MY STERLING SILVER HAS TARNISHED
The horror of seeing your new (or old) silver jewellery go black is akin to taking your new top out the wash and finding it SHRUNK - why is this happening and is it ruined? Yes your top is ruined, you should donate it. Your silver however is absolutely perfectly fine (yay)! A small reaction has occurred on the surface which can be caused by a number of different elements which we will get into.
The main thing to remember is that sterling silver isn’t ‘bad’ or ‘dodgy’ or coated with something weird. Sterling 925 silver tarnishes, sometimes quickly, sometimes over time, it has no bearing on the ‘quality’ of the silver. Maybe your silver has never tarnished before and suddenly has now, this is a puzzle to be solved as more than likely, if we supplied a replacement piece the same culprit that tarnished the first piece may strike again, so it’s important to identify the cause.
Rather than seeing the jewellery as broken, it's better to think of it like a surface in your house, if you had a table that kept getting dust on you wouldn’t replace the table you’d address the dust!
What is tarnishing?
Tarnishing is a natural process where metals like silver, gold, and copper react with elements in their environment, causing a change in color and appearance, often a dulling effect. This chemical reaction typically involves oxidation, where metals react with oxygen or sulfur-containing gases in the air. While tarnish doesn't damage the metal itself, it can alter its aesthetic qualities.
- Silver: Silver tarnishes by forming silver sulfide, which appears as a black or brownish film.
- Copper: Copper tarnishes, developing a greenish or brown patina.
- Gold: Gold can tarnish as well, although it's less common than in other metals.
What are the causes of tarnishing?
- Sulfur in the Air:
Silver naturally reacts with sulfur compounds, like hydrogen sulfide, in the air to create silver sulfide, which appears as a dark tarnish. - Food and Drinks:
Certain foods (eggs, onions, fish), drinks (wine), and other substances like rubber bands or certain types of cardboard can contain sulfur and accelerate tarnishing. - Body Chemistry:
Individual skin pH and body oils can also cause silver to tarnish, particularly if they are acidic or oily. This can personally also change day to day depending on whether you’ve been having a few vinos! - Environment / Products:
High humidity, air pollution, perfume, suncream and exposure to cleaning products can also speed up the tarnishing process. We always get emails the first weekend after a sunny spell due to the suncream reacting with the silver. - Moisture:
Moisture, both in the air and on the skin, can react with copper in sterling silver (which is typically 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper) causing green discoloration or accelerated tarnishing. Going on holiday where the humidity is different from what you're used to can cause tarnishing.
How do I prevent tarnishing?
Store Silver Properly:
Keep silver in a cool, dry place, away from moisture and sulfur-containing substances (eg. don't store in cardboard packaging). Our little rat pouches are are anti-tarnish so should help!
How do I fix a tarnished piece?
The tin foil and baking soda method
This works a treat especially on tarnished chains!! We will let the experts at arm and hammer give you the tutorial here.
A polishing pad
Our favorite tried and tested method is this: Step 1: Use this type of polishing pad, this is a foam one and works brilliantly to remove tarnish. If you want to be extra fancy, follow this up with a fabric polishing cloth like this for extra snazzy shine
We are also always happy to give your jewels a touch up so if that's your preference give us a shout at info@ratbetty.com or via the contact form here 🙂
If you have any problems or questions at all PLEASE LET US KNOW!! We want your jewellery to be SHINING.
