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The Secrets of Beautiful White Silver

The Secrets of Beautiful White Silver

Posted by John Speaks and Keiko Mita on on 1st May 2015

A lot of people love silver jewelry for its beautiful white color and affordable price; but we are going to look into it a bit more deeply today. A little bit of history, a handful of facts, some tips on care: we hope you find our journey an informative and useful one.

Background

Samantha Freeman's Silver Pangolin Bracelet

Silver was probably first discovered by early man after gold and copper because its distinctive color made it easy to find. Silver objects date back to 4000 BC in Greece and parts of modern day Turkey. [1] The leading source for silver is Galena (lead sulfide), a mineral that is the principle ore of lead. Silver is a by-product of the process that produces lead from Galena. [2]

The name silver comes from seolfor, the old English word used to describe the metal,[3] which itself comes from the ancient German word silabar.[4] So in Merry Old England you wore a seolfor hring! The symbol for silver (AG) comes from the Latin word, argentum, which probably came from the Greek word for shiny or white ( argos)[5] or the Sanskrit word for shiny (argunas).[6]

Silver is one of six precious metals, along with gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium and indium. The largest producers of silver are Mexico, the United States, Peru, Canada, Poland, Chile and Australia. [7] In the United States 35% of silver is used for electrical and electronics, 25% for coins  and metals, and 10% in photography. Only 6% is used for jewelry and silverware. [8]

David Choi's Sterling Silver Boulder RingSilver’s physical properties explain its use. Silver reflects light well and is the most ductile (ability to be pulled or stretched into thin wire) and malleable (ability to be hammered into thin sheets) of metals – all characteristics which make it good for jewelry and silverware. It also conducts heat and electricity better than any other element and is photosensitive. [9]

The Whys and Wherefores of Tarnish

Sterling silver consists of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of other metals, usually copper. Fine silver, which is 99.9% pure, is too soft for practical use. Copper increases the strength of silver and helps to maintain its silvery white color. However, copper is more susceptible to oxidation and corrosion, so sterling silver is more likely to tarnish than fine silver. [10]

Silver reacts with sulfur compounds to create black silver sulfide, or tarnish. Sulphur in the air and water, which comes from burning fossil fuels and other industrial activity, is the primary culprit. However, any protein based materials, such as wool, leather, silk -- even latex gloves and rubber bands -- contain Sulphur compounds that can lead to tarnishing. [11]

Tarnished RingsOther sources of Sulphur include protein rich foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk, which is a good reason to wash your hands before handling silver. Sulphur also is stored in body cells, especially the skin, hair and nails of humans; but everybody’s body chemistry is a little bit different so different people will have different experiences. [12]

Corrosion of the copper in sterling silver is another source of tarnish. Sometimes sterling silver turns dark green, or even turns your finger green. Storage in damp conditions and contact with chemicals, especially residues from cleaning compounds, are often catalysts. Salt, whether it’s in perspiration, salty nuts or the ocean is also very corrosive. [13]

Ultraviolet rays in sunlight can even cause damage because silver absorbs the radiation and produces tiny particles that look like tarnish. [14] Other chemicals that can cause damage include those found in makeup, lotions and perfume. Household chemicals found in detergents and bleaches also can produce harmful discoloration. [15]

Efforts to Reduce Tarnishing

Keiko Mita's Palladium Silver and 18k Yellow Gold Round Sand Dune Studs

In order to reduce tarnishing it is possible to use sterling silver mixed with metals other than copper. Typically zinc, platinum or germanium is used. [16] We often use Palladium Silver, which replaces a portion of the copper with palladium. As a member of the platinum family, palladium doesn’t tarnish. Palladium Silver is still called sterling silver because it is at least 92.5% pure silver.

Another alternative is Argentium Silver. Developed in the 1990s by a team of researchers in the School of Art and Design at Middlesex University, Argentium Silver is the brand name patented and trademarked by the U.K. based Argentium Silver Company. Argentium Silver substitutes some of the copper with germanium to become tarnish resistant. [17]

Argentium Silver comes in two grades, 935 and 960 (representing the amount of pure silver). It actually is more durable than sterling silver despite being purer. It also is brighter and whiter than sterling silver, platinum, and white gold. [18] Other than fine silver only Britannia Silver, which is 95.8% pure, contains as much silver. [19] Since Argentium Silver contains more than 92.5% silver, it also can still be called sterling silver.

