Why is my silver sterling jewellery tarnishing? Why does silver turn black, grey, or white after a few years?
Such questions are all too common among lovers of silver jewellery as silver does have a tendency to discolour over time. In many cases, in fact, the wearer believes that their silver jewellery is either fake or of a very low standard!
Let’s set the record straight: even the best quality silver jewellery, be it rings, necklaces, or otherwise, will ultimately tarnish. And, when it does turn black, grey, or white, what do you do? Do you just discard it or give it away?
Here’s everything you need to know about why silver tarnishes over time and what you can do to actually reverse the process in the comfort of your home.
Why silver jewellery tarnishes over time
Right, so why do all things silver tarnish and turn black or discolour?
Any kind of silver will tarnish over time, that’s a fact. This surface discolouration is a direct result of the interaction between oxygen and silver.
Silver interacts with the air (oxygen) and sulphur-bearing pollutants naturally to create silver sulphide. This is the main cause of discolouration on your silver jewellery which you tend to notice after a while. However, silver tarnishes faster in environments containing different kinds of sulphuric gases, even if their concentration is very low.
Now, the level of tarnishing is determined by a variety of factors: ambient temperature, relative humidity, concentration of gas in the air, and the duration for which your silver jewellery is exposed to such gases. With sterling silver in particular, this process is completely normal and quite noticeable, occurring relatively quickly compared to other kinds of silver jewellery.
So, as we’ve just learned, a number of things can speed up tarnishing in silver: pollution in the air as well as the amount of minerals present in the water (some people wear their silver jewellery while showering or swimming and this can speed up tarnishing), and whether you live near or work in a chemical, manufacturing, or electric plant. All these are factors that can contribute to discolouration in silver more quickly.
Multiple studies have shown that tarnishing in silver occurs at the microscopic level within hours of the silver piece or jewellery being cleaned with a silver cleaning cloth and getting exposed to the air again, but this is only under specific circumstances as we will soon find out.
You will likely not notice any changes after cleaning your piece for up to several days and even weeks, even though the process is gradually unfolding!
Tarnish shows up initially as black residue on a silver polishing cloth. This is why many silver jewellery wearers keep their seldom-worn jewellery clean by storing it in a ziplock bag with all the air pushed or rolled out of it before sealing it. For added protection, you can wrap your jewellery in a soft cloth beforehand and then place it in a ziplock bag but make sure you squeeze all that air out!
With that said, this will not offer 100% protection against environmental elements and, therefore, tarnish will likely seep in and eventually cause blackening. This happens particularly when you store your pieces for long durations, although the above measures will definitely offer some level of protection to keep the tarnish to a minimum.
Tips to keep your silver jewellery tarnish to a minimum
If you look at the colour of your silver jewellery, you can probably tell the extent to which it has tarnished. An important thing to note is that not all tarnished silver jewellery takes a blackish appearance, as some pieces turn to a brown-red, yellow-brown, and even blue colour. This variation in colour of the tarnished silver is due to a naturally occurring phenomenon known as thin film interference.
The colour of the tarnish depends on a mix of the different environmental lights which the two surfaces reflect – the topmost surface of the tarnish and the silver beneath the layers. Over time, the thickness of the tarnish becomes more apparent, and once this thickness reaches its maximum intensity, you tend to see your silver jewellery turning black due to the actual chemical compound (silver sulfide), and this is what causes the tarnish.
While we have a fairly good understanding of why silver tarnishes over time, that’s not to say that you shouldn’t choose this beautiful metal for, say, bracelets, necklaces, or pendants. People continue to choose sterling silver, for example, as its underlying properties make for some incredible jewellery which can last you years.
Naturally, with any piece of jewellery, you’d want to ensure regular care, which means restricting as much contact with water, moisture, and chemicals as possible, as well as storing it separately in an airtight packing to keep moisture out and prevent exposure to very high or low temperatures. Here are more tips to help you keep that tarnish off your silver jewellery as much as possible:
Moisture is your enemy
Nearly all kinds of jewellery, including silver, is more susceptible to tarnishing when allowed to be submerged in water (even for a few seconds), not to mention exposure to humid environments.
Always keep your sterling silver jewellery in a cool and dry place, such as an airtight bag, jewellery box, or container. And remember, push out all the air before sealing your bag so that as little oxidation occurs as possible.
Did you know that by adding a few bits of chalk to the bag or container, you can help prevent tarnishing to your silver jewellery? Just store each piece separately so that no scratching or tangling occurs.
Avoid harsh chemicals
Products like perfumes, shampoos, lotions, and hairsprays, contain plenty of sulfates. And, whether the residue from these sulfate particles is on your hands or airborne, they can make silver tarnish a lot faster once they come into contact with it.
Keep this golden rule in mind: ‘Silver jewellery to be the last item to wear and the first to remove’.
So, in essence, ensure that you wear your silver jewellery only after you are fully dressed, so that you don’t accidently get any perfume or makeup particles on it – and also see to it that the jewellery is the first thing you remove, even before removing your makeup. Furthermore, while handling makeup or when you have lotion on your hands, avoid making contact with your silver jewellery.
