Why does silver turn black on the human body: reasons for the darkening of silver products

Silver jewelry remains in demand regardless of the season and fashion trends. This metal is great for both everyday wear and evening outings. That's why they love him. But silver has one drawback - over time, jewelry turns yellow and darkens.

There are several different explanations for why silver develops a dark patina. Superstitious people believe that black spots on silver are a manifestation of damage or the evil eye. Some rely on medical knowledge and explain this by the consequences of human internal diseases. Others believe that the answer lies in a chemical reaction that occurs when silver comes into contact with the skin.

Which explanation to follow is up to everyone to choose for themselves. We decided to understand in more detail why silver darkens on the human body, and to consider in more detail the popular reasons for the appearance of patina on silver objects.

Why does silver on the body turn black: the main reasons

There are several very real reasons why silver on your body can turn black. This can be either the impact of external or internal factors.

The unpleasant grayish-black tint on silver jewelry occurs due to high environmental humidity. Therefore, it is not recommended to wear silver in the sauna or swimming pool. Air can also cause blackening on silver earrings, rings or chains. This is especially true for megacities. In large cities, the air is more polluted by exhaust gases, industrial emissions, etc. Over the years, all this leads to metal corrosion and the formation of patina.

We looked at the external reasons why silver on the human body turns black, but there are also internal ones.

Description of the chemical reaction

Metal products, both silver and gold, are hallmarked. Silver is produced in 925 or 856 standard.

925 rings and chains contain 92.5% silver, everything else is impurities. The composition also includes copper. It reacts with sweat and air. This causes the metal to begin to darken.

Accordingly, the lower the sample, the more impurities the product contains, and the likelihood of it darkening increases.

Why does silver darken on the body?

Internal factors of silver blackening are associated with human health and activity. So, when playing sports, both men and women produce a large amount of sweat, which, when in contact with metal, leads to the formation of a dark coating.

And some internal health problems can also affect the appearance of a dark coating on the noble metal. Especially, you should pay attention to your health if the silver chain darkens very quickly. This is due to the fact that in some diseases sweating increases and the composition of sweat changes, which causes the metal to oxidize faster when it comes into contact with the skin and, accordingly, develop an unpleasant yellowish-gray coating.

What enhances the oxidation of silver?

Cosmetics such as shampoos, soaps, creams, when they come into contact with jewelry, accelerate the oxidation process of silver. Usually this happens slowly, and the alloy changes its color gradually, but there are factors that enhance this effect.

Darkened chain with a cross

Stress, sport and bath

Physical activity, stress, nervous strain, and going to the bathhouse increase the work of the sebaceous glands, which contributes to increased sweating. With an intensified process, the content of sulfide concentrate also increases, which means that the oxidation process occurs much faster, the result is that the jewelry loses its original appearance and darkens.

Low purity and impurities

Premature discoloration of silver items can occur due to the high content of impurities that are added to the alloy. Natural silver itself is too soft to make the product more durable; other noble metals are added to it. If more of a component is added than required, the alloy will turn out to be of poor quality, which means it will quickly darken.

For jewelry, 925 sterling silver with a small addition of copper is usually used. It is less prone to darkening, but copper, when in contact with sweat, interacts with sulfur salts, forming a blackish coating on the surface of the alloy.

Increased air humidity

Too much humidity can have a big impact on the appearance of your silver piece. With increased humidity, the process of sweat evaporation slows down and the concentration of sulfur salts increases. By entering into a complex reaction with them, silver sulfide oxidizes, and the jewelry quickly begins to darken.

Interestingly, sweat can also cause lightening of products, since it contains nitric acid. When it interacts with silver sulfide, it destroys it, that is, it changes the color of the alloy from dark to light.

Reasons why a silver chain turns black

A silver chain is a popular accessory that is constantly in contact with the skin when worn. That’s why silver chains become covered with a black coating faster than other jewelry.

We have looked at the general reasons why silver turns black when worn. Now I would like to dwell in more detail on why a silver chain on a person’s skin turns black so quickly.

Low quality decoration

The quality of decoration is perhaps one of the most important factors in this matter. Silver jewelry is never made from pure metal, only from alloys. Since it is physically impossible to make jewelry from silver alone, it is very malleable. To give shape and hardness, various metals, most often copper, are added to silver.

So, if there is too much copper in the composition of silver, then such a product will turn black very quickly, and it will hardly be possible to return the original shine. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the sample of jewelry, and choose chains, earrings or rings only of the best samples - 925 or 960.

