Use of silver in the jewelry industry
The advantage of silver is its ease of processing. It is distinguished by plasticity and softness. Thanks to this, it becomes possible to produce a variety of products and create coatings. Features of the use of precious metal:
- a wide range of silver jewelry: they create rings, bracelets, earrings, chains, church and decorative crosses, the variety of jewelry models is due to the fact that this metal is easy to work with, you can give it a variety of shapes to improve the properties of pure Ag, alloys are added to the composition - additives, increasing hardness, thereby increasing the service life of jewelry;
- impurities and samples: silver is part of many alloys; it is used for various purposes, for example, to change the properties of platinum group metals, gold, to modify the composition to obtain a material of a lighter shade;
- popular standard: jewelry of several groups is most often produced (875, 925 and 960 samples), this means that 1000 g of the alloy contains a significant proportion of Ag (87.5%, 92.5% or 96%), the rest of the volume is the alloy, The fewer additives, the higher the value of jewelry; among the existing ones, 925 sterling items are especially in demand.
Silver popular standard 925
Wedding rings are most often made from the popular standard metal (925), it is distinguished by moderate hardness, but with frequent wear it is necessary to periodically restore the product, since the surface is damaged (an alloy with a low content of ligatures), it is necessary to ensure regular care of the jewelry.
Causes of blackening from the realm of esotericism
If silver has turned black, many tend to see something otherworldly in it. It is believed that such changes can only appear under certain circumstances:
- the owner of the jewelry was damaged or put under the evil eye;
- silver turns black - a sign of impending troubles, failures and illnesses;
- The owner of a piece of jewelry that has darkened has a black aura due to evil deeds committed.
Note: Silver darkens due to changes that occur in the body. This has nothing to do with magic. The priests unanimously declare that such beliefs have one justification - superstition, which is a sin.
Blackened silver jewelry
Scary omens
If a silver chain or other jewelry has darkened, this is associated with various events. Signs from the field of esotericism:
- blackening of a child’s cross is an attempt by evil forces to take possession of his soul;
- the darkening of a man’s jewelry is a consequence of a ritual that condemns him to a single life;
- a change in the color of the jewelry of an unmarried woman or girl means that she is wearing the crown of celibacy;
- silverware darkens - a sign of the appearance of dark spirits in a person’s home.
Folk signs about silver blackened on the body
According to popular belief, darkening of silver jewelry on the body of its wearer is a bad sign.
There are the following superstitions about the blackening of silver:
- According to Eastern beliefs, a darkened silver item indicates that its owner was magically influenced. It could be the evil eye, damage, love spell, black envy. Noble metal attracts negativity, protecting its owner.
- Blackened earrings indicate the evil eye.
- A darkened ring on an unmarried girl is regarded as evidence of the crown of celibacy. If such a decoration turns black on a woman, then a dark streak will begin in her personal life.
- A darkened pectoral cross indicates that its owner has been cursed or damaged.
- From the point of view of mystical creatures, the blackening of silver is explained by an encounter with a werewolf or vampire.
- The darkening of body jewelry in the house indicates the presence of evil spirits in it.
Ways to protect silver from blackening
Today, unplated silver items are rarely used. Rhodium-plated and gold-plated products are gaining popularity, as well as jewelry with an oxide film (obtained by oxidation) and rings and bracelets with blackening. All of these varieties last much longer without additional care than uncoated silver.
Radiated is a misnomer for silver jewelry. Radium is a radioactive metal that cannot be used to coat jewelry. This definition appeared when a search query was incorrectly formed on the Internet; the correct option is rhodium-plated silver.
There are other methods to protect jewelry:
- boiling silver in acid: so that the alloy does not react with substances contained in the environment, it is necessary to reduce its amount; in the production of jewelry this is impossible due to the deterioration of the properties of the metal, therefore they use a partial reduction in the proportion of copper, immerse the product in acid (hydrochloric or sulfur), after which the percentage of Cu in the surface layer of the silver alloy becomes smaller, the metal does not darken;
- electroplating: a universal method that involves passing an electric current through a bath of salt solution containing silver, as a result, molecules of one metal are deposited onto another; jewelry and cutlery are often coated in this way, and pure silver is used to create a protective layer;
- rhodium plating: increases the hardness of silver, products better withstand the effects of negative factors, in addition, rhodium prevents the darkening of silver, but this coating requires periodic restoration, because it becomes thinner with wear;
- gilding: performed using the electroplating method, the thickness of the layer that covers silver is 1-2 microns, gilding tends to tarnish, so you need to take care of the product, but there is no need to regularly clean it, the disadvantages of this method include the increased cost of jewelry , as well as gradual thinning of the coating;
- varnish treatment: the method allows you to preserve the whiteness of silver for a long time, but after applying a layer of varnish, the product goes out of use, jewelry cannot be worn, and silverware should not be used for its intended purpose, varnish coating is used to preserve the item for a long period (for example, antiques);
- wax protection: a thin layer of material prevents the penetration of air, this option is used for only one purpose - to provide conditions for long-term storage of products, since oxygen has a destructive effect on the metal (provokes oxidation).
