Causes of Darkening and Discoloration of 925 Silver Jewelry | Proper Care
What would you do if your beloved silver accessories started to darken or tarnish? Also, do you know how to care for your jewelry to make it last longer?
We receive a lot of inquiries from customers who visit our directly managed stores about how to prevent silver accessories from turning black and how to care for them. However, many customers who have purchased items from other stores say, "I want to take care of my silver accessories, but I don't know what material the accessories I'm wearing are made of."
If the seller is unable to properly explain how to care for the product, it may be because they lack the necessary knowledge. We believe that the seller should provide proper instructions on how to care for the product when handing it over to the customer.
At Aletta Jewelry, we recommend regular maintenance to prevent tarnishing and allow you to enjoy the delicate beauty of 925 silver for a long time. You don't need to worry too much, but if you take moderate care, your silver accessories will age beautifully.
If you are concerned about the darkening or discoloration of your silver accessories, and would like to continue to take good care of your jewelry in the future, be sure to take advantage of the knowledge we will introduce here.
The difference between blackening and rust in 925 silver accessories
A frequently asked question is, "Does 925 silver rust?" This question has a premise. That is, "Silver does not rust." The silver mentioned here refers to 925 silver, or so-called silver products.
Many people confuse "silver products (silver 925)" with "silver-colored accessories." Silver-colored accessories include brass and stainless steel. Any material can be made to look like silver by applying a silver-color coating. Inexpensive silver-colored accessories are often sold using this technique, so be sure to check the material before purchasing.
While brass, stainless steel, and iron will rust, the darkening and discoloration that occurs in 925 silver accessories is not "rust." Generally, rust refers to the phenomenon in which metal reacts with oxygen and moisture in the air, causing corrosion. However, 925 silver does not corrode like iron, and the darkening and discoloration are merely superficial.
Therefore, with proper care such as polishing and proper cleaning, the surface can be kept shiny while maintaining the beauty of aging. This ability to "restore shine" is one of the reasons why 925 silver accessories can be enjoyed for a long time.
So why does 925 silver products darken or tarnish? There are three main reasons why silver bullion tarnishes or darkens.
sulfide
The main cause of blackening of 925 silver is a phenomenon called "sulfidation." Sulfidation occurs when silver reacts with sulfur in the air, causing the surface to turn black. Sulfur is also found in hot springs and rubber products, and sulfidation is particularly likely to occur in humid environments.
oxidation
Another cause of darkening and discoloration is oxidation. Oxidation is a phenomenon in which the surface of a metal discolors when it reacts with oxygen in the air. Silver 925 contains approximately 7.5% copper, which can oxidize and cause darkening. Oxidation is also the cause of discoloration in brass and copper accessories.
Water and chemicals
Reaction with chlorine is also one of the causes of discoloration. Discoloration is unlikely to occur with tap water, but contact with pool water with high chlorine concentrations or seawater containing salt can make it more susceptible to discoloration. It is safest to avoid swimming in a pool or the ocean while wearing silver jewelry. Sweat can also cause darkening and discoloration.
The main causes of darkening and discoloration of 925 silver in daily life
Exposure to pools, hot springs, or seawater
Store in a humid place such as a shoe closet.
Leaving your sweaty skin untreated
The three main reasons that cause silver 925 accessories to darken or discolor in everyday life are listed above. If darkening does not occur, there is no need to worry about it, but if darkening does occur, you will need to address these causes one by one.
How to prevent 925 silver from tarnishing or darkening
Next, we will introduce ways to prevent silver accessories from darkening or tarnishing.
The three important points to prevent discoloration are to remove as many factors as possible that cause discoloration, to store the garment properly, and to wipe it off after wearing. Pay particular attention to sweat that may have accumulated while wearing the garment and the storage environment.
Some people are more susceptible to tarnish due to factors such as the environment in which they use their accessories, how they are stored, or their constitution. It is difficult to say for sure that this is the exact cause, so if you feel that your silver accessories (including those coated with rhodium or gold) are prone to tarnish or darkening, we recommend that you try out the methods we will introduce below.
Daily care to prevent tarnishing of silver 925 accessories
The care required for silver accessories varies depending on whether they are coated or not. First, check whether your accessories are coated or not.
How to care for your silver accessories after wearing them
Use a soft cloth or tissue to wipe away sweat and oils.
Regardless of whether your silver jewelry is coated or not, it is important to remove sweat and sebum after wearing it. Ideally, you should have a special cloth ready, but you can also use tissues, eyeglass cleaning cloths, or other everyday items. After wearing the jewelry, carefully wipe away any sweat or dirt on the surface of the jewelry.
If you use a cloth containing abrasives on silver accessories that are rhodium or gold coated, the coating may peel off. For coated products, be sure to use a soft cloth or tissue that does not contain abrasives.
How to properly store silver accessories
Seal to prevent exposure to air
After wearing your jewelry, thoroughly wipe off any sweat or oils on the surface, then store it in a double-layered plastic bag or similar. You don't need to use any special bag; simple ones available at discount stores will do. To prevent darkening and discoloration, it's important to keep your jewelry sealed and protected from air.
Avoid humid environments and use desiccants
To prevent silver from tarnishing, it is important to avoid humid places. Places that tend to trap moisture and are poorly ventilated, such as shoe closets or entryways, are not suitable for storing silver accessories. We recommend storing them in a well-ventilated area, such as a corner of the living room. When storing in a box, storing it with a desiccant such as silica gel will be more effective in preventing moisture.
How to clean tarnish and blackening from 925 silver accessories
Even if you take good care of your silver jewelry, it may gradually become tarnished due to oxidation and sulfuration. What should you do when this happens? Here we will introduce how to thoroughly remove tarnish and discoloration from 925 silver jewelry. Again, care methods vary depending on whether or not the jewelry is coated.
For uncoated silver accessories
In most cases, blackening on uncoated silver rings, earrings, bangles, necklaces, etc. can be easily removed by simply wiping lightly with a special 925 silver cloth containing an abrasive. For large chain bracelets and necklaces, it is difficult to polish the fine details inside the chain with a cloth, so We recommend using a special cleaning solution for silver.
For silver accessories coated with gold or rhodium
When cleaning coated silver accessories, avoid using a silver cloth containing abrasives. Abrasives can damage the coating and cause it to peel. We recommend using a soft, delicate cloth, such as a deerskin cloth, to gently wipe the surface.
For gold-plated jewelry, using a cleaning solution specifically for gold is effective in restoring its shine. However, there are two points to keep in mind when using this cleaning solution:
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Do not soak in cleaning solution for a long time.
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After cleaning, be sure to rinse thoroughly with water and wipe off any excess water with a soft cloth.
If you soak your jewelry in the cleaning solution for too long, it may react with sweat and sebum, causing the surface to turn red. Furthermore, the cleaning solution only removes superficial dirt and slight discoloration, but it cannot restore gold coating that has completely faded or become significantly discolored. If you want to fully restore the color, we recommend having it professionally re-plated.
Here is a list of the care products we recommend:
Silver accessory cleaning solution/for silver
Silver accessory cleaning solution/for gold coating
Silver accessory polishing cloth
Deerskin cloth
Next, we will introduce what to do if your silver jewelry has tarnished.
If your uncoated silver jewelry has tarnished
If your uncoated 925 silver jewelry has tarnished, you can restore the original luster of the metal by using the aforementioned special cleaning solution or a silver cloth containing abrasives. If the discoloration is severe and intense, one cleaning may not be enough, so in that case, it is important to be patient and continue cleaning repeatedly.
If your coated silver accessories have tarnished
If your silver jewelry has rhodium or gold plating and has tarnished, we recommend having it professionally cleaned and re-plated at a specialized jewelry workshop or the brand you purchased it from. Many brands and workshops offer this service, so please contact the place where you purchased it.
If your plated silver jewelry tarnishes, cleaning and re-plating can be costly and time-consuming, so as soon as you notice even a slight tarnish, it's important to review your storage and daily care methods to prevent further tarnish.
To ensure that your silver 925 accessories last a long time
Due to the influence of social media and other factors, silver accessories have become more familiar in recent years, but I feel that not enough information about the material and how to care for it is being communicated to people on a daily basis, which is why I decided to write this article.
We believe that as manufacturers and companies, we have a responsibility to carefully inform our customers about the characteristics of materials and the correct way to care for them.
Just like fine leather shoes or carefully woven denim, silver accessories can regain their original beautiful shine if they are cared for regularly and with love. Furthermore, the more they are used, the more they develop a unique character as they age, becoming more familiar to their owner and transforming into a special, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. This creates a kind of comfortable relationship that can never be found in a new product.
Choosing 925 silver accessories rather than cheap stainless steel or brass, which deteriorate from the moment they are new, is an expression of your desire to cherish and use one item for a long time, and by taking care of it daily, your silver accessories will surely live up to that desire.
We hope you will practice the care methods introduced here and enjoy the long-lasting love of your silver accessories. If you have any questions about maintenance methods, please feel free to contact our client service.