Start cleaning as soon as you see early signs of tarnishing
Some people fall into the trap of cleaning their sterling silver jewellery only after they start to see it tarnish significantly. This is not recommended because once the tarnishing process begins, getting rid of multiple layers of sulfide which have accumulated over time is going to be difficult. Even professional cleaning materials and techniques may not restore your jewellery to its former glory.
What we recommend you do is clean your jewellery the moment you start seeing the initial signs of tarnish. This way, you can maintain your silver jewelry’s luster, ensuring that it ages gracefully and elegantly over the years.
Wear your statement pieces often
No matter what kind of silver jewellery you own at the moment, try to wear it as often as you can. It’s understandable that you might want to take your favourite statement pieces out only for special occasions, but this can indirectly speed up the tarnishing process.
However, wearing your pieces often can keep them nice, shiny, and lustrous. Are you surprised? The natural oils your skin releases actually protects the jewellery from being affected too much by the sulfur-producing gases in the environment, thus, preventing it from tarnishing to some degree and helping you maintain the silver’s wonderful, natural shine.
Buy some high-quality silver care products
There are a number of silver maintenance solutions which can be bought online. These can inhibit the tarnishing process, keeping your silver jewellery gleaming year after year. Some of these silver maintenance products include:
- Silver tarnish inhibitors
- Silver dips
- Silver polishes
- Silver polishing cloths
These products are specially formulated to help in the removal of silver jewellery tarnish, particularly at the early stages, as that’s when they are most effective. A combination of silver polish and silver jewellery polishing cloth contains certain chemical compounds which can keep your silver jewellery looking almost brand new and also restore its original luster.
With all things said, it is best to have your silver jewellery polished and cleaned by a certified jeweller at regular intervals.
Additional silver jewellery cleaning tips
In addition to the above, these cleaning methods can also help, depending on how much oxidation has accumulated on your jewellery:
When there’s light tarnish and your piece is losing its luster
If you see early signs of tarnish, all you need is some hot soapy water. It doesn’t have to be very hot, just hot enough for you to be able to easily wash your jewellery without burning your skin!
Either laundry soap or a mild liquid detergent is fine. Once washed, wipe your piece off with a soft cotton or microfibre cloth.
When there is considerable tarnish and your jewellery looks grey
If you notice that your silver jewellery is starting to turn grey, go ahead and make a slurry of hot water, laundry soap, and baking soda.
Apply it gently to the surface of your piece by rubbing it uniformly with a toothbrush through gentle and consistent motions. If you don’t have access to laundry soap, use mild liquid detergent. Once done, wipe off your piece with a soft dry cotton or microfibre cloth.
Need to clean a thin or intricate silver chain? You can easily do that without tearing it or upsetting the links: simply wrap it around your index finger and then apply the cleaning slurry. Alternatively, you can pour a little baking soda and soap into your palm, place the chain, and then rub both palms together to clean it. This will help to clean and polish the links from within. However, be careful not to do this with Cuban weaving chains as the links could bend.
When there is strong tarnish and the entire piece is covered in a black oxide film
See strong tarnish on your silver jewellery? Not to worry:
- Submerge your piece in alcohol, gasoline, or other similar solvent.
- Rinse it in hot water using laundry soap and baking soda.
- Next, fill a stainless or enamel bowl halfway with water. Add a spoonful of citric acid and boil the solution. Now place your jewellery piece in the boiling solution for 10-15 minutes.
- To restore you piece’s original shine, apply a slurry of hot water, laundry soap, and baking soda using a toothbrush. Gently rub it in using consistent motions.
- Wipe dry with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth.
These simple steps can you help you maintain the shine and luster of your silver jewellery, keeping it practically as eye-popping and attractive as the day you bought it!
Conclusion: Common questions about silver and tarnish
Does silver jewellery tarnish very quickly?
The rate at which silver jewellery tarnishes and develops a discoloured appearance depends on the frequency and concentration of the sulfate gases it is exposed to.
If your jewellery is frequently exposed to environments with high levels of sulfate-releasing gases, then it can actually tarnish in just a matter of hours (yikes!).
However, by storing your silver jewellery in a dry place with relatively low levels of moisture and sunlight, it shouldn’t tarnish even for years. Or, at least, the tarnish will be minimal as it’s not possible to protect your jewellery from the atmosphere all the time.
Is tarnish the same as rust?
Both tarnish and rust are natural processes as a result of jewellery being exposed to the elements. While rusting wears off and actually erodes the core material, tarnish does not damage the silver material beneath.
Silver tarnishing occurs at the surface level only and can be reversed with the right cleaning and polishing techniques. Rust, however, spreads rapidly and deteriorates the material underneath.
The sterling silver jewellery available at The Biker Shop is made from the highest-quality materials, built to last and provide many years of pleasure to the wearer. Browse through our collection of sterling silver rings and other silver jewellery now.