Should I buy an Anti-Tarnish Jewelry Box?

Your silver jewelry may look dazzling and sparkling today, when it is new, but if you do not pay attention to the proper care and storage of your collection, many of your favorite pieces could be dull and tarnished in the future. One solution to this problem is to store your jewelry in an anti-tarnish jewelry box, and this article will guide you through the process of choosing the right box as well as offering other hints on jewelry care.

Your silver jewelry items are the ones that you need to protect from tarnishing Due to humidity or contact with perfumes, human hair, sulfur, food and other household substances sterling silver becomes tarnished. If you are someone who does not like to keep polishing jewelry then an easy solution is to get a jewelry box that has linings that have been treated with an anti-tarnish chemical.

An example of a jewelry box with an anti-tarnish lining is our Italian inlay jewelry box that is styled for men or women. It has a velvet cloth interior that is specially treated to prevent against tarnishing. Made of wood with an ebony finish, its lid has inlaid design and burlwood inlay. It is a beautiful piece to put on your dressing table, and its inside has been designed to protect your jewelry. Similarly you will find many other boxes ranging from small dresser top pieces to large armoires that have special liners.

Look for the box that best suits the size and variety of your jewelry collection and your budget, and then opt for the ones with anti-tarnish linings.

There are, however, some pros and cons when it comes to these linings. They work by preventing minute contaminants from reacting with the silver and while the anti-tarnish agents remain in the linings your jewelry will be protected. However, due to constant use there is a chance that the chemical agents in the lining will wear away after some time and if that happens the box may not provide the continued level of protection that you were hoping for.

Another possible drawback of anti-tarnish jewelry boxes is that some users worry that the chemicals on jewelry liners may rub off on jewelry that is worn close to the skin, possibly causing an allergic reaction.

If you do not want to get a jewelry box with anti-tarnish liners or if you would like to keep especially vigilant in protecting your collection there are other steps you can take to keep your jewelry shining.

You can get ant-tarnish strips and place them in your jewelry boxes or you can polish and/or wrap your jewelry using anti-tarnish cloths. These cloths have minute bits of silver in them and they absorb sulfur and will become black after a while, so you will have to replace them.

Silica gel granules often found in bottles of aspirin and other medicines can be placed in your jewelry box and they will absorb humidity. Even a small piece of blackboard chalk placed in your box will provide protection.

So, take a look at the beautiful jewelry boxes with anti tarnish linings and if you find one that suits you, get it. However, also keep your eyes on your jewelry and get ready to apply additional measures if it becomes necessary.

by Jasmine Yesak, Contributing Editor at ChasingTreasure.com, online retailer of quality jewelry boxes, jewelry organizers and watch boxes. Jasmine is a Jewelry Enthusiast and Organization Consultant, she writes about Jewelry Care and Jewelry Storage Tips.