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People who use silver jewelry sometimes ask the question: “Why does silver darken on the body, because it is one of the noble metals?” In fact, those representatives of the beautiful part of humanity who, in their jewelry preferences from a small selection of noble metals (gold, platinum, silver), prefer to wear silver, probably noticed a strange picture that could not help but puzzle them. After intense physical activity (sports, physical work, swimming in the Black Sea) silver items that come into contact with the skin darken.

Causes of darkening of silver

Moreover, attentive researchers of this strange process, interested in why silver darkens on the human body, could notice some features of these processes:

1. Silver items that come into contact with the body for some reason darken on the outside and at the ends. For example, this is how a pectoral cross, which fits tightly to the body, darkens. If this symbol of faith, which is supposed to protect its wearer, is used as a traditional piece of jewelry and is located on the surface of outerwear, observant owners may notice that their favorite attribute has a dark coating on all sides. Although in cases where this amulet moves intensively over the surface of clothing, this effect does not appear at all or will be barely visible. This is explained by the fact that plaque from jewelry is removed by mechanical friction against the fibers of fabrics (or leather, if this part of the clothing is made from it).

2. Silver items that have contact with the body on the neck and on the arm change their shade differently. In cases where they are used to be worn on the neck and/or in the “décolleté area,” i.e., the upper part of the chest, the process of darkening the surface of the product is very intense. And when a thick chain used as a bracelet or a simple silver bracelet is worn on the hand (or when some originals wear these items on the leg), the surface does not become covered with a dark coating so quickly.

3. Silver jewelry darkens when its owner (or owner) begins to have some health problems. This was mainly noticed by people suffering from liver or kidney diseases, vascular, heart and other diseases.

The same manifestations in the behavior of silver items are possible with hormonal changes in the human body. For example, during the period of adolescent maturation, during pregnancy, when taking potent hormonal drugs, etc.

Why does silver turn black?

Some people believe that if the silver on the body darkens, this means that this person has an excess of “negative energy”. And this excess of it “blackens” the noble metal. But until scientists have learned to measure this energy, we would not talk about it seriously.

It is known that pure silver is not used for jewelry - “four nines - 999.9”. The chemically pure substance, which is purified at refineries, is used only in industry. For jewelry purposes, silver alloys are used, with a silver standard of 925 and 875. These compositions contain 92.5 and 87.5% silver, the rest is mainly copper. When platinum and/or palladium are added to the alloy, the degree of susceptibility to oxidation decreases, and when the finished product is coated with rhodium, there is practically no blackening.

The blackening of silver items is explained by the fact that human body in the course of life, it secretes sweat, the composition of which changes during a healthy state of the body and during illness. At the same time, diseases have different effects on the totality of substances secreted by sweat. There is also dependence on medications used for treatment. That's why the silver cross darkened. Substances released in sweat during illness contain sulfur compounds that cause darkening. Another reason may be low-grade silver, which contains quite a lot of copper.

A few simple rules for silver lovers

To prevent your favorite jewelry made from silver used in the jewelry industry from becoming covered with a dark coating for as long as possible, follow simple rules:

take them off when taking a bath or shower, when washing dishes, wet cleaning premises and even with a little manual “washing”;
do not wear them when swimming in the sea, especially in the Black Sea, because its water contains a lot of hydrogen sulfide;
do not wear silver items while training in the gym or outdoors;
try not to use silver jewelry when you are sick, because your goal is to get better faster, and not to look beautiful.

But if your favorite necklace or pendant has darkened and looks unattractive, bring it by simple means in order. It's easy to do. But more on that in another article.

Silver products have always been particularly 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, people have believed that clouded metal is a sign of the evil eye, damage, serious illness and negative influence.

There are several versions explaining why silver on the human body turns black, many of which are associated specifically with folk superstitions. Since ancient times, it was believed that the alloy has miraculous powers and protects against negative impact, and silver things were used in religious ceremonies.

Science explains the reason for the darkening of the alloy by the presence of sulfur coming into contact with silver. Medicine, in turn, believes that the reason for the tarnishing of metal lies in the state of health, as it interacts with bacteria through a certain chemical process.

Impact of dark forces

Since ancient times, silver has been considered a symbol of spiritual beauty and purity, which is why church attributes were made from it. If you believe the legends, then with the help of 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, the evil eye, and evil and envious people.