Such jewelry does not darken longer, and if a black coating appears, it can be removed with home remedies.

Change in health status

Silver turns black on the body not only for external reasons, as we have already said, but also for internal ones. There is a theory that health problems can affect the color of silver, making it darker. So, if the chain suddenly becomes covered with patina, this may be evidence of some internal diseases:

• Hormonal imbalances. First of all, hormonal imbalance affects the intensity of sweating, which, in turn, leads to rapid blackening of the chain. If you notice this, check your endocrine system. But we would like to remind you that hormonal levels also change during pregnancy. Therefore, a dark coating on a chain can become a signal to a woman about her “new position.”
• Disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys, liver, gall bladder. If there are any “inaccuracies” in the work of these organs, this affects the entire body. If there are malfunctions in the functioning of the internal organs, the chain can suddenly darken; literally it was shining in the morning, and by the evening it was already covered with blackness. If you notice this, there is only one piece of advice - take care of your health.

Environmental influence

Constantly wearing silver on the street, in the gym, or at home will affect its appearance. So, if you are going to the pool or lake, it is better to leave silver jewelry at home. As a last resort, remove before swimming. High temperatures, a humid environment, and even chlorine and other substances in pools will negatively affect the metallic luster of silver.

Air pollution also affects how quickly silver blackens. The dirtier the environment, the faster the oxidation process will occur, and vice versa.

Unfortunately, this is a natural process, and we cannot prevent it in any way. But if you properly care for your silver, clean it on time and store it properly, you can maintain its radiant appearance for many years.

Watch yourself

If suddenly your damaged silver jewelry bothers you with the following symptoms:

• Frequent colds
• Fatigue
• Headache
• General ailments in the body, then you should give this importance and consult a doctor, and not specialists in getting rid of damage. Since this may indicate the presence of a disease in the body, either being in a state of constant stress, or the presence of a disease of excessive sweating, hyperhidrosis.

Signs about darkened silver

Since ancient times, silver has been considered a magical metal. It has always been credited with miraculous and healing properties, endowed with magic and believed that silver can predict and treat diseases, relieve evil spirits and other misfortunes. And, of course, if the silver changed its color, it was immediately given its own explanation, which depended on everything - the gender of the person, where the jewelry was worn and what kind of jewelry it was.

On the limbs

In ancient times, rings were not just symbolic, but were amulets. They were given great importance. So, for example, if a girl’s silver ring turns black, it means she has troubles in matters of the heart or even the crown of celibacy. If a man’s ring turned black, it meant that he was under the power of a love spell, or someone wanted him to be a bachelor forever.

On the neck

A blackened silver chain around the neck foreshadowed the evil eye or damage for its owner. If a silver chain with a cross on it has darkened around the child’s neck, this is a sign of evil spirits. It is urgent to go to church and consecrate the chain in order to protect the child from evil forces.

On the chest

Silver, as the ancients believed, could “absorb” everything bad, thereby protecting its owner. Therefore, if a silver cross darkened on the chest, it was believed that the evil eye or damage was cast on its owner. In such cases, they also went to church to bless the cross and pray.

In addition, people used to believe that if silver or cutlery turned black in the house, it meant that there were unclean spirits that needed to be driven out. To do this, you need to go to church and sprinkle the rooms with holy water.

Nowadays, few people believe in these signs, preferring to deal with tarnished silver objects on their own using practical methods.

What do the signs say?

Previously, it was believed that silver protects against dark forces and the evil eye. It was applied to the wound to provide an antibacterial effect. It was assumed that the products had energetic properties.

Accordingly, if the metal darkens, they look for hidden reasons:

1. Wearing jewelry on the chest. If pendants or chains change color, this is a sign of decreased energy. Blackening of a cross or a body icon is considered more dangerous. This means a strong energetic impact on a person.
2. On the neck. Shorter chains can leave dark marks above the solar plexus and décolleté. In this case, an energetic impact is also assumed, but of lesser force.
3. On fingers. Wearing silver jewelry without negative consequences symbolizes good luck in your personal life. If the metal darkens, it means that the girl has been crowned with celibacy, and the guy will have a bachelor life.
4. On the wrist. The protection power of only the bracelets worn on the hands is assessed. By comparison, jewelry has long been worn on ankles to demonstrate wealth. If the bracelet on the wrist darkens or changes color, this means that magical power has taken place. But such decoration is a talisman. Accordingly, when silver turns black, it symbolizes a successfully repelled attack by a black magician.

