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How do I get scratches out from my sterling silver bracelet?
I have a medic alert bracelet that’s sterling silver. It cost quite a bit of money too! I’ve only had it for a month and a half and it has tons of scratches on it already. Any ideas?
Hi Jenn,,
You “can’t” take scratches out.
Polishing metal is actually Removing the surrounding metal
Imagine slicing a potato in half,,,you get a nice,smooth,level surface,,right?
Then scrape a gouge across that surface.
Or even just a CUT–which doesn’t remove any material,,it only parts the surface.
How can you “vanish” that surface disruption?
Only way is to shave another slice,,down to the level of the imperfection.
Thats an “exagerated illustration” to help explain how Surface Defects/Damage/etc are removed from metal.
It Does NOT “thin the metal by Half”,,,but it DOES INDEED Remove Metal and will render it increasingly Thinner than Original each time it’s polished.
It’s also abrasive to any ornamental surface detail.
On Jewelry what happens is that polishing obviously doesn’t simply “shave off a layer”.
It Removes the metal AROUND the flaw,,,creating a wide,low angle DIP that blends into overall surface.
Silver is EXTREMELY soft,,,
You can actually Smudge Hi-Polished Silver with many types of common PAPER.
Scratches are almost unavoidable.
If You Get it Re-Polished,,,,
soon enough it will be scratched again.
Trying to keep it nice by Polishing will be a vicious cycle.
Best advice,,,Be VERY Careful with it,,as much as can be.
And “live with” the scratches,,as best as you can—only get it re-polished when ya just cant stand it anymore.
You can SHINE Silver Tarnish with any number of products.
But Removing scratches is a whole ‘nother matter.
You Can’t Remove a scratch,,only everything Around the scratch
Silver is good in “protected” applications,,Earrings,,pendants,pins,etc.
Rings,Charms,Bracelets,etc,, and anything subject to getting bumped or rubbed or coming into contact with another surface—-it’s almost Impossible to avoid scratches.
Something to consider:
If it’s Hi Polished,,,,there’s a variety of attractive finishes which tend to “hide” scratches so they dont show up so bad.
But they’re all a form of “Matte” finishes,,,,
For example ,diamond cut is sparkly and will obscure pretty bad scratches.
Another thing you may consider is having it Plated in White Gold or Platinum(Rhodium).
You maintain the Silver Color,,,but the other metals are Much Harder and more scratch resistant.
It’s only a FILM,,,so a hard lick would still scratch it.
But it minimizes to faint scratches quite a bit.
And it’s fairly cheap.
Even if Your bracelet happens to have any enameled work on it as MedicAlert bracelets often do,,,that can be effectively “shielded”,,and only the bare silver plated.
Good Luck
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How To Make Your Sterling Silver Jewelry Wardrobe Sizzling Hot This Summer
Sterling silver is a precious metal that just so happens to be affordable and, for those in the know, it’s also a very versatile accessory that will look brighter than the summer sun when paired with the perfect tan. This article is designed to show you how to get the most out of your sterling silver jewelry wardrobe and enjoy a variety of looks that are sure to be timeless.
If you own an 18″ fine link sterling silver necklace, such as those commonly used as pendant chains, you can wrap it twice around your ankle for a feminine two-strand anklet design. Of course, this will only work if you can wear a 9″ anklet. If you wear a 10″ anklet, you can use a 20″ fine link necklace and wrap it twice for a perfect fit. Using this method, you have two looks in one because you can wear the chain as either a necklace or an anklet. You can use the same strategy to create a multi-strand bracelet.
Speaking of which, current trends center around multi-strand styles, but it may not always be feasible to purchase this expensive design . Instead, you can purchase a single 36″ necklace and wear it long with a pendant for a very modern look or you can wrap it around your neck twice for a two-strand 18″ design. If you can wear a 16″ length, you can pull one of the doubled strands up closer to your neck and have the look of two necklaces. With this option, many people like to wear a pendant on the shortest length. If you own a long necklace featuring loop links, consider wearing it as a belt and attaching the clasp to one of the chain’s links. The excess links will drape nicely on the hip for a trendy look.
If you want to wear a particular style of necklace but find that it’s just a little too short to wear with your chosen attire, don’t fret. If you don’t own a necklace extender, you can use a matching bracelet to increase the length of your necklace. If you own a rolo bracelet, you can use it as a custom extender by attaching the clasp of your necklace to any of the small loops in the bracelet for the perfect fit. The excess extension, if any, will drape down your back and will keep the necklace from turning around. Translation? Nobody will know about your shortcut and you won’t have to worry about the clasp finding its way to the front.
One of the hottest looks is that of a multi-strand necklace with a polished heart in the center. We all know the design and we all know the price tag that goes with it. You can get a very similar look if you own a floating heart pendant (without a bail) and two necklaces of equal length. First, take your polished heart pendant and lie it flat on a table. Take one of the necklaces and loop it through the left side of the pendant. Next, take the other necklace and loop it through the right side of the pendant. For the final step, lift the necklace and place it around your neck. Fasten the back by opening one of the clasps and attaching it in the same way you would any other necklace.
If you own a sterling silver pin that would look stunning as a pendant, try sliding a fine link necklace through the closed pin back and see how it looks. You may just find a look that you would love to ‘stick’ with. If you need to find the perfect piece of sterling silver for your jewelry wardrobe, check out Almost Diamonds (http://www.almostdiamonds.com) and their sparkling line of cubic zirconia and sterling silver styles.
About the Author
For more information on
sterling silver jewelry
and
sterling silver rings
, visit Almost Diamonds at http://www.almostdiamonds.com