Another way to reduce tarnishing is to plate silver. The plating acts as a coating that protects the underlying silver. Typically rhodium is used, but another method uses an electrical current to coat (E-coat) the metal surface with an organically based lacquer, such as polyurethane. [20] Of course, many jewelry artists oxidize sterling silver to create a blackened effect. The oxidized layer helps to protect the silver from further tarnishing.

What Can You Do?

Common sense is the order of the day if you want to prevent oxidation and corrosion. Although the laundry list below looks a bit like the warnings on a prescription drug package, it actually is pretty simple to follow.

Take Your Medicine

Preventive medicine for your silver jewelry:

  • Don’t wear in the ocean, a mineral spring or a swimming pool.
  • Remove before using household chemicals.
  • Remove before using hair products or putting on makeup, lotions and perfume.
  • Remove before washing your hands with soap.
  • Remove before handling photographic chemicals or solutions.
  • Remove before handling food and other materials containing salt or Sulphur compounds.
  • Wash and dry your hands thoroughly before handling silver. Consider using clean cotton gloves.

Some thoughts on storing your silver jewelry:

  • Store in a cool, dark place away from moisture, heat and sunlight. Moisture and heat accelerate the chemical process that leads to tarnishing.
  • You may want to place small silica gel packets close to your jewelry to absorb moisture.
  • Put your silver jewelry in small plastic bags with a strip of anti-tarnish paper that absorbs Sulphur. Place in a jewelry box with an anti-tarnish lining, if available.

Suggestions for keeping your silver jewelry clean:

  • Use a soft silver polishing cloth to remove dust and grease after wearing. Rinse with water and dry thoroughly. DO NOT USE on oxidized sterling silver or plated jewelry because you may remove the coating and expose the metal to air.
  • Use a clean cotton cloth to clean oxidized sterling silver and plated jewelry, but don’t rub too hard because over time you will remove the finish and expose the metal to air.
  • Do not use a hard brush to remove tarnish because you may scrape off silver and damage the finish.
  • Only use silver cleaning compounds/liquids if necessary to remove heavy dirt because they use harsh chemicals and the residue can lead to corrosion. ALWAYS rinse with water until compound is entirely removed and dry thoroughly. NEVER use on jewelry with gemstones because the chemicals will damage the gemstones.

The End Game

Lori Gottlieb's Curly Bark Dangle NecklaceWow! There are so many things to think about! To keep it simple, we advise that you wipe your silver jewelry with a soft cloth after wearing and store it in a small plastic bag with an anti-tarnish sheet for daily care. Replace the anti-tarnish sheets every 6-12 months. That should work very well!

Remember that many jewelry artists purposely oxidize silver as part of their design decision. Blackened silver creates color contrasts and adds depth and beauty to a piece. When a jeweler properly oxidizes silver it can protect the silver until the coating wears off. But when tarnish is unwanted it can destroy the design and ultimately the metal itself.

Hopefully our short piece will help you understand silver‘s special properties and how to take care of it better. We want you to enjoy your silver jewelry and its natural beauty as long as possible!


[1] www.chemicool.com/elements/silver.html

[2] www.galleries.com/Galena

[3] www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Silver.ht...

[4] www.chemicool.com/elements/silver.html

[5] www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Silver.ht...

[6] www.chemicool.com/elements/silver.html

[7] www.chemistryexplained.com/elements/P-T/Silver.ht...

[8] www.geology.com/articles/uses-of-silver/

[9] www.geology.com/articles/uses-of-silver/

[10] www.chemistry.about.com/od/metalsalloys/a/Sterlin...

[11] www.conservationregister.com/PIcon-caresilverplat...

[12] www.healthy.net/scr/article.aspx?ID=2066

[13] www.conservationregister.com/PIcon-caresilverplat...

[14] www.chemistry.about.com/od/metalsalloys/a/Sterlin...

[15] www.simplysterlingofcolorado.com/about-sterling-s...

[16] www.chemistry.about.com/od/metalsalloys/a/Sterlin...

[17] www.brilliance.com/blog/education/what-is-argenti...

[18] www.argentiumsilver.com/#!__about-argentium

[19] www.brilliance.com/blog/education/what-is-argenti...

[20] www.emitations.com/faqs.html