Signs and superstitions

Our ancestors believed that silver products have a unique ability to absorb negativity, thereby protecting its owner from the effects of evil spirits. If the silver jewelry has darkened, it means that the owner managed to avoid serious troubles.

Damage or evil eye

According to magicians, an indifferent attitude towards the world around him, malaise, lack of appetite, irritation indicates that a person is under the influence dark force. The influence of black magic can be determined by the silver jewelry:

Ring. Talks about big failures on the love front. For a girl this means the crown of celibacy, for a man it means a love spell.
Earrings. Indicates the evil eye.
Chain. Damage.
Cross. A strong curse, sometimes even “to death.”
Dishes. The presence of evil spirits in the house, perhaps some damage was done.

Thus, darkened silver seems to suggest that it took a negative blow and protected its owner from evil spells.

Health problems

According to doctors, silver can darken if the endocrine system is disrupted; this occurs, first of all, due to increased sweating. Sweat contains large amounts
hydrogen sulfide, upon contact with which a chemical reaction occurs in the alloy, and the metal begins to change its color. If sweating is normal, oxidation occurs unnoticed and dark plaque appears gradually.

Increased sweating does not always indicate any disease. Sweating can also be caused by physical exercise and active sports. But if the silver quickly acquires a dark shade, it is, of course, better to contact a specialist.

According to science, there is no mysticism in the darkening of 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.

What enhances the oxidation of silver?

Cosmetics such as shampoos, soaps, creams, when they come into contact with jewelry, accelerate the oxidation process of silver. Usually this happens slowly, and the alloy changes its color gradually, but there are factors that enhance this effect.

Stress, sport and bath

Physical activity, stress, nervous strain, and going to the bathhouse increase the functioning of the sebaceous glands, which contributes to increased sweating. With an intensified 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 it gets dark.

Low purity and impurities

Premature discoloration of silver items can 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 noble metals are added to it. If more of a component is added than expected, the alloy will turn out Low quality, which means it will get dark quickly.

For jewelry, 925 sterling silver with a small addition of copper is usually used. It is less prone to darkening, but copper, when in contact with sweat, interacts with sulfur salts, forming a blackish coating on the surface of the alloy.

Increased air humidity

Too high air humidity can have big influence on appearance silverware. With increased humidity, the process of sweat evaporation slows down and the concentration of sulfur salts increases. By entering into a complex reaction with them, silver sulfide oxidizes, and the jewelry quickly begins to darken.

Interestingly, sweat can also cause lightening of products, since it contains nitric acid. When it interacts with silver sulfide, it destroys it, that is, it changes the color of the alloy from dark to light.

How to avoid tarnishing of silver?

To avoid darkening of silver jewelry, you must follow simple recommendations:

do not wear them in a bathhouse or sauna;
do not wear products when sick;
remove silver when cleaning at home;
store jewelry separately from others.

How and with what to clean?

You can easily clean silver yourself using special means, which are sold in a household chemical store. But if the jewelry contains expensive stones, then it is better to take it to a jewelry workshop so as not to accidentally spoil it.

Cleaning products

Before cleaning, the product must be rinsed under a thin stream of warm water, dried and polished with a woolen cloth or special napkin. For more severe contamination, soak the jewelry in warm water with some laundry soap for several hours, then rinse, dry and carefully polish.

Folk recipes

An effective means for cleaning silver jewelry is tooth powder. Him in small quantity Apply to a slightly damp soft cloth and clean the products with very careful movements so as not to scratch them.

Ammonia is a good way to remove blackness from silver. Add a little laundry soap and a tablespoon of ammonia to a half-liter container of warm water. The product is left for 20 minutes, rinsed, then wiped dry with a napkin.

Unfortunately, nature works in such a way that it is impossible to rid silver of dark deposits forever. It is very important to properly care for your silver jewelry after cleaning to prevent tarnishing for as long as possible.

If you believe that the darkening of silver is associated with damage or the evil eye, it is advisable 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.

If silver turns black, no matter how long ago the jewelry was purchased or cleaned, there may be several explanations for this. Let's consider different points of view.

