Cleaning tips wanted

[peridot]

My mother has some very nice sterling earrings and a matching brooch. Over the years, they've built up some tarnish, which is to be expected. She is unsure of how to clean them as they are full of inset Marcasites. Think something along the lines of the pieces posted in this thread, although they aren't antique.

What's the best way to approach this? Normally, for silver, I'd just haul out the polishing cloth, but I don't want to damage the Marcasites and they're so tightly packed in that getting in between them with something like a cloth--or even a toothbrush will be a challenge.

 

[pearlsngems]

I've used a Sunshine polishing cloth on my marcasite silver locket for years without damage to the stones.

 

[peridot]

Is there anything special about Sunshine cloths? I'm unfamiliar with them.

I have some wipes (maybe the Connoisseur ones, maybe another brand). Would I be risking any damage to the stones if I used these on her pieces?

 

[stracci2000]

I'm sure the polishing cloth you have will work fine.
I have several Fabulustre cloths. They work great on both silver and gold.
They are two ply, and the inner cloth is impregnated with rouge polishing compound.

I think any kind of treated jewelry cloth will clean the silver and marcasite jewelry.
Just don't get the marcasites wet, as they are glued in.

 

[pearlsngems]

Sunshine cloths contain very fine abrasives as well as tarnish removing chemicals. The most common one is the yellow one (medium grit) but there is also a blue (finer, for buffing up) and pink (grittier for deeper scratches.)

I have Connoisseur Quick Jewelry Cleanser gel but it does not remove tarnish; I use it for cleaning my gemstone jewelry.
If the wipes you have are tarnish removing, they should work fine.

 

[peridot]

Thanks.

Just a question about not getting the pieces wet. Normally, after I clean any piece of jewellery, I rinse the piece with water to remove any cleaners/chemicals/etc. as I don't like the idea of the cleaning compounds coming in contact with skin. Is there a way to do that and protect the stones?

 

[pearlsngems]

Wetting isn't a problem, but soaking could be. That is, being wet for a prolonged time.

 

[lambskin]

Are marcasites porous? I thought they were a hard stone.

 

[pearlsngems]

No, but soaking can loosen the glue holding them in.

 

[Winnie The Pooh]

There was once I went to a local jewelry store to clean my ring, and the owner told me to boil it with water+lye. I took a picture of it. Haven’t tried it though.

Anyone else here knows this trick?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

There was once I went to a local jewelry store to clean my ring, and the owner told me to boil it with water+lye. I took a picture of it. Haven’t tried it though.

Anyone else here knows this trick?

i dont know
but isnt lye really costic ?
most drain cleaners are