Many owners silver jewelry the question often arises as to why silver turns black on the body. After all, a blackened decoration loses its attractiveness and beauty, and besides, it causes some anxiety among people who believe in beliefs. Currently, there are many versions of blackening of products from such a noble metal when worn on the neck or other parts of the body. The answer to this question is available, both among superstitious people and among doctors and chemists.
Superstitious people advise at the first sign of blackening of the product or the skin under it, immediately turn to healers. This is due to the fact that according to folk beliefs a change in the color of silver indicates damage to the owner of the jewelry. A silver product passes through itself "black" energy, while suffering in the first place, which is manifested in its darkening. Depending on the degree of blackening, the level of negative force of the induced damage is determined.
At the same time, there is a belief that a darkened ring promises a girl a celibate life, a blackened chain indicates the evil eye, and 
cross - about a strong curse. Therefore, if the decoration is very dark, you should contact a conspiracy removal specialist as soon as possible. In case of successful elimination of damage, the silver thing will immediately brighten, which will indicate the removal of all negative energy, due to which the color of the product has changed.
In addition to this version, there is another opinion about darkened silver. It originated in the East and lies in the fact that silver products are a reliable protection of their owner from troubles and evil spirits. Therefore, if a blackening of the product has occurred, then this indicates that the person has escaped trouble and trouble. At the same time, the fact of this protection was displayed on the blackened decoration. Also, beliefs say that silver protects a person from vampires, ghosts, evil spirits and werewolves.
Chemists also have an answer to the question of why silver turns black on the human body. According to their version, the blackening is caused by human sweat, which contains sulfur. Under the action of this substance, copper, which is part of silver, is oxidized. However, due to the resistance of silver raw materials to corrosion, it does not oxidize, but simply becomes covered with a black coating of silver sulfide crystals. Thus, the thicker this plaque becomes, the darker the silver jewelry becomes.
The same reason is also the answer to the question of why silver turns black around the neck. Indeed, both on the chest and on the neck of a person there are many sweat glands, which leads to oxidation and the appearance of a dark coating. At the same time, the stronger the decoration adjoins the skin, the darker they become. This can also explain one-sided darkening, which appears exactly on the side where the product comes into contact with the skin.
There are also a number of other reasons for going through this process:
Physicians also have an answer to the question of why silver turns black on a person. So, in accordance with the medical point of view, the blackening of silver products is caused by serious health problems with its owner. Some of the diseases that can contribute to this process are disorders of the liver and kidneys, hormonal balance, problems with the thyroid gland or the endocrine system. In addition, blackened jewelry can be seen in pregnant women or nursing mothers. It is also associated with changes in the hormonal background of the body.
There are cases when the darkening of silver occurs after taking any medications. This is due to the fact that some medications can help change the composition of sweat excreted by a person, as a result of which the sulfur content increases in it. Moreover, the jewelry can change its color, even just being next to sulfur-containing medicines.
Thus, if the silver product has acquired a black tint, then you should consult a doctor, as this may be evidence of an incipient disease. Despite this, blackening can also be caused by excessive stress or excitement, heavy physical exertion, excessive sweating. Therefore, it is recommended to remove silver jewelry before playing sports. Leaving them at home also does not hurt before going to the bath or sauna.
In addition to the vital question of why a silver chain or some other jewelry turns black, the question also arises of how all this can be cleaned. Firstly, in any store that sells jewelry, you can also buy silver cleaner. If this tool is not available, and the product needs to be cleaned urgently, then this process can be easily carried out at home using improvised items. (see also: Cleaning silver at home) To do this, you will need a toothbrush and soda, which should be rubbed with dirty earrings, a chain or a ring.
The second way is to soak the darkened jewelry in a special solution made from ash, soapy water and ammonia. Silver items are placed in the resulting mixture for 30 minutes. Items made from low grade metal can be cleaned with a solution of water and citric acid. Silver objects are placed in this mixture and left in it for 15 minutes. After that, they are removed and wiped with a regular cloth.
Thus, a properly selected method of cleaning precious metal items will make it possible to maintain the cleanliness and excellent appearance of the product, as well as ensure the durability of these valuable silver items. Also, one should not forget that silver products need constant care and timely cleaning, careful use. Therefore, before playing sports, going to the sauna or bath, other water procedures, as well as in too hot or rainy weather, it is better to leave silver jewelry at home.
