How to Store Jewelry So It Doesn't Tarnish, Tangle or Scratch

Jewelry spends far more time stored than worn, and that is where most of the damage happens: tarnish from air, scratches from other pieces, cords crushed under heavier things, chains that tie themselves in knots. The good news is that storage is the cheapest part of jewelry care to get right.

The three enemies

Air. Silver tarnishes by reacting with sulfur compounds in ordinary air. The less air, the slower the tarnish. Brass darkens the same way, more slowly.

Contact. Anything harder scratches anything softer. Stone scratches silver; silver scratches pewter; a steel clasp scratches everything. Pieces stored in a heap scratch each other every time the drawer opens.

Weight and tangling. Cords, wraps and multi-strand pieces crush and kink under heavier neighbors, and fine chains knot the moment they are left loose.

Silver

Store silver in a closed container with as little air as possible: a small zip bag with the air pressed out, a lined box, or a pouch inside a drawer. Anti-tarnish strips, which are cheap paper squares that absorb sulfur, extend the time between polishes considerably. Wear it often; skin oils slow tarnish more than any storage does. For hill tribe silver, which is softer than sterling, keep each piece in its own pouch so it does not scratch against harder metals. The silver care piece has the polishing routine.

Brass and copper

The same closed-container logic, but with less urgency; brass darkens slowly and many people prefer it darker. The bigger risk for forged pieces is scratching, because a hammered surface shows a scratch across its facets. Store cuffs and collars from the forged collection individually, or with a cloth between them.

Wood, horn and textile

Dry, dark and flat. These materials are not scratched easily and do not tarnish, but they dislike water, sun and heat. A drawer or a lined box away from a window is ideal. Lay multi-strand pieces flat with the clasp closed so the strands stay in order. Nothing heavy on top.

Pewter and cast pieces

Pewter is soft. A pewter pendant stored loose with a stone ring will pick up scratches. Give cast pieces a pouch each, or a lined compartment. They do not tarnish, so air is not the concern; contact is.

Stones

Hard stones scratch soft metals and each other. Store stone pieces separately from everything else. Moonstone, tourmaline and quartz are hard enough for daily wear but should not rattle against silver in a drawer. Rough-cut stones have points; keep them from resting on other pieces.

Chains and cords

Fasten every clasp before storing. A closed chain knots far less than an open one. Hang fine chains if you can; otherwise lay them in individual compartments. Coil cords loosely, never tightly, and never fold a leather or waxed cord at a sharp angle, which creases it permanently.

What to buy, and what not to

You need: small zip bags or pouches, a lined box or drawer insert with compartments, and optionally anti-tarnish strips. You do not need: velvet display stands, which expose silver to air and gather dust; jewelry trees, which tangle chains and let pieces knock together; or anything that keeps jewelry in the bathroom, where humidity and hairspray do steady damage.

Travel

Roll pieces in a soft cloth or use a travel roll with separate pockets. Thread chains through a drinking straw to prevent knots. Wood and textile pieces travel best of all; wrap them in a scarf and forget about them.