to keep your beautiful, high polished silver glistening and gleaming for years and years.