Anyone know anything about sterling silver jewelry?

[borlis]

I recently purchased 2 pairs of ss earrings from two different places and after I wore them for a few hours they have started to turn black. Not just the post part either. The ones I had on last night were kind of big and dangly and they are now turning black on the sides where they brushed up against my neck. Does anyone know why this is happening? :shrug:

[Avalux]

1. It's oxidation.

You can either get a polishing cloth to remove it or cleaner. Any soft cloth will do actually - just rub until the black stuff goes away. :hi:

[borlis]

6. The strange thing is that it doesn't happen to two other

pairs I have. :shrug: What is oxidation? :shrug:

[ceile]

10. Check for a small imprinted 92.5 somewhere on the jewerly

That is what is considered "pure" ss. If you can't find the 92.5, I would be suspicious that it is not pure ss.

[mcscajun]

23. Oxidation: the interaction with certain elements such as oxygen or

sulfur as well as with certain acids. Tarnishing on silver jewelry is caused by oxidation.

Contact with rubber bands may cause tarnish - the sulfur in rubber is a catalyst for tarnish. Taking a medication that changes the acidity of your skin may cause silver jewelry to tarnish.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Oil+air=tarnish. They shouldn't tarnish that fast though.

Is SS pure silver? I can't remember. ANYWAY, if they're new, I would return them. :hi:

[back2basics909]

3. Depends how humid it is..

.. if you live somewhere very humid they can tarnish very quickly.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. Why? I use to wear SS all the time.

I had a ring I NEVER took off and it didn't turn like that. I live in HUMID Illinois. :)

[borlis]

11. I'm also in HUMID Illinois

It never happens when I wear gold. And it never happens to any other silver jewelry I have, just earrings.

[back2basics909]

12. Dam! Yeah and it's not that humid right now (also in IL)

Well it's two things that cause the tarnish, polution or humidity.

[Avalux]

15. If it's in contact with your skin, it won't turn.

I've been wearing silver for years and the oil from your skin protects it. Earrings are different - the part not touching you will turn. :hi:

[The Magistrate]

4. Sterling Silver, Ma'am

Contains a small admixture of copper, eight and a half percent by weight. It will blacken in contact with a variety of chemicals often present on the skin, and indeed, jewelers sometimes make use of this to blacken portions of a design intentionally with solutions sold for the purpose. The discoloraton can be removed with a polishing cloth, or with anything usd for polishing silverware, but you can expect it to return.

Silver jewelry, particulry that sold in large commercial outlets, is sometimes elctroplated with white metals such as rhodium, which, so long as the plating lasts, prevents this effect on people susceptible to it. A coating of clear lacquer is sometimes used for the purpose as well.

[Richard Steele]

20. That's exactly it, sir. I make sterling jewelry, and am familiar with this

MOST larger mass-produced sterling items are electroplated;
manufacturers are NOT required to make notice of the practice.
So many consumers are under the impression that
sterling does not tarnish, when in fact it easily develops patina.

[The Magistrate]

21. In My Youth, Sir, That Was My Trade

It was many years ago, of course....

[Richard Steele]

24. Ah, I see. It would be my trade as well, however....

....the small percentage of the public
with large amounts of spending money
has yet to become enamored of my designs,
so it remains simply a very satisfying hobby.

My first instinct was to suggest to the OP
that an extended pickling might be beneficial.
What do you think about that?

[spacelady]

26. When you speak of clear lacquer, does clear fingernail polish count? n/t

[Richard Steele]

29. Yes, that's actually the BEST CHEAPEST option in the "lacquer" family.

CLEAR fingernail polish _IS_ "clear lacquer"...
and lots of soulless corporations
have spent decades and untold $$$
to make it EASY to use at home.

It goes on thick, and dries fast and CLEAR.
And you don't need special tools or workspaces to use it.

For a task like varnishing some inexpensive earrings,
it is really the ideal tool for the job.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. It seems that your body chemistry is reacting with an alloy in the silver.

That happens to my mother when she wears gold.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. Me too. I can't wear 10K gold. It turns my skin black. n/t

[unblock]

13. mrs. unblock has a nearly allergic reaction to cheap jewelery

she can't wear anything bought on sale.

the only known treatment for her is a very expensive receipt.

[borlis]

17. rofl

:rofl: Sounds like something my hubby would say. :hi:

[spacelady]

27. Yep, I have expressed this reaction before--

And my jewelry has been upgraded considerably. My husband now has great taste!

[unblock]

9. sterling silver can tarnish very quickly depending on the conditions

air, humidity and sunlight are all help the oxidization process, which can quickly turn silver to golden haze and then to black.

when not using it, store it in a dark, dry environment, preferably in a cloth or mylar bag.

[redwitch]

14. Jewelry rep here

the perfume and make up you wear may be an issue here. Also, not all ss is created equal. Silver from Mexico, Bali, India seems to tarnish faster, I think different alloys may mean the finish is not as durable- sterling silver is .925, the rest is alloys and some allow tarnish more quickly.

[borlis]

18. Thanks for the info.

It's funny that my David Yurman and Brighton earrings are not the ones with a "problem."

[malaise]

16. Clean with baking soda

just dilute a tablespoon in a small bowl and soak for a bit and clean with cotton wool. They'll be perfect. In South America, people don't by gold or silver without giving it a little rub in hair - if it smells, it's not pure.

[blindpig]

19. sometimes this can occur due to a reaction with perfume or cologne,

at least with gold jewelry. In gold jewelry it is the alloys which cause the problem.

[newscott]

22. Some people cannot wear certain metals

The oils on their skin can be toxic to the metals.

My wife has a friend who cannot wear gold as it literally rots on her.

Weird but true. Some people really are toxic.

[yellowdogintexas]

25. in my younger days, my silver rings would turn black on my

fingers at certain times of the month.

This has not happened for years but for a few years it was quite predictable.

I also support the perfume,cosmetic, natural oils on the skin theory.

[spacelady]

28. Despite my earlier sassy reply, there are some very fine pieces of

sterling jewelry. Dry baking soda and polishing cloth has worked for slightly tarnished items.