How to clean silver: popular methods
You want to wear your favorite jewelry 24 hours a day and not take it off, but silver items begin to darken over time. This can occur under the influence of soap, skin care products, or simply high humidity. Cleaning silver jewelry at home will save your favorite rings and bracelets and return them to their original appearance.
The procedure does not take much time, and the number of options is extensive. Liquid for cleaning silver can be bought in a store, or prepared from improvised means. Some of them are already in your home, while others will have to run to the store. Professional cleaning products cost money, but at the same time they guarantee almost 100% results. After this, you just need to take care of the jewelry, preventing history from repeating itself.
To remove blackness from 925 silver, you don’t have to go to a jewelry store; you can use soda, ammonia, peroxide, vinegar and similar products. Citric acid, toothpaste and even Coca-Cola will help clean a silver chain, bracelet, ring or cross!
Cleaning with foil and baking soda
You can clean silver using baking soda and foil in a few minutes. This recipe is considered one of the fastest and most effective. First of all, you need to boil water, add soda to it (50 g/1 liter of water). After boiling, pour the solution over the darkened decoration. Due to the chemical reaction of silver sulfide with soda and aluminum, the blackness will disappear in a couple of minutes. After this, all you have to do is wipe the jewelry dry. This is the most effective silver cleaner. It is important to remember that you should never use dry soda, it will only ruin the metal.
Ammonia
Another way to restore your jewelry to its former shine is to wash the silver with a solution of ammonia and water. Ammonia is considered an excellent solvent; it will help to better clean silver from plaque or dirt without damaging the product itself.
Pour water into a small container, add ammonia in a ratio of 1 to 10, put in the decorations and leave them for 30 minutes. If after half an hour it was not possible to return the shine to silver, you need to keep it longer in the solution. After the procedure, all that remains is to wipe the rings, chains or bracelet dry. Cleaning silver with ammonia at home is very simple and quick.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide also cleans silver well, but its use can lead to unexpected results. The fact is that the substance can both oxidize and reduce compounds. In one case, when using peroxide, you will get a brightened product, in another - jewelry with plaque or stains. It all depends on the amount of impurities in the silver product. You can clean silver from blackness using peroxide with the addition of ammonia, but even in this case you need to act with extreme caution. It would be best to test the product on a small area of the product; if it becomes lighter, the procedure can be continued.
Vinegar
If you soak tarnished silver items in vinegar, you are unlikely to achieve a good result. 6% vinegar should be preheated, but you are unlikely to like the smell. If you decide to wash old silver that has turned black, yellowed or oxidized using this folk method, bring the liquid to a temperature of 50 degrees. You can whiten silverware in 15-20 minutes. After the procedure, all items should be thoroughly rinsed and wiped with a dry cloth.
Lemon acid
Citric acid will help to effectively clean silver. It is diluted with water in a ratio of 100g/0.5l of water. You need to boil the jewelry in this solution for half an hour, and then rinse it thoroughly with water.
Toothpaste
Someone manages to clean silver with tooth powder. This is not the worst way, but it is very time-consuming. You will have to lighten the jewelry manually, armed with a brush. Toothpaste for cleaning silver is suitable if there are no more effective products at hand. The advantage of this method is that it allows you to very quickly remove dirt and plaque from small items.
Coca Cola
Cleaning silver with Coca-Cola is one of the most exotic and radical methods. The drink is considered a good solvent and absorbent. You need to boil the cola and boil the contaminated products in it for 5-7 minutes. You can simply throw the jewelry into a glass of cold cola and leave it for a few hours, this method should also work. After this, the silver must be washed with water and wiped.
