How Does Silver Tarnish?

Sterling silver is a precious metal that is popular with many, so it’s pretty and also a beautiful precious metal. Sterling silver can tarnish over time but it is not necessary. Pure silver does not tarnish. Pure silver is also very brittle and cannot be used all by itself for jewelry. For this reason mainly, 7.5 percent of the material is copper so that the alloy is stable. You’re wearing your sterling silver jewelry, your sterling silver jewelry constantly oxidizes and thus turns brown. Tarnish can be reversed with a little bit of cleaning and maintenance. 

What Is Tarnish?

Corrosion on silver products is known as tarnish. That tarnish is silver sulfide, which is black as the oldest of millstones. Pure silver does not tarnish. Sterling silver alloy metals will tarnish over time if they are in contact with hydrogen sulfide or sulfur containing compounds.

This silver is a flaw in that it tends to tarnish due to its makeup, containing copper, which with the assistance of the sulfur and oxygen will turn the silver gray. They also often create intricate designs with sterling silver jewelry, which lend themselves to nooks and crannies from tarnish accumulation. Cold or warm water and humidity can actually speed up the tarnishing of your silver jewelry too, so keeping silver jewelry in a dry place is key.

VISIT FOR :: 9 carat gold

Tarnish vs. Rust 

Corrosion is a process of causing an object to break down; and tarnish and rust are both types of corrosion. Exposure to oxygen causes tarnish, making the metal associate with its chemicals in the atmosphere. This makes a thin film on the surface of metal. Corrosion — rust — is caused by deterioration, chipping away at the metal and causing it to corrode. 

This occurs because the oxygen and moisture has exposed that device. It weakens metal, and metal becomes more brittle. This means that rust is something more than only cosmetic issues. If rust gets into your blood system by a cut or scratch, it can also be dangerous. Sterling silver does not rust because the metal gets copper in it, which does not rust.

Why Does Silver Tarnish? 

In jewelry we want the stuff we buy to keep lasting as long as we can and to make them use them to their fullest lifespan when we buy them. Most people work hard to make both ends meet and for some the jewelry may be a necessity, especially if you’re referring to gold, white gold or silver, but for others it's a luxury.

But for some, their silver is their prized possession because of sentimental value of it in the family, a gift from someone they love, a friend, a special someone or an heirloom.If you want a glamorous piece of jewelry but don’t want to spend a bit of money, silver is your metal. Silver, of course, tarnishes, and more often than is very pleasing. 

Contrary to what one may think, real sterling silver tarnishes too; however Free Silver is not all that reactive and will not interact with water or oxygen under normal conditions, however Free Silver is not appropriate for jewelry and for the record, it certainly tarnishes over time with constant use and exposure to high amounts of chemicals or high temperatures. Discoloration in items made of silver, such as jewelry or kitchen utensils, can have a yellowish tint, deep yellow, or be black, this is called silver tarnish. 

Corrosion:

Silver tarnishes because the metal in your jewelry becomes deteriorated. Under humid or wet conditions corrosion is typical. Chemicals in our perspiration though may be considered mild but it’s enough to cause corrosion on jewelry metals that we wear especially when it is supported by warmth and air. If enough salt is present with sterling silver, it readily corrodes on the skin. If you are to be handling salty stuff like chips, salted nuts or if you are cooking with salt or swimming in the ocean move any rings first.

Metallic Abrasion:

The chemicals used in your cosmetics and other liquids can tarnish or peel your silver jewelry and leave spots with black color. If you can purchase your makeup without the use of chemical compounds such as zinc oxide and calamine, some of these chemical compounds may be stronger than the ones that are used in jewelry and sometimes, removing the jewelry before you put the makeup on will keep the compounds from coming into contact with your jewelry and create abrasion. Leave the house and you should be the last thing you put on before you’re out.

Other Compounds: 

Also mostly, silver tarnishing is the presence of hydrogen sulfide or natural gasses in materials silver comes in contact with. Any sulfur containing materials can tarnish your silver and common cause is pollution/smoke from burnt fuel like coal or oil. If you live in areas with high levels of pollution, you should therefore clean your silver regularly after use.

VISIT FOR :: jewelry manufacturers

Sterling Silver Tarnishes Helpful Tips for Keeping Yours from Turning Green

Jewelry and Moisture Do Not Mix

Moisture is water, sweat, humidity, and anything that makes your hands feel wet. Where there is no air, there is no tarnish.'

Stores All Your Sterling Silver Jewellery Properly

●     Don't throw your jewelry on your dresser or side drawer, that will be your tragedy! For this reason, keep them apart, and remove them into a safe place besides.

●     While Wearing Your Sterling Silver, Avoid Contact with Harsh Chemicals

●     Sterling silver tarnishes by being sprayed harsh chemicals like hairspray.

●     Before we Storing Sterling Silver Jewelry, we Clean It and Polish It Very Thoroughly.

●     Even some of the very mild silver polish restores the shiny surface of your jewelry (looks new) as well as it removes tarnish from silver.

●     Clean it when the signs of tarnish start to appear.

●     You don’t need to wait until your sterling silver jewelry is very tarnished. Instead, clean it as soon as you see the first signs of tarnish. Now, the jewelry will stay looking new. Removing years of tarnish build up can be trying.

●     Sterling silver jewelry should be cleaned with a soft, lint free cloth.

But Wear It Regularly, with the ‘Last to Put On, First to Take Off’ Policy

But they can always help to keep your sterling silver jewelry from tarnishing if you wear it more often. Remember to take it off before swimming or showering, but that’s just part of the fun. Also put on jewelry, makeup and perfume. Sterling silver can also tarnish from makeup and the chemicals used to treat water in swimming pools. 

In the End

In actual sterling silver tarnish occurs in silver of low purity (between 92.5 per cent and 93.5 percent), sterling silver also tarnish (real silver), and pure silver does not react with water or oxygen at an ordinary temperature; however pure silver is not strong enough to be used in jewelry, for the record also pure silver tarnish to high temperatures or over extended exposure to chemicals.

READ MORE :: Understanding Precious Metal Purity Stamps