Why does silver turn black: a folk sign

The diverse properties of silver have been known to mankind for a long time. In addition, it is this metal that both white and black magicians like to use in their rituals, because its ions have excellent antibacterial properties. Therefore, as soon as a superstitious girl’s ring turns black, she immediately begins to worry that the earrings were aimed at her, or that they have been jinxed, and it becomes scary to even think about blackening.

Why silver turns black: a banal chemical reaction

The thing is that the silver jewelry that you are used to wearing contains copper. And under the influence of humid air, water, sweat, and other external factors, it oxidizes. The same reasons lead to the formation of a coating of silver sulfide on the surface of noble silver, which gradually becomes denser, and the jewelry itself darkens.

Moreover, the speed with which such a plaque forms on silver can also be associated with external reasons(climate change, high air humidity, frequent contact with water), and internal ones, which are associated with processes in your body. This is especially true for those who wear their silver almost never taking it off.

Why does silver turn black: ask your body

If some of the silver jewelry you wear turns black and others do not, it means that the problem is not external factors, but in you. There are many reasons why silver turns black, but don’t panic right away. Better listen to your body and pay attention Special attention, what jewelry have you darkened?

Since a person’s chest contains the most sebaceous glands, crosses and chains on the body often begin to turn black. And this is not at all due to damage or the evil eye, but to increased sweating, for example, during the hot summer season. In addition, blackening of silver jewelry in this area may indicate changes in hormonal levels, in particular those associated with pregnancy. In such cases, the chains turn black very quickly, almost in a few days.

Also, your emotional background may be responsible for why silver turns black. Severe stress, anxiety, and depression can contribute to darkening of jewelry. All this again affects your work (sweating increases). Sometimes the blackening of silver is a consequence of taking any medications that contain sulfur compounds.

If there is also a version that darkening of silver items may indicate problems with the liver or kidneys. But this can also be evidenced by the reverse process, that is, the brightening of silver, since in in this case sweat releases nitrogen-containing substances that add shine. A change in the color of silver jewelry may also indicate problems in the nervous system. And if your jewelry only darkens certain areas body, then this may be due to local disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system.

So we found out the main reasons for the blackening of silver jewelry (heat, physical activity, contact with certain chemical compounds). By the way, all these are quite prosaic reasons, so it is better not to believe in black magic, etc. It is in your power to protect silver from darkening. Going to the bathhouse Gym When going to the beach or taking a bath, don't be lazy to take off your jewelry. But if after all this the silver begins to turn black, then you should really pay attention to your health, both physical and psychological state.

It happens that your favorite silver jewelry suddenly suddenly begins to turn black. As a rule, special visible reasons No, but the silver still turns black. Moreover, this happens regardless of how long ago the item or decoration was purchased. The Land of Soviets decided to figure out Why does silver on the human body turn black?

Humanity has known about the various properties of silver for a long time. Everyone knows that silver ions contribute to the death of bacteria, This is why silver cutlery is very valuable, and silver items are used in religious ceremonies.

To the question why silver turns black, folk wisdom found a completely understandable answer - damage. Like, if your ring has darkened, it means you are wearing a crown of celibacy, the earrings are a strong evil eye, and if your pectoral cross has darkened, you don’t even want to think about it.

Of course, you can believe this interpretation, but there is a more scientific, and therefore more serious an explanation of why silver turns black.

The fact is that the silver jewelry that we are used to wearing contain copper. Under the influence of humid air, sweat and other external factors, copper oxidizes. Silver itself belongs to the noble metals. Under the influence of the same external factors (water, humid air) a plaque forms on the surface of the silver product silver sulfide, it gradually becomes denser, and the silver jewelry darkens.

The rate at which plaque forms on silver items is may be associated with external reasons, which include climate change, increased air humidity, frequent contact with water, exposure to certain substances on the product, and with internal processes body. 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 problem is not in external factors, but in your body. There can be many reasons why a silver chain on your neck darkens, but don’t sound the alarm right away. Listen to your physical condition and pay attention to which decorations have darkened.

Most of the sebaceous glands in humans are located on the chest. That's why First of all, chains and crosses turn black. And this is due to increased sweating, and not to the evil eye and damage. Darkening of 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 anxiety. All this also affects the functioning of the sebaceous glands, and accordingly increases sweating, which is why the silver darkens. Perhaps the silver has darkened due to taking any medication, which contains sulfur compounds.