Paste GOI
You can clean silver with GOI paste, but remember that this is a very troublesome and dangerous method. This is a special product for polishing silver jewelry; it can be purchased in specialized stores. GOI paste is applied to a piece of cloth moistened with gasoline (this is done so as not to scratch the surface of the product). Silver is processed very carefully and patiently. It takes a lot of time, but the result is worth the effort.
Rules for storing and caring for silver
If silver on the body or during use (cutlery) turns black from time to time, you need to follow simple rules in order to keep things in their original form for a long time:
- For storage, use boxes with velvet lining inside or covers made of the same material;
- To avoid darkening your finger, ear or neck while wearing jewelry, you should remove all jewelry before going to the gym, jogging, or engaging in other vigorous activities;
- Do not apply body cream before putting on a chain, bracelets or rings;
- You cannot wash dishes with your own hands without removing the decorations;
- when yellowing appears, silver items must be cleaned immediately; they must be washed at least once a month in a solution containing soap;
- Jewelry is also removed at night.
How to clean after tarnishing?
Once your silver has already tarnished, you can use jewelry polishing pastes to remove the black coating. Another choice is to use a silver polishing cloth. Cleaning with silver polishing cloths will allow you to clean it without scratching the metal itself.
You can also take your silver jewelry to a jewelry store to have your silver jewelry professionally cleaned.
If you prefer to clean your silver jewelry at home, you can use the following silver cleaning method:
- take a glass bowl;
- pour some hot water;
- add one or two tablespoons of salt and baking soda;
- place your silver items in the container and leave them there for about five minutes;
- Once the tarnish has disappeared, rinse your jewelry with water and dry it using a soft cloth.
If the silver is very dirty or tarnished, you can use aluminum foil to get rid of dark spots:
- Simply line the bottom of a glass bowl with aluminum foil;
- place the decorations on top of the foil and fill them with moderately hot - not boiling - water;
- add a few tablespoons of baking soda to the water and stir until it dissolves;
- soak the items for approximately 20 - 30 minutes;
- then rinse well and dry them with a soft towel.
This method eliminates dullness and restores radiance and shine.
Some people use toothpaste or powder to clean their silver. However, there is a danger that the toothpaste may be too abrasive and scratch your jewelry. This is usually affected by the softness of the silver alloy and the type of paste or powder used. Some brands are more abrasive than others.
If your silver item has a flat surface where scratches can be easily seen, you should not risk using this method.
Category: question-answer
Why did the silver chain on the man’s neck turn black?
Expert opinion
Kibantseva Elena Anatolyevna
Allergist-immunologist, “Movement” clinic, Saratov
The chest area contains the most sebaceous glands. This explains why silver on the body most often darkens here. Under the influence of biological fluids (secretion of the sebaceous glands, sweat), the color of silver changes. If such consequences were observed from the very first day, then this is a natural reaction of the body. In this case, the body will always secrete as much secretion and in the same composition. All that the owner of the jewelry can do is clean the chain again or replace the product with another (made of gold, platinum, etc.).
Why did the silver ring on the girl’s finger turn black? What to do?
[expert_bq id=11499]If such changes occur for the first time, after a long period of wear, then you need to look for the cause in order to eliminate it. Then the silver will stop darkening. But for now, the product should be cleaned of blackness. If you do not eliminate the negative factors affecting the color of the ring, it will darken more and more every day.
Why does silver make your skin turn black?
Expert opinion
Andrey Sizov
Chemist-technologist, Volgograd
Ag in its pure form does not oxidize. But jewelry is not made from such metal. Modern jewelry is made of an alloy, most of which is Ag, the rest is an alloy (most often copper). Due to such additives, the color of silver items changes; if exposed to negative factors, blackness appears.
How to clean silver
Now you know why a silver chain, or any other creation of jewelers, turns black. But what if this has already happened?
In some cases, the metal may suddenly brighten without third-party intervention. After all, sweat also contains nitrogen nitrates, which destroy argentum sulfide. If their concentration increases, a kind of cleaning of the products will occur.
Don't wait until the silver itself becomes light. This may not happen soon, or never at all. After all, it is impossible to predict the body’s reaction. It’s better to get down to business as soon as the first raid appears. Then it will be easier to remove it. But even with severe oxidation, it will not be difficult to fix the problem. You just have to choose one of the methods for cleaning silver.
