Need help with a severely tarnished bracelet!

[ladyash]

I have a bracelet that I got as a grade 8 graduation gift. It's 925 sterling silver and has about 8 years of tarnish on it right now! I wore it for a few months after getting it then it sat in my jewellery box all through highschool (when I think it tarnished the most) and I haven't worn it for the last two years because I couldn't get it to come clean and I find it just looks ugly with tarnish.
I have tried jewellery cleaner and it didn't do anything, I tried the foil/baking soda/hot water method and it worked a little bit but still a lot of tarnish, and now I am trying foil and vinegar (what my mom told me to try)...I have run out of ideas on what to do to get it to look brand new again!
It's turned like a yellowish/rust looking colour in some spots, most of the black spots have come clean so I am just dealing with the yellowing which I have no idea why it turned like that??
Anyone have any other suggestions?? If I took it to a jeweller's do you think they would be able to get it to come clean??

 

[DD101]

I bought a silver polishing cloth once and it's been able to shine up just about anything. I use it on all my sterling...even really badly tarnished pieces...and they shine up beautifully. I bought mine from Tiffany's for $5.

 

[poshcitymom]

Try the toothpaste: brush it with an old toothbrush. If that doesn't work (sounds like you have almost tried everything) You need to take it to a store and re-galvanize it. All my Tiffany jewelry get re-galvanize once in a while (they provide service with a small fee)

 

[ladyash]

I don't know if I want to try toothpaste because it has a lot of detailing so I'm not sure if I would be able to rinse all the toothpaste out.
I have no idea what the brand is it was picked up while my parents friend was on vacation and she gave it to me for a grad gift. I just want it clean so I can wear it again! I used to work at a silver jewellery store and the polishing cloths work amazing and I have tried one on the bracelet but it has sooo much build up that it takes forever just to clean one link. Maybe if I hadn't of let it sit for so long it wouldn't be so bad now.
What is re-galvanizing??

 

[ladyash]

Here are some pictures of what the bracelet still looks like after trying all that cleaning...and toothpaste also officially doesn't work because I just tried I give up...just going to take it to have it done by a professional and then never ever ever again go this long without attempting to clean tarnished silver!

 

[mistikat]

Try Connoisseur silver dip. It's fantastic for ornate pieces and chains.

 

[ladyash]

^ Thanks I will check the jewellery store for it. We have Connoisseur cleaner but it says on it that its for gold/diamonds/gemstones doesn't mention silver so I can see why it didn't really do anything.

 

[Oceane]

As a designer I often use toothpaste or baking soda to polish my pieces. Give it a try!

 

[ladyash]

^ tried both and never worked just waiting till Tuesday now so I can go to the Jewellers and see what they say or can do. After trying everything under the sun I could think of or research it looks like the pics I posted above It's soooooo stubborn!

 

[poshcitymom]

I think that if you have tried everything, most likely it's not the cleaner but the sterling silver has worn off and gone. If you could research for a local sterling silver store to have it re-galvanize (to have the silver coated on again) because it seems that the problem is simply that you have lost the silver on the jewelry, period.
Hope that helps...good luck.

 

[poshcitymom]

I was looking at the pictures you have...I believe that you need to have the bracelet redone. The orange metal underneath is most likely brass(or any base metal that has copper in it), and it has gone oxidized (which showed a green color). Usually, the sterling silver tarnishes into a black residue. Definitely take it to a store at this point.

 

[CharmingCharms]

I've worked with sterling silver for a long-time and poshcitymom has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, those pictures show that your bracelet is beyond cleaning. You've essentially been rubbing brass since the black spots were cleaned off. I would recommend that you stop trying to clean it all together, as you don't want to damage anything. Their shouldn't be any issues in re-galvanizing the bracelet so long as you haven't made any deep cuts into brass with harsh scrub brushes. If you have, make sure you show these imperfections to the jeweler so they don't miss it in the re-galvanizing process.

 

[RoryX]

Try the toothpaste: brush it with an old toothbrush. If that doesn't work (sounds like you have almost tried everything) You need to take it to a store and re-galvanize it. All my Tiffany jewelry get re-galvanize once in a while (they provide service with a small fee)

You're saying they replate sterling? This makes no sense. I know Tiffany polishes, but all of their silver is solid, not plated.

 

[ladyash]

I've worked with sterling silver for a long-time and poshcitymom has hit the nail on the head. Unfortunately, those pictures show that your bracelet is beyond cleaning. You've essentially been rubbing brass since the black spots were cleaned off. I would recommend that you stop trying to clean it all together, as you don't want to damage anything. Their shouldn't be any issues in re-galvanizing the bracelet so long as you haven't made any deep cuts into brass with harsh scrub brushes. If you have, make sure you show these imperfections to the jeweler so they don't miss it in the re-galvanizing process.

I haven't been using anything harsh to scrub it or anything have been worried about scratching it, so it should be ok in that sense. If I do have it re-galvanized will this have to be done often? I plan on taking it to the store tomorrow to see what it will cost.

 

[RoryX]

Before you do anything go to the store and get a good silver creme. The kind you use for silver flatware and hollowware. I like Maas, but Goddard and Haggarty are also good.

If your bracelet is sterling, there would be no brass underneath, it would be solid. KWIM? Regalvinizing or replating is what you do to silverplate, not sterling.