How to clean amber and silver jewellery
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Jewellery makers often make sterling silver settings for amber stones as an aesthetic complement to the stone. Amber rates 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, the same as ivory.
When cleaning and caring for a sterling silver piece that contains a fragile amber gemstone, adhere to specific cleaning guidelines to preserve the beauty and integrity of both the setting and the stone.
Clean the silver
- Fill a small container with the warm water.
- Pat the sterling silver setting dry with a soft, dry cloth.
Fill a small container with the warm water. Add two or three drops of mild liquid soap to the water and agitate it with your fingers to form suds.
Dip a portion of a clean, soft cloth into the soapy water and gently rub the silver with the cloth. Avoid touching the amber with the soapy cloth.
Pat the sterling silver setting dry with a soft, dry cloth.
Inspect the setting for dull or darkened areas, also known as tarnish. Rub a silver polishing cloth in a circular motion over the tarnished areas of the setting, taking care not to touch the amber gemstone.
Clean the amber
- Fill a small container with lukewarm water.
- Wipe the amber gemstone with the moistened portion of the cloth.
Fill a small container with lukewarm water. Dip a portion of a soft flannel cloth into the water to wet it.
Wipe the amber gemstone with the moistened portion of the cloth.
Dry the stone with a dry section of the cloth.
Pour the olive oil into a small container and dip a section of a clean, soft cloth into the oil.
Polish the amber with the olive oil. Buff with a dry portion of the cloth, then store your jewellery.
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Writer Bio
Based in Texas, Cynthia Measom has been writing various parenting, business and finance and education articles since 2011. Her articles have appeared on websites such as The Bump and Motley Fool. Measom received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin.