Dale Armstrong's Storing Your Jewelry

Storing Your Jewelry

by Dale Armstrong

Question:

I would like to know what you think is the best way to store your Sterling Silver and Gold Filled Jewelry in between shows and sales.

Instructions

Answer:

For long periods between shows, all of my jewelry pieces are stored in individual plastic bags in sectioned, flocked jewelry inserts in plastic trays (that lock together on top of one another). The ends of the trays are labeled so I know what is where when I need to pull a product in a hurry; such as Small Cab Pendants/gf, Designer Pendants, Crystal Earrings/gf and one for sterling silver, and another for argentium labeled Arg, etc. I also save the silica gel packs (that are found in many products we all purchase today) and place them under the fabric in the glass display cases I have in the show area of my studio, to help eliminate moisture-producing tarnish. I do not store my Akoya or freshwater pearls in plastic though, these are just in the above-described trays, each with a silica gel pack. (There are some folks who use small pieces of chalk in their trays/cases to reduce the moisture as well.) During show season, my pieces are just in their trays with no individual packaging, as working every weekend is just too much for all of the packaging. Whatever method you decide to use, make sure you can get to your stock easily, and be sure to check your pieces about two weeks before a show so you have time to do any cleaning that may be necessary.

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong