Why does the silver chain around my neck turn black? There are a huge number of options for why silver darkens on a person’s neck. Superstitious people consider this a manifestation of corruption, the evil eye and many other witchcraft phenomena. Those who understand medicine associate this with the consequences of internal human diseases. Chemists have their own version - they believe that the answer lies in the chemical interactions of silver elements with the skin. Everyone decides for himself which version he likes best. To understand in more detail, we will consider the most popular ones. An option for the superstitious Before the advent of the sciences of chemistry and medicine, people explained everything that happened around them in terms they knew. No other explanation for the unexpected darkening of silver on the human body, except for damage, could not be given. Various sorceresses and healers warned the people that if the silver jewelry on them darkened sharply or began to leave traces, then they should urgently contact them and remove the damage from themselves. They believed that silver jewelry protects a person from negative influences and, if anything, they take the first blow. After witchcraft rituals to remove damage, the decoration itself, without outside help, should restore its color. Chemical explanation for the darkening of a silver chain A silver chain is a mixture that contains a small amount of copper. And there is sulfur in human sweat. It is she who causes the unpleasant smell of sweat. According to the laws of chemical reactions, copper oxidizes in contact with sulfur. And in fact, silver is a noble metal, it has anti-corrosion properties, which means it does not oxidize. But a black crystalline coating appears on it in the form of silver sulfide. The thicker the plaque builds up, the darker the chain looks. This theory is confirmed by the fact that the chain darkens precisely in those areas that constantly come into contact with the human body, especially if the surface of the product is smooth and adheres to the skin as much as possible. If you wear rough and hard clothes, then its mechanical effect on silver can also cause it to blacken. And also hydrogen sulfide, which is in the air in sufficient quantities, enhances the ongoing oxidative processes. It has been proven that high humidity also greatly contributes to this. Pay attention to the silver sample, the higher it is, the better. A product with a sample of 925 will not darken even under the most adverse conditions, unlike 875 silver. It is noteworthy that it is simply impossible to make anything from pure 999 silver, since it is the impurities that make brittle silver a durable metal. Options for specialists in the field of medicine Physicians also have several options for answering the question of why the silver chain around the neck darkens, but they all indicate that a person has certain diseases. Some believe that this is due to a violation of the liver and kidneys. Others - that the poor functioning of the endocrine system. Hormonal changes in the body due to malfunctions of the thyroid gland are manifested in a change in the composition of sweat. That is why almost all pregnant and lactating women observe blackening of silver body jewelry. Sometimes a sharp darkening of silver is observed after the start of taking certain types of medications, because they are also able to change the composition of sweat, increasing the sulfur content. Silver products are famous for their antiseptic properties. Therefore, their sudden blackening may indicate a new disease that has settled in the body. The most likely causes are the appearance of stress, agitation, excessive physical and intellectual stress, and profuse sweating. Jewelers are advised to remove all jewelry before exercising in the gym, swimming in the pool, visiting the bath or sauna.

Silver jewelry is well-deservedly popular. Almost every woman, and often a man, wears a cross and a chain or a silver ring. But, unfortunately, this metal can change color over time and become darker.

Why does silver turn black? There are many hypotheses to explain this phenomenon. Some of them are associated with superstitions and folk signs. However, there is a scientific explanation that proves that the blackening of silver jewelry is nothing more than a simple chemical reaction.

Signs and superstitions

Damage or evil eye

According to popular belief, a blackened cross on the body is a bad sign. Most likely, a strong damage or evil eye lies on a person. When the curse loses its power, the decoration will return to its original color. Also, by the color of the plaque on a silver item, one can judge the strength of damage: the darker it is, the stronger the curse.

To understand jinxed or not, it is enough to listen to yourself, to your feelings. According to legend, the surrounding world of a person who has been spoiled becomes “gray”, joyless, everything irritates, tormented by longing. He constantly feels someone's presence nearby, especially at night.

The type of negative magical effect can be determined by the decoration that has changed color:

1. Ring. The girl is wearing a crown of celibacy.
2. Earrings or chain. Blackening speaks of the evil eye.
3. Cross on the body. Strong curse.
4. Silverware. If she changed color, then there is an evil spirit in the house.

Protection from negativity, the effects of dark forces

According to another sign, silver jewelry takes on all the negativity, protects its mistress or owner from dark forces, evil spirits. If the chain and the cross around the neck have darkened, then their owner has avoided serious trouble or trouble.

Health Problems

Another popular belief says that silver turns black because the owner of the jewelry is sick. There is some truth in this explanation. In fact, silver jewelry on a person changes color, as it oxidizes when interacting with sweat, which mixes on the surface of the body with the secretion of the sebaceous glands.

Since the metal in most cases touches the skin (the decoration hangs around the neck, on the ears, worn on the wrist or finger), a chemical reaction occurs, due to which the silver changes color. If the amount of sweat released is normal, a person may not notice the oxidation of jewelry on the body, since it occurs slowly and plaque appears gradually.

But if sweating suddenly intensified, silver items on the body - most often a chain and a cross - begin to darken rapidly. And it is possible that the causes of increased sweating are health problems. For example, such a reaction is observed during hormonal disruptions, pregnancy and endocrine diseases.

It is also believed that silver changes color if a person has kidney or liver pain. However, this superstition is not supported by scientific facts.

scientific explanation

Why does silver really darken? This is due to its interaction with sulfur-containing compounds. Under the influence of oxygen, the metal reacts with hydrogen sulfide and a chemical reaction occurs, which is called the oxidation of silver.

As a result, a dark layer of silver sulfide appears on the surface of silver products, which changes their color.

4Ag + O2 + 2H2S = 2Ag2S + 2H2O

Why did the silver chain and silver cross darken, although such a reaction had not been observed before? Perhaps the fact is that the owner of these decorations moved to an area where there is more hydrogen sulfide in the air.

But most often, as mentioned above, the cause is contact with sweat on the surface of the human body. The composition of human sweat includes sulfates - salts of sulfuric acid, therefore, when sweat and silver interact, a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which the surface of the metal jewelry oxidizes and turns black.

What can enhance the oxidation of silver?

Stressful situations, sports

The work of the sweat and sebaceous glands depends on many factors, however, a person begins to sweat intensely due to stress or during active physical exertion.

If you go to the gym or work out at home, and you have a silver cross and a silver chain around your neck, then you should not be surprised that they have changed color. With increased sweating, the concentration of sulfates increases, which means that silver darkens more quickly.

Therefore, if you want to wear silver jewelry on your body, and at the same time have to do hard physical work or exercise regularly, be prepared to clean them regularly. How? We will tell further.

High humidity

What else influences this process? Air humidity! If you wore a chain and a cross on your chest in rainy weather or didn’t take them off in the sauna, then the reasons why the silver changed its color is precisely in this.

At high air humidity, the evaporation of sweat slows down (since there is already a large concentration of water in the air, sweat does not evaporate so intensively on the human body). As a result, as in the previous case, the concentration of sulfur salts on the surface of the skin increases and jewelry on the body begins to oxidize.

Interestingly, over time, the same sweat can cause bleaching of silver products, since in addition to sulfates, it also contains nitrates - salts of nitric acid.

Reacting with them, silver sulfide (dark coating on products) is able to break down. Thus, silver on the ears or on the body of a person can again change color, only this time in the opposite direction - from dark to light.

Low sample of silver, the presence of a large amount of impurities in it

These are not all the reasons why silver jewelry can turn black when worn on the body. The sample of silver plays an important role: the higher it is, the less products made from this metal are subject to color change, and vice versa.

Jewelry made of pure silver without impurities is practically not made, since it is very soft and can lose its shape. In order to make the cross, earrings and other products more durable, other metals are added to silver, including copper.

When copper in a silver product interacts with sulfur salts (in contact with sweat on the skin or in air rich in hydrogen sulfide), copper sulfide is formed on its surface. It, like silver sulfide, also looks like a black coating.

How to clean blackened silver from plaque?

We figured out why silver turns black on the body. But what to do when it has already happened?

If you believe in signs and think that the reason is damage or the evil eye, superstitious people advise you to go to church, confess, take communion, and pray more. If you feel unwell, we strongly recommend to be examined by a doctor and start treatment. A darkened silver ring, earrings or a cross and a chain just need to be cleaned.

How to clean silver items without stones and coatings from blackness?

The simplest and safest thing is to contact a jewelry workshop for this. Also today on sale there are products specifically designed for cleaning silver products at home. They can be bought in jewelry stores and in stores that sell household chemicals.

Or use one of the folk methods, for example, clean a silver ring or chain with a solution of ammonia (0.5 liters of water - 1 tablespoon of alcohol), soda or tooth powder.

Please note that not all silver jewelry can be cleaned with the compositions listed above! For example, rhodium-plated silver products (and most of them are on sale today) from the above methods (ready-made composition, soda, powder and ammonia) are very likely to lose their appearance and become unsuitable for wearing.

Cleaning jewelry with rhodium and stones

To clean rhodium-plated silver jewelry, it is recommended to rinse them under running warm (not hot!) water, then wipe dry and polish with a special cloth (you can buy it at a jewelry store).

Silver items with stones can be cleaned in the same way. If heavily soiled, you can pre-soak them for half an hour in warm water, adding a little laundry soap to it.

After cleaning, try to properly care for silver items so that they do not darken again!

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Reasons for the darkening of silver

Silver jewelry is quite popular among both women and men of any age.

Silver is a fairly democratic metal, it is relevant for any occasion, suitable for any wardrobe. However, this metal has one huge disadvantage: it darkens. Why does silver turn black?

Reasons for the darkening of the precious metal

Due to the content of a significant amount of the copper molecule in silver jewelry, the very darkening of silver occurs. It is oxidized due to the release of sweat by a person. Also, these jewels contain amino acids that contain sulfur. Sulfur is the reason why silver darkens. If a person sweats heavily, the silver chain will darken very quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to remove it during physical exertion. However, if the sweating is low, but the product is still blackened from silver, then something is wrong in the body. You should consult a doctor.

There are a lot of reasons why this metal darkens:

1. Product test.
2. Air composition.
3. Humidity of the environment.
4. Body creams that contain substances that cause darkening of the metal.
5. Taking a certain drug.

Silver cleaning methods

For in jewelry stores there are special tools. But this noble metal can be cleaned at home. What you need to do for this:

1. You need to take a toothbrush and baking soda and start rubbing silver earrings or a ring.
2. Mix the ash with ammonia and soapy water. Silver jewelry should be put in this solution for half an hour.

If we consider why silver darkens from a superstitious point of view, then damage or the evil eye can be called the cause. There is wisdom among the people that if the ring darkens, you will not marry, earrings - the evil eye. The strongest curse is on the one who has blackened such a product as a cross.

The reason that the product has darkened from silver can be severe stress, some kind of experience, emotional mood swings. All this increases sweating in the body, as a result of which the chain darkens. Doctors say that if the kidneys or liver function poorly, the silver will definitely darken. It also darkens if there are problems with the nervous or endocrine systems.

The people believe that silver protects against evil spirits, so protective amulets were made from it.

Silver things are a symbol of the purity of the soul. No wonder church utensils are made of this metal. Silver bells scare away evil spirits. An alloy of this metal can be used to make magic weapons, as it is a conductor between our world and the other world. Created in Russia. They kept healing elixirs and potions, which were then used to heal people.

Our ancestors knew how to quickly clean and restore the original appearance of silver. They rubbed it with salt, kept it in a solution of ash, slandered it so that it would quickly recover. Whether a person’s silver darkened or not, it was regularly cleaned and spoken. If a person’s chain has never darkened, then he is pure and honest.

The 999 proof chain is the least susceptible to browning. That is, the greater the metal content in the product, the longer this product will not need to be cleaned.

Why does silver turn black in water? Because it contains metals, coming into contact with which, it darkens.

Read more about how to clean noble metal from blackness:

1. Cleansing with citric acid. It is suitable for low-grade jewelry. You just need to immerse the chain in a solution of acid and water for 15 minutes, then remove it and wipe it with a cloth.
2. How to clean jewelry with stones. For this, it is better to use special cleaning products, as folk methods can ruin the stone.
3. To clean silverware, you need to prepare a solution of water and soda. Put the dishes in there and wipe. You need to take care of it carefully, keep it in a special cool place, which is why it will last you longer.
4. If you need to clean a piece of jewelry with pearls, such as a chain, the cleaning agent must be approached very carefully. It is better to buy a special tool in a jewelry store or soak the product in soapy water and then gently wipe it with a napkin.

Whichever tool you choose, remember that silver can always be cleaned if you know the ways. But if you are afraid of ruining it, take your jewelry to the cleaning experts. It is important to remember that silver needs constant care. It must be carried out in advance, until the silver product has darkened. Try to take it off before training, before water procedures, in hot weather, rain, etc. If you treat your jewelry properly, it will last you a long time.

Reasons why silver turns black quickly:

First, it's worth dispelling the myth that quality silver never tarnishes. This is a natural process, unless your jewelry is under sterile conditions. When you wear a product or it just lies in your jewelry box, over time, plaque appears on the surface. But it is one thing if the product darkens a little in a couple of months or years, and quite another if it drastically changes color in a couple of days. So why does silver turn black?

Silver with oxidation

If the decoration becomes dark too quickly- it can be made from an alloy with a low silver content, from low-quality ligature. Also, the aggressive effect of the environment leads to darkening - contact with household chemicals, high air pollution, changes in the body, when substances that contribute to rapid oxidation come to the surface of the skin with sweat. In particular, contact with sulfur leads to a change in color.

Poor quality product

On products made of gold, as well as on jewelry made of silver, an assay mark (sample) is put. Also, the purity of the alloy is indicated on the tag. Most often in the jewelry market you can find jewelry made of 925 sterling silver. This suggests that in the composition of 92.5% pure noble metal, the rest of the components are additives. This ratio is optimal, because 100% silver without additives is too soft, such products are impractical. There are other ratios: there are quite high-quality products of 960, 875 and 830 tests. This ratio is also quite acceptable if ligature(other components) of high quality and clear proportions of pure silver and additives are observed.

In case if low-grade silver or low-quality ligature is used, the jewelry darkens very quickly, even without aggressive environmental influences

But remember that even quality products darken over time! To slow down this process, jewelers cover the jewelry with a layer of rhodium. So the products remain shiny longer, and in beauty they compete with white gold. Even a professional often fails to visually distinguish such jewelry.

Changing the health status of the owner of the jewelry

Health problems are another possible reason why silver on the body darkens. Substances that react with the metal are released on the surface of the skin. These processes can be influenced by:

• hormonal changes in the body;
• taking medications;
• stress;
• failure of the endocrine system;
• problems with the liver, kidneys;
• excessive consumption of canned foods.

If a blackened silver- pay attention to your health. And analyze, maybe you just started using a new cream, which, reacting with the metal, leads to rapid oxidation. Or the air you breathe is too polluted and leaves a mark not only on the lungs, but also on the silver.

Jewelry 875 with gilding without oxidation

Environmental impact

Remove your favorite jewelry when you cook, clean, come into contact with chemicals such as powder or dishwashing detergent, or put on skincare products. Silver gets dark by contact with certain foods, including eggs and onions. Even on a quality product, a dark coating appears over time. This is a natural and lengthy process. It's worth worrying if the decoration becomes dark in a few days!

Volatile sulfur compounds, leading to oxidation, are also in the air. The concentration can be increased at enterprises, during the combustion of coal, oil products, during the evaporation of sea water splashes, etc.

Quality Jewelry 925

How to clean silver?

It is easiest to remove darkening from products without inserts, because. the fact that silver "endures" for stones, gilding, jewelry enamel and other decorative elements can be disastrous. Someone rubs silverware without inserts with toothpaste and then rinses in water, someone uses a weak soda solution for cleaning. Jewelry is perfectly cleaned with special wipes and other professional care products. It is important not to scratch the product with abrasive particles and coarse brushes during cleaning.

So oh silver oxidation- a natural process that does not deny the authenticity of the metal. But you should be alerted by the fact that the decoration has unexpectedly darkened in a short period. Your silver jewelry can be a signal - pay attention to things that you do not attach importance to.

Many people wear various items made of silver, an attractive and inexpensive noble metal. Often, silver accessories turn black on the body. There are reasonable explanations for this phenomenon and several popular beliefs about it. Blackening of the metal can be avoided with the help of preventive measures.

Folk signs about blackened silver on the body

According to folk signs, the darkening of silver jewelry on the body of their 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 affected magically. It can be the evil eye, damage, love spell, black envy. The noble metal attracts negativity to itself, protecting its owner.
• Blackened earrings speak of the evil eye.
• The darkened ring of an unmarried girl is regarded as evidence of a crown of celibacy. If such an ornament has turned black in a woman, then a black streak will begin in her personal life.
• A darkened pectoral cross indicates that its owner was cursed or damaged.
• From the point of view of mystical creatures, the blackening of silver is explained by a meeting with a werewolf or a vampire.
• The darkening of wearable jewelry in the house indicates the presence of evil spirits in it.

The real causes of the phenomenon

Many people believe in signs, but there is a scientific explanation for the blackening of silver on the body. Changing the color of a metal is a chemical reaction. Most silver jewelry contains copper, which can oxidize. Such a reaction manifests itself with increased sweating or in conditions of air oversaturated with moisture.

There is another version of the darkening of silver on the body. This noble metal is very sensitive to biochemical processes in the body, therefore it can turn black against the background of illness, severe stress, emotional overload.

If the metabolism is disturbed, the body can release more sulfur. It has a bad effect on silver, causing it to blacken.

Silver jewelry often darkens during pregnancy, pathologies of the endocrine system, hormonal disruptions. This confirms the medical version of the causes of the blackened metal on the body.

Another logical explanation for the darkening of silver is the poor quality of the products. Usually this is a low-quality material hidden under silver plating.

What to do if the silver turned black?

Darkened metal can be restored to its former attractiveness. It is most reliable and safe to trust the master. An alternative option is cleaning at home:

• Special composition for cleaning silver. It must be used according to the instructions, since the components of the product and their concentration are different.
• Make a saline solution by adding 1 tbsp. l. salt. Dip silver jewelry into it for several hours, then rub it with a cloth (wool). According to popular beliefs, after such a cleaning, silver should be left for several days for complete purification.
• There is another method for cleaning silver with salt. It is necessary to cover the container with foil, pour salt on it and lay out silver jewelry, pour boiling water. As soon as the decorations are cleaned, they must be removed immediately, otherwise the whole procedure will be useless.
• Effectively cleans baking soda. For a liter of water you need 4 tbsp. l. soda. This mixture must be put on fire, stirring until completely dissolved. Silver items with a piece of foil should be lowered into the boiling liquid for 15 seconds.
• Boiling in a saline solution can replace cleaning silver items with salt. For 0.2 liters of water, take 1 tsp. salt. Soak jewelry in boiling water for 15 minutes. Then rub with a cloth (wool).
• Suitable for cleaning silver vinegar essence (9%). Silver items should be lowered into the heated liquid for 15 minutes, then rubbed with a cloth (suede or wool).
• Boil unpeeled potatoes. Line the bottom of a glass container with foil, pour in the liquid. After cooling, lower the blackened things into it. After 10 minutes, you can take them out and rinse with clean water.
• Cleaning with ammonia. It is necessary to moisten a piece of wool in it and wipe the item made of silver.
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%) works well with the darkening of silver. You can wipe a silver item with it or place the accessory in a container with peroxide for 5-10 minutes.
• Silver items can be cleaned with citric acid. To do this, pour 50 grams of the product into 0.5 liters of water, hold for half an hour in a water bath. Silver is carefully lowered into the composition after the complete dissolution of citric acid. After cleaning, rub the products with a cloth.
• Darkening is removed with an ordinary eraser, but this is only appropriate for smooth jewelry. After cleaning, rinse the accessories with water and rub with a cloth.
• It cleans silver items well with ordinary laundry detergent. Add it to water, bring to a boil, lower the product into the resulting liquid and boil for 10 minutes. For this, you can use only metal utensils.
• Silver accessories can be cleaned with dishwashing liquid. It can be applied with a sponge or soft cloth and left for a few minutes. Then rinse the silver and rub with a cloth.
• Toothpaste helps a lot. Best of all, a bleaching agent will cope with the darkened metal. It must be applied to a silver product and left for a few minutes. Then the paste must be washed off and rubbed with a cloth.

According to popular belief, silver jewelry should be cleaned on the 18th lunar day. On the 4th lunar day, silver should rest. Products from it must be lowered into water and placed in the freezer so that it freezes. After 16 hours, silver can be taken out to thaw in natural conditions.

With the darkening of silver on the body, folk wisdom speaks of the need to visit the church. There you should light a candle for health, talk with the priest, and pray. It is also necessary to read prayers at night.

Popular wisdom also says that darkened silver items should be temporarily put aside. They attracted negative energy, so it takes time to clear.

Abrasive materials, hard brushes and other items that can scratch soft metal are not suitable for cleaning silver.

Silver blackening prevention

In order for silver jewelry to remain in its original form and not darken, the following measures must be observed:

• remove silver before physical exertion: they increase sweating, causing the metal to darken;
• remove silver jewelry in a sauna, bath and other places with high humidity;
• do not wear silver immediately after cleaning, a break is needed to form a natural protective layer;
• buy products with a sample of 925, in this case, the admixture of copper is minimal.

There are various opinions explaining the darkening of silver on the body. Some of them have a scientific basis, and some are associated with popular beliefs. In any case, silver can be cleaned in various ways. Metal blackening can be avoided by following preventive measures.