Ways to clean a silver chain when it has turned black

There are many reasons why silver on the human body turns black. And, unfortunately, no one can avoid darkening of the metal. But you can prevent too severe tarnishing simply by regularly cleaning your silver with available products.

Pomade

Lipstick is a gentle remedy for removing yellowish, recently appeared plaque. Coat the product with lipstick and scrub thoroughly with a sponge or soft brush. And then wash off the remaining lipstick. The result is a clean, shiny piece of jewelry.

Toothpaste

The classic way to clean silver. Effectively cleans tarnished silver, gives it shine and does not require much effort. The procedure is the same as with lipstick: rub, rinse, dry.

Egg yolk

Not the most standard method for cleaning tarnished silver, but it works. It was used even before the advent of lipsticks and toothpastes.

So:

• Separate the yolk from the white;
• Soak a cotton pad or napkin in egg yolk;
• Apply a thick layer to the decoration and leave until completely dry;
• Then rinse under high pressure water and polish until shiny.

Soda

Let's start right away with a warning: do not use dry soda! Baking soda is an abrasive agent, and in the form of a dry powder it can damage the entire surface of silver jewelry. Therefore, for cleaning we use only either in the form of a slurry (soda + water), or dissolve it in water in advance.

• Dissolve baking soda in hot water (50 g / 1 l) and dip the silver in it, after wrapping it in foil. Leave for 10 minutes. Then rinse and dry.
• Prepare a paste (soda + water). Spread the resulting mixture onto the product and massage gently. Rinse everything off with water and wipe with a napkin.

Ammonia

A good way to get rid of blackness and restore the long-awaited shine to jewelry.

Pour water into a small container and add a little ammonia. Soak silverware and jewelry in the solution for 10-20 minutes. And then rinse and dry.

How and with what to clean?

You can easily clean silver yourself, using special products that are sold at a household chemical store. But if the jewelry contains expensive stones, then it is better to take it to a jewelry workshop so as not to accidentally spoil it.

Cleaning products

Before cleaning, the product must be rinsed under a thin stream of warm water, dried and polished using a woolen cloth or a special napkin. For more severe contamination, soak the jewelry in warm water with some laundry soap for several hours, then rinse, dry and carefully polish.

Folk recipes

An effective means for cleaning silver jewelry is tooth powder. Apply a small amount of it to a slightly damp soft cloth and clean the products with very careful movements so as not to scratch them.

Ammonia is a good way to remove blackness from silver. Add a little laundry soap and a tablespoon of ammonia to a half-liter container of warm water. The product is left for 20 minutes, rinsed, then wiped dry with a napkin.

Unfortunately, nature works in such a way that it is impossible to rid silver of dark deposits forever. It is very important to properly care for your silver jewelry after cleaning to prevent tarnishing for as long as possible.

If you believe that the darkening of silver is associated with damage or the evil eye, it is advisable to go to church. And if you have health problems, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Tarnished silver items simply need to be cleaned, and proper care will help maintain their proper appearance for a long time.

How to care for silver

Sooner or later, a dark coating will appear on silver; this cannot be avoided. But in order for silver to please you longer with its shine and silvery color, you need to properly care for it.

• Clean. Regularly. By soft means. Use the methods listed above to cleanse blackheads and clean at least once a month.
• Do not wear silver jewelry if you go to the sauna, pool or go to the sea.
• Store silver separately from other jewelry and metals, and away from food, household chemicals and cosmetics.
• Use a separate box or casket with soft upholstery to store silver items. Place them so that the decorations do not touch each other as much as possible. This will protect them from accidental scratches or even chips.

Characteristics of blackened silver

Blackening is done using a special technology. Creation methods have been known since ancient times. Blackening gave the metal strength and decorated it with patterns of incredible beauty.

It is made by coating the metal on top with niello, consisting of alloys of lead, copper and silver sulfur oxides. The blackening solution is applied to clean metal. It is heated at high temperature to melt the niello.

Snuff boxes, dishes, and cutlery are made from blackened silver. The products depict cities and ancient hunting. And today you can find amazing masterpieces.

These works are highly valued. Blackened silver is as popular today as it was in ancient times. It adds extraordinary beauty and sophistication to any product. Jewelry made from it is durable and strong. They do not need to be cleaned often, and the jewelry retains its original appearance for years.