TARNISHING?

Solid Silver Turning Skin Black or Green

For silver (whether sterling or antitarnish) you should always be aware that some people are more prone to their silver causing discolouration, especially on rings.

A simple Google search will show you that solid silver can turn black or green and that doesn’t mean it’s “fake” or “low quality” or “silver plated”. Even 935 antitarnish silver can tarnish, especially as sterling solder paste and bezel cups are used from time to time.

There are various factors that can exacerbate tarnish and copper transfer, such as the heat and humidity, how much you sweat (and the pH/composition of your sweat!), whether you use hand lotion or alcohol gel, how much you wash your hands and the soap you use. Tarnish is more of a problem in 2020 than ever before with people handwashing more frequently and using alcohol gel because of the coronavirus.

Why is your ring tarnishing when others aren’t? Your other rings may be rhodium plated if they are mass-produced or perhaps covered with Renaissance Wax which can help prevent it. We don’t use Renaissance Wax as it has a very strong chemical smell which some people find off-putting.

Reducing and Resolving Tarnish

You can reduce the risk of your silver tarnishing by keeping your hands dry, removing your rings if you need to be using alcohol gel, and removing them for showering, bathing, swimming, and saunas. These things are necessary for keeping resin from yellowing too quickly as well. If you sweat lots, you can try using powder. Some foods can cause tarnish, especially eggs and oily foods.

If you have experienced this kind of tarnish, you can polish the piece regularly with a silver polishing cloth like we provide with your jewellery.  You could also try coating the inside of your ring with clear nail varnish as recommended in this blog, or for a longer-lasting fix you can buy Jewelry Shield here on Amazon.

Even if you say “I’ve worn silver jewellery before” or even “my other silver rings don’t do this” but please remember that you may be wearing silver rings that are rhodium plated, which is popular amongst mass-produced jewellery companies like Pandora, or you may have worn silver in the past but have recently been sweating more or using alcohol gel. A tarnishing silver ring is not a fault.