Why does silver oxidize?

It is very important that you know all the materials of each of our jewels, because only then you will know how to treat each of them, how to use them properly and make the life of this jewel as long as possible and always shine as if it were the first time. We launch a question:does silver oxidize?

Find out if silver, 925 silver or 925 sterling silver oxidizes. How do I store my silver jewelry?

In today's post we bring you the answer. Silver, without a doubt, is one of the most used materials in jewelry. Let's start!

Dismantling beliefs: Does silver oxidize?

Before we start... What is 925 sterling silver?

Sterling silver is considered to be any jewelry that contains a minimum of sterling silver. To be considered to be made with sterling silver it must contain a minimum percentage. In Spain the regulation of this product to be considered sterling silver is that it must contain a minimum of 80% silver. The 925 silver, with which we work, contains 92.5% silver.

2. Find out if 925 silver oxidizes.

We have always believed that silver oxidizes and that because of this chemical process, it becomes black and a bit ugly. However, nothing could be further from the truth: silver does not oxidize, since it is a noble material and does not react to oxygen. So why does it sometimes have this color?

Very simple: for the silver to end up having that black color and look like oxidized silver, it has to come into contact with sulfur, which will first turn the silver yellowish and finally end up leaving it blackened and with an "old" color, which is why we can often get confused and think that the product has been spoiled.

What elements contain sulfur?

• Our pH: each person is different and will have a higher or lower pH level, this is something that we cannot control and that can give that effect of oxidizing the silver (although you know that it does not oxidize;).
• The place where we live: depending on the pollution of our city and the area where we live, we may be in air with higher sulfur levels.
• The water we are in contact with: big cities usually have a water richer in sulfur than the rest, so it will be important to remember this if we are going to wet our jewelry.
• The chemical products we use: if we put on cologne, creams or make-up, it is better to do it before and let some time pass until we put on our jewelry.
• Where we store our jewelry: it is advisable that all of them are separated from each other and in a closed place, so that they are not affected by the conditions outside, although we will tell you more in the next section.

 

3. How to store 925 silver jewelry so that it does not oxidize?

So...how do we avoid what looks like silver oxidation or blackening? After knowing all the elements that contain sulfur, we know that there are many factors external to us and beyond our possibilities, so we should not be overwhelmed if a jewel blackens faster than expected: this does not mean that it is of poor quality or that we can not recover it, with proper care it will shine again, simply that it has been exposed to higher levels of sulfur.

As we have mentioned before, silver does not oxidize, no matter what it is, that is why we are going to tell you some tips on how to store 925 silver jewelry so that it does not oxidize.

• It is a great idea to store jewelry individually so that they do not rub against each other, for example, in small cloth bags, and then put them in a jewelry box.
• Storing jewelry in a cool, dry, hermetically sealed place is also key.
• It is also very important to avoid places with high humidity and places that do not receive air to prevent external agents from intervening.

 

4. What to do so that the silver does not turn black?

Remember, it is important to take into account those small factors that do depend on us so that the silver does not turn black:

• Avoiding wetting jewelry will help keep silver from turning black.
• Removing our jewelry when playing sports
• Put on our rings and earrings once the chemical products we wear (makeup, perfume...) have dried.
• Storing jewelry properly as explained above is a very important key to prevent silver from turning black.

If you are reading this post and you are late we are going to give you a solution to clean your jewelry and get it back to that perfect shine. One of the ways to clean sterling silver jewelry is with a Chamois, what is this? Well, a chamois is a soft cloth with a plush touch, like those of the glasses, and with this we can clean the jewelry by putting special products that indicate that they are valid for cleaning silver. We take the jewel and rub it gently with the chamois, in this way it will recover the shine it had when you bought it in the store.

On the other hand, it can be cleaned with soap and water by gently rubbing the jewel with a delicate brush and, once finished, put the product in alcohol in order to perfectly remove all the grease from the soap.

Silver jewelry that will not turn black LAVANI

You asked for it so much that we had to do it, we had to create our own silver jewelry collection and... now we love it!

Visit the SHADES to see all of them. Í.

Now you know if 925 silver oxidizes: no! With proper care you can keep it shiny. In future posts we will tell you more about how to take care of your jewelry.