It happens that your favorite silver jewelry suddenly begins to blacken sharply. As a rule, there are no special visible reasons for this, and silver still turns black. Moreover, this happens regardless of how long ago the decoration was purchased. The country of the Soviets decided to figure out why silver turns black on the human body.
Humanity has known about the various properties of silver for a long time. Everyone knows that silver ions contribute to the death of bacteria, that is why silver cutlery is highly valued, and it is silver things that are used in religious ceremonies.
When asked why silver turns black, folk wisdom has found a completely understandable answer - damage. Like, your ring has darkened, which means you have a crown of celibacy, earrings are a strong evil eye, and if your pectoral cross has darkened, you don’t even want to think about it.
Of course, one can believe such an interpretation, but there is a more scientific, and therefore more serious explanation of why silver turns black.
The fact is that the silver jewelry that we used to wear contain copper. Under the action of moist air, sweat and other external factors, copper oxidizes. Silver itself is a noble metal. Under the influence of the same external factors (water, humid air) plaque forms on the surface of the silver product silver sulfide, it gradually thickens, and the silver jewelry darkens.
The rate at which plaque forms on silver items may be due to external causes, which include climate change, increased air humidity, frequent contact with water, the ingress of certain substances on the product, as well as internal processes organism. Especially if you wear silver jewelry all the time.
If not all the silver jewelry you wear darkens, but only some, it means that the matter is not in external factors, but in your body. There can be a lot of reasons why the silver chain around the neck darkens, but do not immediately sound the alarm. Listen to your physical condition and pay attention to which jewelry has darkened.
Most of the sebaceous glands in humans are located on the chest. That's why chains and pectoral crosses blacken first of all. And this is due to increased sweating, and not with the evil eye and spoilage. The darkening of the jewelry on the chest most likely indicates hormonal changes in the body. For example, during pregnancy. In this case, the chain can darken very quickly, in just a few days.
In addition, the reason may be severe stress, emotional stress or worries. All this also affects the work of the sebaceous glands, and accordingly increases sweating, which is why silver darkens. Perhaps the silver has darkened due to the intake of any drug, containing sulfur compounds.
There is a version that the darkening of silver indicates to malfunction of the kidneys or liver. This can also be indicated by the brightening of silver, since in this case substances containing nitrogen are released with sweat, and it gives silver a shine. In addition, a change in the color of silver may indicate problems with the nervous system. And the darkening of silver products on certain parts of the body can tell about local malfunctions in the endocrine system.
There are also more prosaic explanation, why silver darkens on the human body: physical activity, heat, contact with certain chemical compounds.
try do not play sports, do not go to the bath and do not bathe in silver jewelry. This will help keep them from darkening. And if in this case the silver still turns black, you should pay attention to your health.
Silver jewelry has always been very popular. But unfortunately, this alloy tends to change its color over time. According to the scientific version, the reason for the darkening of silver is the chemical effect of air on the sulfide contained in it. But since ancient times, it has been believed among the people that clouded metal is a sign of the evil eye, damage, serious illness and negative influence.
There are several versions explaining why silver turns black on the human body, many of which are associated precisely with folk superstitions. Since ancient times, it was believed that the alloy has miraculous powers and protects against negative impacts, and silver items were used in religious ceremonies.
Science attributes the darkening of the alloy to the presence of sulfur coming into contact with silver. Medicine, in turn, believes that the reason for the tarnishing of the metal lies in the state of health, as it interacts with bacteria through a certain chemical process.
Since ancient times, silver has been considered a symbol of spiritual beauty and purity, so church attributes were made from it. If you believe the legends, then with the help of a noble metal, you can fight evil spirits. Even today it is believed that this unique alloy is a natural talisman against negative energy and protects against damage, love spells, evil eye, evil and envious people.
Our ancestors believed that silver products have a unique ability to absorb negativity, thereby protecting their owner from the effects of evil spirits. If the silver jewelry has darkened, it means that the owner managed to avoid serious troubles.
According to magicians, indifference to the world around, malaise, lack of appetite, irritation indicates that a person is under the influence of a dark force. The impact of black magic can be determined by silver jewelry:
Thus, the darkened silver, as it were, suggests that it has taken a negative blow and protected its owner from evil spells.
According to doctors, silver can darken when the endocrine system is disturbed, this happens primarily due to increased sweating. Sweat contains a large amount
hydrogen sulfide, upon contact with which a chemical reaction occurs in the alloy, and the metal begins to change its color. If perspiration is normal, oxidation occurs imperceptibly and dark plaque appears gradually.
