The best way to clean traditional jewelry is dry, with a soft cloth, and to store it dry and separate from other pieces. Dip cleaners, toothpaste, or aluminum foil damage the surface, and you should never brush a Gamsbart (the tuft of chamois hair worn on the hat).
Here you'll learn how to care for jewelry with an antique silver-tone finish, silver-plated pieces, crystals, and your Gamsbart so they stay beautiful for many festivals to come. We are the Kube family from Bad Endorf, and under the name Trachtenschmuck Stephan we have been making traditional jewelry since 1949, with our own electroplating shop.
The essentials at a glance
- Antique silver-tone finish: gently rub only the raised areas, and never polish the dark recesses bright.
- Off limits: dip cleaners, toothpaste, and aluminum foil.
- Crystals: clean according to the manufacturer's care instructions.
- Gamsbart: never brush, store it hanging, revive it over moist air if needed, no hot steam.
- Storage: dry, each piece on its own, Swiss stone pine (Zirbe) only for the Gamsbart and never for metal.
Why an antique silver-tone finish needs special care
Antique silver-tone is not a material but a surface finish. With this finish, the recesses of a piece are deliberately kept dark, while the raised areas stay bright. It's this contrast that makes vines, flowers, and fine lines look three-dimensional.
“Antique silver-tone for a warm, rustic character. Silver-plated for a clean, refined finish.”
Sebastian Kube, Trachtenschmuck-Manufaktur
If you polish an antique silver-tone piece hard, you scrub exactly this patina out of the recesses. That can't be undone at home. So the rule is: wipe only the raised areas with a soft, dry cloth and leave the recesses alone.
How to clean traditional jewelry correctly
| Surface | How to do it | Better not |
|---|---|---|
| Antique silver-tone finish (e.g. buttons, hat ornaments, charivari chains) | soft, dry cloth, raised areas only | silver polish, dip cleaners, hard polishing |
| Silver-plated, shiny (e.g. silver-plated pea chain) | remove tarnish with a silver polishing cloth | toothpaste, aluminum foil with salt or baking soda, abrasive cleaners |
| Crystals | follow the manufacturer's official care instructions | experimenting with home remedies |
| Gamsbart | store hanging, revive over moist air | brush, hot steam, water |
Toothpaste, dip cleaners, and home remedies like aluminum foil in a salt bath act on the entire surface, including the recesses. On an antique silver-tone finish, that wipes out the contrast we deliberately created in the workshop.
Our silver-plated pea chain will tarnish over time, which is normal for silver plating. A silver polishing cloth is all you need to bring back the shine.
Storing it right: dry and separate
It's best to keep each piece on its own, for example in a pouch or a compartment. That way choker necklaces, charivaris, and lapel pins don't scratch each other, and fine chains don't get tangled. The spot should be dry, so not the bathroom.
After the festival, take a quick look: gently dab off moisture or beer splashes with a cloth before the jewelry goes back in its box.
Caring for your Gamsbart
The Gamsbart is a natural piece and needs different care than metal. The most important rule: never brush it. The fine hairs break and the tuft loses its shape.
- Store it hanging: that way nothing rests on the hairs and they don't get bent.
- Revive it when needed: hold the tuft briefly over moist air so the hairs stand up again.
- No hot steam: too much heat damages the tuft.
A Gamsbart holder keeps the tuft in shape on the hat. On the “Gams” Gamsbart holder with support, a ring takes care of that.
“With the fine screw you can fix your pieces in place, and the support with a ring keeps the tuft in shape.”
Sebastian Kube
Swiss stone pine: good for the Gamsbart, bad for silver
Swiss stone pine (Zirbe) wood protects the Gamsbart from moths. But it makes silver and silver-plated pieces tarnish black. So store the Gamsbart with stone pine and keep your metal jewelry separate, not in the same stone pine box.
Good to know: nickel and our electroplating
Many of our buttons and jewelry parts are made of brass and finished in our own electroplating shop. We do our own nickel plating and silver plating, so we control the surface from the very start.
“This is where buttons are stamped, shaped, joined, and a lot more.”
Sebastian Kube
That also means our pieces may contain nickel. If you're sensitive to nickel, write to us before you buy and we'll work out together which piece is right for you. In the EU, limits on nickel release apply to jewelry that is in prolonged contact with the skin.
FAQ: caring for traditional jewelry
Can I clean traditional jewelry with toothpaste?
No. Toothpaste attacks the surface and, on an antique silver-tone finish, takes the dark recesses with it.
What do I use to clean silver-plated pieces?
A silver polishing cloth. It easily removes tarnish. For antique silver-tone pieces, a soft, dry cloth is enough.
How do I get a crushed Gamsbart back into shape?
Hold it briefly over moist air until the hairs stand up, then let it dry hanging. Don't brush it and don't use hot steam.
Can I store jewelry and my Gamsbart together in a stone pine box?
Better not. Stone pine keeps moths away from the Gamsbart but turns silver black.
Does your jewelry contain nickel?
Our pieces may contain nickel, and some are nickel-plated in our electroplating shop. If you're sensitive to nickel, feel free to ask us first. You'll also find details in our FAQ.
To go with it: choker necklaces and ribbon chokers, charivaris for men, and traditional buttons.
See all lapel pins and hat ornaments
Read more in our guide: Charivari: Meaning, Charms, and How to Wear It and Kropfkette: Origin, Length, and Styling
About the author: Sebastian Kube runs the Trachtenschmuck-Manufaktur in Bad Endorf in the Chiemgau region together with his family. Under the name Trachtenschmuck Stephan, the family has been making traditional jewelry, buttons, and clasps since 1949, now in the fourth generation. More about us
Sources: Experience from our own workshop and electroplating shop; care instructions of the crystal manufacturer; Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH), Annex XVII, entry 27 (nickel), EUR-Lex.