[Jewelry making - Article 01167] - [Orchid] Badly tarnished silver jewellery

[Jeanette Hyde]

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Hi

    I made several bracelets using silver chain, freshwater pearls and
    semi precious stones for a customer some months ago which she
    returned to me because after a few months they were really badly
    tarnished (the clasp, chain and headpins were black!). 

    I tried to clean them but it was virtually impossible because of the
    fineness of the headpins, so in the end i just made new bracelets
    and put the silver wire and chain in my scrap pot. They seemed to be
    alright again for 3 or so months and then again they went black. 

    This has never happened to me before and I have tried to work out
    what has caused it but I am at a loss. 

    The chain and headpins for the first bracelets where stored in my
    workshop which is only heated for a couple half days a week but they
    were wrapped in plastic. The second time I stored all the components
    in the house so there was no way they got cold or damp. 

    There was no heating involved in the process and when I wasnt
    working on them they were wrapped so the air wasnt getting to them. 

    I thought about brass brushing the whole thing and polishing it with
    tripoli and rouge but that would be very fidly and I thought it would
    risk damaging the pearls and stones 

    If anyone could help me to understand what is going wrong and also
    how could clean the chain/headpins/clasps without taking the whole
    thing appart again and without damaging the pearls and stones I would
    be so grateful. 

many thanks
jeanette
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