Excessive sweating does not always indicate a disease. Sweating can also be caused by physical activity and active sports. But if the silver quickly acquired a dark shade, it is better, of course, to turn to specialists.
According to science, there is no mysticism in the darkening of the metal. Oxygen, interacting with sulfur compounds, enters into a complex reaction. Oxidation occurs as a result of this, so the color of the alloy changes.
Cosmetics such as shampoos, soaps, creams, getting on the skin in contact with jewelry, accelerate the oxidation of silver. Usually this happens slowly, and the color of the alloy changes gradually, but there are factors that enhance this effect.
Physical activity, stress, nervous strain, going to the bath enhance the work of the sebaceous glands, which contributes to increased sweating. With an enhanced process, the content of sulfide concentrate also increases, which means that the oxidation process occurs much faster, the result is that the decoration loses its original appearance and darkens.
Premature discoloration of silver products may 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 precious metals are added to it. If any component is added more than it should be, 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, in contact with sweat, interacts with sulfur salts, forming a blackish coating on the surface of the alloy.
Too high air humidity can have a big impact on the appearance of silverware. With increased humidity, the process of sweat evaporation slows down, and the concentration of sulfur salts increases. Entering into a complex reaction with them, silver sulfide is oxidized, and the decoration quickly begins to darken.
Interestingly, sweat can also cause lightening of products, since it contains nitric acid. Interacting with silver sulfide, it destroys it, that is, it changes the color of the alloy from dark to light.
To avoid darkening of silver jewelry, you need to follow simple recommendations:
Silver can be easily cleaned on your own, with the help of special tools that are sold in a household chemical store. But if the jewelry is with expensive stones, then it is better to take it to a jewelry workshop so as not to accidentally spoil it.
Before cleaning, the product must be washed under a thin stream of warm water, dried and polished with a woolen cloth or a special cloth. In case of more severe contamination, soak the jewelry in warm water with the addition of laundry soap for several hours, then rinse, dry and gently polish.
An effective tool for cleaning silver jewelry is tooth powder. It is applied in a small amount to a slightly moistened soft cloth and the products are cleaned with very careful movements so as not to scratch.
Ammonia helps to rid silver of blackness. A little laundry soap and a tablespoon of ammonia are added to a half-liter container with warm water. The product is lowered for 20 minutes, rinsed, then wiped dry with a napkin.
Unfortunately, it is so arranged by nature that it is impossible to rid silver forever of a dark coating. After cleaning, it is very important to properly care for silver jewelry in order to prevent darkening for as long as possible.
If you believe that the darkening of silver is associated with damage or the evil eye, it is advised 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.
Lovers of silver jewelry quite often face the problem of darkening products made from this metal. Moreover, some products can turn black in two to three months, others do not lose their original luster for several years.
So why does the silver chain around your neck turn black? What are the reasons? The answer is quite simple: for the manufacture of jewelry from this metal, not silver is taken in its pure form, but an alloy that includes silver and copper in its composition.
Sulfur, in fairly significant amounts, which is part of human sweat, leads to the oxidation of copper. It is with this that the process of tarnishing of silver and its blackening is connected.
There are several reasons that answer the question why the silver chain around the neck turned black. One, as noted above, is associated with copper, which is part of the jewelry silver alloy.
In addition, the higher the quality of the sample of the metal from which the product is made, the later it will begin to lose its luster and darken. Darkening on the chain falls to a greater extent on those places where the metal comes into contact with human skin.
Other effects on silver around the neck are excessively rough clothing, hydrogen sulfide, in large quantities, in the air and high humidity.
That is why it is necessary to ventilate the premises where silver is stored as often as possible, since stale air leads to the formation of hydrogen sulfide in it, which directly affects the processes of metal oxidation.
People living in areas where there is a large concentration of various industrial facilities - heavy industry enterprises, should not wear silver products to work, since gases in the air, various harmful fumes from production can lead to darkening of silver.
It is important for motorists to avoid getting oil and diesel fuel on silver products. In addition, with a large accumulation of cars, in particular in densely populated cities and regions, they release into the air a lot of gases resulting from the combustion of fuel that contains sulfur, which oxidizes silver.
When asked why, medical workers answer with their point of view, namely the possibility of the presence of certain diseases in a person. In particular, malfunctions of the endocrine system, liver and kidney problems.
The functioning of the thyroid gland is directly related to the hormonal processes occurring in the body.
This is especially true for pregnant women. A change in the hormonal background during the period of bearing a child leads to the fact that almost all expectant mothers notice a darkening of the silver around their neck.
