Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: oldsheep on February 05, 2015, 02:02:47 PM
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I wore my favourite ring that I've worn all the time for 10 years one too many times to the pool. It's hard to get off, so I was lazy and didn't bother. It's quite wide and silver with a pattern and a central, little blue stone (not valuable, just I love it).
The blue stone has fallen out and got lost; the silver in the ring has suddenly turned black. That must have happened when I swam yesterday afternoon as it looked ok yesterday morning.
I just wondered if it was repairable in terms of a new stone inserted? And how would I remove the black? I was going to soak it in white vinegar but didn't want to do any more damage without asking. Thanks!
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Gold will clean up if you soak it in alcohol. Gin,or vodka. Not sure about silver though.
A good jeweller should be able to replace the stone.
What a shame, I really hope you can get it sorted.
Honeyb
X
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It should clean with some silver polish. Brasso if you are really stuck or a paste of bicarb of soda. Or toothpaste! A good jeweller will replace the stone no bother - I have had the pearls in my ring replaced lots of time.
Bramble
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I have a 'silver cloth' for polishing silver and this works well on jewellery too - it is less messy than polish.
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Toothpaste works a treat. I have a silver & gold ring which hubby got me for our silver wedding anniversary. I wore it in the pool on holiday & it turned black. A quick rub under running water with toothpaste & it looked like new.
Is it possible stone is in the pool? Of course it may be hard to tell. Take it to a good jeweller regarding the stone though.
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The gentlest way of cleaning metal is using washing soda and aluminium foil, and it's dead easy!
Put a piece of foil (ordinary kitchen aluminium foil) in the bottom of a plastic bowl. Add had-hot water and throw in a handful of basic washing soda (you can get it from most supermarkets). Swirl the soda to dissolve. Now put your items to clean in the solution, making sure it touches the foil - tarnish will almost drop off anywhere in the water. A gently rub will help, and you can use a soft toothbrush to get into awkward bits. Give it a rinse in clean water, and dry/buff with a soft cloth - job done!
This has worked on every piece of jewellry I've tried it on, and I used to clean all the trophies at school this way, as it's so easy and leaves no polish residue in corners!
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DON'T touch it. Take it to a jeweller - not a retail chain but someone who makes, designs, repairs jewellery. I had a crack in my wedding ring so DH bought me a 2nd, eventually I had them melted down by a jeweller in Banbury - all his work is done on site and nothing leaves the premises ;)
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thank you so much everyone x
I knew I should ask on here! I will try the clean up ideas - Scampi, yours is intriguing, will give it a go! - then the 'only' task is to find a jeweller. We have a lot of craft jewellers at our local market who sell earrings and rings, and I might ask one of them first up.
So weird that it's been to the pool with me for a couple of years and turned black just yesterday. I'm wondering how much chlorine was in the pool yesterday :o !
thanks xxx
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Ask the local craft people before you try cleaning the ring! It is more likely to be sulphur than chlorine ……. [DH is a chemist ;-) ]
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yes, I'd have thought chlorine might clean it (bleach?). It's odd. I'll ask the jewellery stall people tomorrow if I can, or sunday.
I tried the toothpaste which hasn't worked. I've added soda crystals to my supermarket delivery tomorrow.
Assume that's what you meant by 'washing soda' as a search for that just brings up laundry detergent.
If that's no good, I'll use the soda crystals on my drains!
Feeling more positive that it's repairable, so thank you x
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I think if it was my ring oldsheep I would take it to a reputable Jewellers for help on cleaning and for a stone to be replaced.
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Yes Oldsheep - soda crystals. I checked on-line (as it's a while since I bought any!) to make sure it's the right stuff - you can enhance the cleaning effect by adding some common table salt too. It removes the silver sulphates that cause the tarnish.
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I reiterate - take it to the jewellery stall!
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Not well today but if I'm able tomorrow will take it to the jewellery stall first. I tried toothpaste for a sec and it got enough off for me to notice that the stone hasn't fallen out but had also gone black.
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Oh that is GREAT! ………
Oh, the stone being there, not your feeling poorly ::)
No rush then - it will wait until you feel better! :foryou:
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Spoke too soon. Held it under bright light with my specs on ( ::)) and only a small bit of the stone is there. So it will need a new stone.
Good thing is that my cousin's son's wife is a jeweller, so I'm waiting for her to say ok....
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You must have banged the ring hard then to lose part of a stone :-\
How you feeling?
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I'm ok thanks, just thicker than normal. Went to auto check out at our local M&S and had to be helped to use the machine as I'd put my card in the wrong way ::) not well enough to pop down the hill to the jewellery stall though.
Need to find a nice blue colour stone for the centre of the ring. Sadly not sapphire! It was a pale blue, don't know what. I think it worked its way loose over time. I shouldn't have worn it swimming though. I take my wedding ring off. Also have just started taking my neck chain off. It's hell to get off as has a delicate, fiddly Victorian clip (was my gran's). Must have been mad not to take it off before but sometimes I can't get it undone by myself.
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What about a nice blue Spinel oldsheep
http://www.gemselect.com/other-info/blue-spinel-gems.php
http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/spinel/
I had some from loose Spinel stones and some Fire Opals from Australia that I had put into rings.
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I love Blue John ……. also Topaz - I have several variations of the latter in rings/necklaces.
Better 2-day?
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Much better thanks. I'd only heard of tanzanite and this stone is too small for that as little tanzanite stones look a bit washed out IMHO. I can see I'm going to have to look around. I do want a lightish blue but something that throws off light.
Bit fed up though as poor OH is working insane hours in new job. Today he started at home at 6.30, no breakfast, rushed off and I've just rung to nag him to come home (takes an hour on public transport and bike) at 8.55pm. We don't even speak during the day as it's so intense. He's finding it interesting but he's 53 and I worry. Oh well. Sorry to get sidetracked.
It's our 30 th wedding anniversary beginning March so it'd be nice to get the ring fixed by then. He gave it to me but neither of us can remember where or when! ;D
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::) ………. will the long hours get less as he settles into the Job?
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don't think so unfortunately. I'll have to find more things to do. Went to Wildlife Photo of Year exhibition yesterday the other side of London. It was wonderful.
Hopefully get started on the ring repair this weekend.
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I love going to the British Bird Fair to see the photo competitions there and several years ago, DH entered a photo competition at Welney being run by the Wetlands Trust. There is a lot of talent out there! I also like looking at those sent in to the Bird Food Company [name escapes me].
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Did you get it repaired yet?
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:bounce:
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Oldsheep, like CLKD says, how is the ring?