There is a version that the darkening of silver indicates to improper functioning of the kidneys or liver. The brightening of silver can also indicate this, since in this case, substances containing nitrogen are released with sweat, and this gives the silver shine. In addition, a change in the color of silver may indicate problems with the nervous system. And the darkening of silver items on certain parts of the body can indicate local disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system.

There are also a 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 bathhouse and do not bathe in silver jewelry. This will help prevent them from darkening. And if in this case the silver still turns black, you should pay attention to your health.

Almost every person who wears silver jewelry has encountered the phenomenon when the metal acquires a dark patina over time. Because of this, many people refuse silver products, since even after cleaning they soon turn black again. Why does this happen and why does silver turn black?

There are several versions explaining why silver jewelry darkens on the body. But, before considering them, let's pay attention to the fact that in most cases silver objects contain copper - this is necessary so that the soft metal does not deform and is more durable. It is copper, which tends to undergo oxidation, that causes silver items to turn black. But let's return to the main question and try to understand the reasons for the dark plaque.

Major versions

Version 1: chemical interaction. Scientists assure: the secret of the appearance of a black coating on silver jewelry is in the interaction of the metal with the body. Human sweat releases hydrogen sulfide, resulting in gradual oxidation of the product. This causes the silver object to darken. Moreover, this happens least often with earrings, since there are no sweat glands in the earlobes, but rings, pendants, bracelets and chains are covered with a black coating more often. In addition, silver highest quality(999) darkens much less often (it contains the least amount of copper) than silver of the lowest standard (875).

Version 2: reaction to the disease. There is no scientific confirmation of this hypothesis, but many researchers fully accept the validity of this version. There is an opinion that silver jewelry on the body can turn black due to health problems. For example, liver or kidney disease, nervous tension, severe stress, hormonal imbalance and even pregnancy. This can also occur as a result of taking medications, to which silver reacts by changing color. And for each person it is individual: on some the product darkens quickly, on others more slowly.

Version 3: folk superstitions. Another hypothesis, quite dubious, but it also has a right to exist. According to signs and superstitions, silver turns black due to the fact that the owner of the jewelry has been damaged. Adherents of occult sciences claim: the evil eye spoils a person’s energy field, and if one does not cleanse one’s aura, the silver on the body will darken. The magical effect can even be determined by the type of product. For example, blackening of a ring indicates the crown of celibacy, a chain and pendant indicate the evil eye, earrings indicate powerful damage, and a cross on the body cross indicates a strong curse.

How to protect a silver item from tarnishing?

To ensure that your silver item pleases you with its shine longer, we recommend that you follow these simple recommendations. They will help the jewelry prolong its bright appearance.

Do not wear silver jewelry on the beach, and do not wear it in the sauna or solarium.
When doing household chores (laundry, cleaning, etc.), it is better to remove jewelry.
During periods of any illness, it is also recommended not to wear silver on the body.
Products should not come into contact with creams; wear them only after absorption.
Always store silver items in a box and separately from other jewelry.
Do not put the product on immediately after cleaning; let it sit until a film forms.
It is undesirable to wear someone else's silver, since it has become “accustomed” to another body.

What to do if the decoration turns black?

Don't be upset if your favorite ring or chain has darkened - return it to them old look not difficult. There is a lot for this different ways, let's highlight three of them.

Ammonia. Very simple and everyone available method: Place the blackened silver item in an ammonia solution for 10-15 minutes. After this, wipe it well with a cloth or brush - the dark coating will come off from the jewelry and it will shine again.
Baking soda. Dilute a few teaspoons of baking soda in water and soak the silver in the solution for half an hour. For greater effect, you can add a little hydrogen peroxide. Then simply rub the product with a piece of foil until a characteristic shine appears.
Toothpaste. Very effective method, which will quickly return your decoration to its original appearance. You just need to squeeze a little paste onto your toothbrush and brush your silver for 5-10 minutes. The result will not be long in coming - not a trace will remain of the plaque.

As you can see, when asked why silver turns black on a person, there are three hypotheses. Which one is correct is not known for sure. Perhaps there is a rational grain in all three, and everyone can stick to their own version.

But you shouldn’t focus too much on this and try to find an exact answer to this question. After all, if you regularly take care of your silver jewelry, it will delight you with its beauty for a long time.