The sudden darkening of the silver chain may be due to the gradual destruction of the rhodium film, if the item was covered with it. In the case when the product turned black very quickly, we can talk about low-quality silver used for its manufacture.
Superstitious people associate blackened metal with damage to a person. Sorceresses, healers were convinced that silver takes the whole blow, thereby protecting its owner. Therefore, as soon as a person noticed the darkening of silver, he had to turn to the magicians to remove the damage.
Today, with absolute certainty, it can be argued that the mystical darkening of silver is just a figment of fantasy and great imagination.
Important! The higher and better the sample of the metal, the greater the anti-corrosion properties it has. For example, metal will not turn black under any circumstances. While 875 sterling silver loses its luster under the slightest adverse conditions.
In order to avoid having to stubbornly seek an answer to the question: “Why does silver darken?”, It is important to observe some recommendations:
The darkening of the silver chain should not be a reason to get rid of the jewelry. Exists .
The use of silver as jewelry has been very popular lately. It really looks very attractive, and also costs much cheaper than other precious metals. But he has one feature - over time, with frequent wear of such jewelry, it begins to blacken. Today we will try to analyze some of the reasons and help you solve this issue.
So, among the people there are three explanations for the darkening of the metal, and only one of them has been scientifically proven. The other two are more like folklore, but since they can often be heard from people, we will also pay attention to them.
1. Superstition. This reason was conveyed to us by our grandparents, and they, in turn, learned it from their ancestors. It says that if a silver jewelry darkened on a person, then he was damaged. Moreover, the people also have many beliefs in this regard. For example, a darkened ring on a girl’s finger indicates that a crown of celibacy hangs on her, the blackening of earrings indicates the evil eye, and if the cross darkens, then a strong and terrible curse is on the person. Although there is a radically opposite opinion that silver protects against dark forces and the evil eye. And if they have darkened, it means that they simply protected you from these influences.
2. Health problems. Many associate the darkening of silver on the human body with health problems. In principle, this can be explained by the fact that some diseases are accompanied by increased sweating, and sweat, oddly enough, contains sulfuric acid salts that oxidize the metal, as a result of which it darkens. However, understanding this, many still support the myth that the darkening of silver can indicate kidney and liver problems. But know that you should consult a doctor if you notice excessive sweating behind you - this can really be due to any problems in the body.
3. Oxidation of silver. We mentioned this reason in the previous section. Of the three, she is the only one who has scientific explanation. Let's take a closer look at the oxidation process. This happens because the interaction with sulfur-containing compounds is carried out.
A chemical reaction called "oxidation of silver" occurs when the metal is exposed to oxygen and reacts with hydrogen sulfide. As a result, a layer of silver sulfide appears on the surface, which is the very dark coating.
It often happens that a person does not notice at all that his silver jewelry has ever darkened, when suddenly this happens, and very quickly. We found several reasons that may explain this:
Stressful situations or intense sports. As we already know, at such moments sweat begins to stand out profusely, and above we described what happens in this case.
Increased air humidity, for example, when you visited the sauna. All the nuances lie in the same oxidation.
Low sample of silver on the product. The thing is that it is impossible to use pure silver in jewelry, because this metal is very soft in its structure and does not hold its shape well. Therefore, in the manufacture of jewelry, copper is added to it. And she, in turn, interacts with sulfur salts, which are contained in the air and on human skin, and forms copper sulfide - it is that dark coating on jewelry.
Now you know what causes the darkening of the metal, which means that we can begin to fix this problem.
You have three options:
1. Contact a jeweler.
2. Treat silver jewelry with special products. They can be easily purchased at jewelry stores or ordered online.
3. Use folk remedies. The easiest recipe is to take half a liter of water and one tablespoon of ammonia. Mix and wipe your products with this solution. Baking soda and tooth powder also work well with this problem. They need to be diluted to the consistency of gruel and put on a cotton pad. Then rub the product well with this swab. For best results, leave the jewelry in this state for 10 minutes, and then rinse under running water.
However, you should remember one important nuance. If your jewelry is made of rhodium-plated silver, and this is the vast majority of current products, the above method using folk remedies is strictly prohibited. For such jewelry, you will need a special napkin, which can be purchased at jewelry stores. First, rinse the product under the pressure of warm water, and then rub it with this napkin, and it will be clean. This method is also suitable for silver jewelry with stones.
Now you know how to make your silver ring or chain shine like new again.
