Can You Wear Sterling Silver Every Day?

Yes, sterling silver can be worn every day. In fact, one of the things I love about sterling silver is that it isn’t a material that needs to be kept away for special occasions.

As a jeweller, I make jewellery to be worn and enjoyed. Sterling silver is durable enough for everyday jewellery, but like any precious material, how you wear and care for it will affect how it looks over time.

Does wearing sterling silver every day make it tarnish?

Sterling silver naturally tarnishes over time. This doesn’t mean that your jewellery is poor quality or that there is something wrong with the silver.

Tarnishing happens when silver reacts with sulphur-containing compounds in the surrounding environment, creating a darker layer on the surface.

From my own experience, I often find that sterling silver which is regularly worn stays looking brighter than jewellery that has been left sitting exposed for long periods.

That doesn’t mean everyday wear will completely prevent tarnishing, but regular cleaning and good storage can help keep your silver looking its best.

Can you shower in sterling silver jewellery?

I’ll admit that I sometimes shower while wearing my own sterling silver jewellery.

However, as a jeweller, I wouldn’t recommend making a habit of showering or bathing in your jewellery — particularly when the piece contains gemstones.

Plain sterling silver and gemstone jewellery aren’t necessarily cared for in exactly the same way. Different gemstones have different levels of hardness, toughness and sensitivity to chemicals, heat and other environmental factors.

For that reason, I recommend removing gemstone jewellery before showering or bathing unless you know the particular stone is suitable for that kind of exposure.

Can you sleep in sterling silver jewellery?

I’m sometimes guilty of this one too!

I do occasionally fall asleep wearing my jewellery, although I try not to make a habit of it.

The concern isn’t simply that sterling silver can’t be slept in. Jewellery can become caught, bent, scratched or even broken while you’re asleep, depending on the design of the piece and how you sleep.

Fine chains, delicate settings and more intricate pieces can be particularly vulnerable.

So while occasionally falling asleep in your jewellery doesn’t mean you’ve ruined it, I recommend taking your jewellery off before bed whenever possible.

Should you clean the house while wearing jewellery?

This is something I personally don’t do, and I recommend that you remove your jewellery before using household cleaning products.

Cleaning products can contain chemicals that may affect metals, finishes or certain gemstones. There is also the physical risk of knocking, scratching or catching your jewellery while cleaning.

My advice is simple: take your jewellery off, put it somewhere safe, do your cleaning and put it back on afterwards.

What about perfume, skincare and body lotion?

With plain sterling silver jewellery, I personally haven’t found normal everyday use of perfume and skincare products to be a major problem.

However, I take more care when gemstones are involved.

Some gemstones and organic gem materials are much more sensitive than others. Opal, for example, requires more careful treatment than many harder gemstones.

If I’m wearing a piece containing a more delicate stone, I prefer to apply perfume, creams and skincare products first, allow them to settle or dry, and then put my jewellery on.

If you’re unsure about a particular gemstone, it’s always worth checking the recommended care for that stone rather than assuming that every gemstone can be treated in the same way.

Can you stack sterling silver jewellery every day?

Absolutely — but expect some natural signs of wear.

Lots of us love stacking rings, bangles and other jewellery, but when pieces repeatedly rub against one another, metal-on-metal contact can eventually cause scratches.

That’s part of wearing jewellery, and personally I don’t believe you should be frightened of every little mark.

However, if you want to preserve a highly polished finish for as long as possible, avoid constantly rubbing or knocking your jewellery against other pieces.

Light surface tarnish can usually be dealt with at home using an appropriate silver polishing cloth. Deeper scratches are different. Once scratches become significant, a cleaning cloth won’t simply remove them and the piece may eventually benefit from professional polishing or refinishing.

How should you care for sterling silver you wear every day?

My biggest advice is simple: clean it.

Regular cleaning helps remove the everyday build-up that naturally occurs when jewellery is being worn.

Store pieces carefully when you’re not wearing them rather than allowing everything to rub together, and take particular care with jewellery containing gemstones.

Most importantly, though, don’t become so worried about damaging your jewellery that you’re afraid to wear it.

Every piece of Jody 925 Jewellery is made with longevity in mind. Jewellery is there to become part of your life.

You might occasionally fall asleep wearing your favourite ring. You might put perfume on while you’re already wearing your necklace. You might notice a few tiny scratches developing on a ring you’ve worn constantly.

That’s everyday life.

Take sensible care of your sterling silver, clean it regularly and give gemstone jewellery the additional care it needs — but above all, wear it and enjoy it.

Written by Jody, jeweller and founder of Jody 925 Jewellery.