Have you noticed how the color of silver jewelry changes over time? Have you ever wondered why, when you bought a product, it shone and shone, but a couple of months after the purchase, the color became duller or the jewelry even turned black?
Discoloration is common to any jewelry made using argentum. This is due to the manufacturing technology itself, or more precisely, to the need to add various impurities. If jewelry was made without them, it would be too soft and short-lived. One of the required ingredients is copper, and in fact, it is because of it that silver turns black. Upon contact with compounds containing sulfur, oxidation occurs under the influence of oxygen, causing the material to become darker.
If silver on the body turns black after wearing it for several weeks or months, it means that a reaction has occurred between sulfuric acid salts, which are found in human sweat, and argentum. Sometimes the process occurs fundamentally faster, for example, after 1-2 days, and this may be due to the fact that the person:
- Forgot to take off a ring, chain or other jewelry when going to the gym or outdoor workout. During physical activity, sweat is released especially intensely, so the formation of plaque on the surface is quite normal.
- The person found himself in a stressful situation, for example, he was very scared or nervous at work. Due to nervous overstrain, the sweating process is activated, so silver comes into contact with an increased concentration of sulfates and, accordingly, quickly darkens.
- Does not protect the product from the effects of household chemicals, cosmetics and products. Few people know that if onion juice comes into contact with metal frequently, it can turn black. The situation is similar with exposure to cosmetics, dishwashing detergents, washing powder or glass cleaners.
- Lives in a country with a humid climate or regularly stays in rooms where there is a high concentration of moisture in the air. Water procedures also negatively affect the condition of jewelry. Many people regularly shower, bathe, go to the pool or sauna, and then wonder why the silver has darkened?! It’s all about oxidation of the metal, so in order to avoid deterioration in the appearance of jewelry, it makes sense to remove it before each bath. This will take no more than 2-3 minutes, but will allow you to preserve the original charm of the ring, pendant and earrings.
- Lives in an area with a high degree of air pollution. Substances from the environment can also cause silver to change color.
Interesting! Jewelry worn around the neck darkens the fastest. This is where the most sweat is excreted, and accordingly, the metal is oxidized more intensely.
Poor quality is the cause of plaque
It is quite normal if, sometime after purchase, the product darkens, especially with active wear. If the reaction occurs literally immediately, and you were not nervous and took off the product before going to the bathroom or cooking, there is reason to seriously think about the quality of the earrings, bracelet, chain or pendant. One common reason why silver darkens is because there are too many impurities in the alloy. That is, the higher the standard and the fewer additional components, the longer the jewelry will retain its original visual appearance. The risk of blackening is minimal if you choose 925 grade products – these are the types of jewelry presented in the SunnyArmenia assortment.