Conny's Children's Jewelry

Is it okay to wash silver and turquoise jewelry in soap and water?

Your problem with washing the piece is the turquoise, not the silver.

Silver (and gold and platinum for that matter) are routinely washed in soap and water as part of the finishing process of making it and also after polishing. In fact, the routine in polishing is normally polish, soap & water, ultrasonic (using another type of soap and water), water rinse, drying with cloth (not paper) towel, and steam. Then the whole process is repeated with a finer polish. Obviously, a lot of contact with soap and water. The only time you MIGHT have a rust problem is if your silver jewelry is poorly made and silver solder was not used but rather a non-silver solder high in tin.

The turquoise is your problem. Turquoise is a highly absorbent and soft stone. If your turquoise has been stabilized, it may be fine in soap and water for just a little while. If your turquoise has not been stabilized, it may very well permanently affect the color of the stone.

For your first cleaning you may want to take the piece to a jeweler and have them clean it. Ask them about the turquoise and what process they are using. Expect to pay for the cleaning, but make certain that you ask them about the turquoise and what they believe to be the best method of cleaning it. They should be able to tell by looking at the stone if it has been stabilized or not.

Good luck.

Genuine Turquoise Jewellery Handmade by Native American Indian Artisans