Smart beads

[LynnK]

I LOVE Smart Beads.  They are the best for my necklaces using the silver and gold Softflex wires.  But they seem to tarnish immediately?

Anyone else having the issue?  If so, what do you do to combat it?  I've started storing all my jewelry in plastic bags, but wondered if there was another method.

Thanks
Lynn

[Polly]

That's a good question, and I don't know the answer.

Many sterling (and silver-plated) findings have a lacquer finish to slow down tarnishing ... so the item isn't tarnished before you sell it.  The Smart beads probably can't get a lacquer like that, due to the substance they are filled with.

In-house, we try to be very careful to have clean hands before weighing/counting sterling findings and beads, because oils on skin will start the tarnish process quickly.  But somewhere along the line, before R&T, at R&T, or at your workbench, perhaps yours were exposed to something that helped them tarnish more quickly.

It might be worth cutting strips of these anti-tarnish strips to put in the bags with Smart Bead jewelry, or any sterling or silver-plated jewelry that is having an annoying tendency to tarnish.

And, wash hands frequently when working with sterling beads and findings.

--Polly