How to Care for Bali Silver Beads

Bali silver refers to items made in Indonesia of a high grade of silver -- up to 99.9 percent pure. Sterling silver, used in many jewelry products, is only 92.5 percent silver. Bali silver pieces are often made by hand; more delicate than sterling, they require special care.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cloth impregnated with jeweler's rouge
• Silver-cleaning product
• Soft cloth
• Bowl
• Aluminum foil
• Baking soda
• Zip-close plastic bag
• Chalk

1. Wear your Bali silver regularly. Frequent wear will help the silver develop an attractive patina, and regular contact with clothing will help buff off oxidation as it occurs. Bali silver that is worn directly against the skin, such as a pendant of beads on a short chain, will need to be cleaned more often because of its contact with body oils.

2. Polish Bali silver daily. The easiest way to keep the silver looking beautiful is to lightly buff the piece to a shine before each wear, using a cloth impregnated with jeweler's rouge. These cloths are available at jewelry stores; most jewelry polishing cloths leave a thin layer of protective material on the silver that slows future tarnishing.

3. Clean Bali silver when necessary. Rinse tarnished silver under running water or use a soft brush to remove dust. Then coat silver with a commercial silver-cleaning product that contains jeweler's rouge; this product will be pink and often comes with an applicator sponge. Let the piece sit for several minutes before rinsing. Repeat if necessary. Dry with a soft cloth and finish by polishing until the piece is shiny; don't continue to buff the piece just because you continue to see dark oxidation on the polishing cloth.

4. Rehabilitate badly tarnished Bali silver using chemistry. Line a bowl with aluminum foil. Lay the silver in the bowl so it is in contact with the foil. Mix a small amount of baking soda in very hot water and pour over the Bali beads. This method actually deoxidizes much of the tarnish so no silver is lost. Finish cleaning with commercial cleaner and polishing cloth.

5. Store your Bali silver beads in an airtight container, such as a zip-close plastic bag, to keep out air and moisture. In damp climates, store a piece of chalk in the bag to absorb humidity. Keep silver in a padded container, or wrap it with a small section of polishing cloth, to prevent scratching.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use toothpaste on Bali silver; it is too abrasive. Never use paper towels to polish high-grade silver; it is too abrasive. Never use metal-cleaning products not specifically designed for jewelry or Bali silver. Never subject gemstones, pearls or opals to silver cleaners; polish these pieces by hand.

References

• Silver cleaning tips from Bead Euphoria
• Bali silver history and tips
• Silver care tips

Resources

• Etsy silversmith artisan forum