Why does silver turn black?

Why does silver turn black? Silver is known for its beautiful shine, but over time it can turn black or dark. This can feel dull, especially if it is fine silver jewelry. Why is this change happening?

Can real silver turn black?

The answer is yes. Genuine silver, for example a silver bracelet that consists of 99.9 percent silver, despite its high purity, can turn black over time. This phenomenon is completely natural and affects all forms of silver, including sterling silver.

What substance causes silver to blacken?

The darkening of the silver is due to a chemical reaction that occurs with sulfur-containing substances in the air. Sulfur combines with silver to form silver sulphide, which is a dark substance that settles on the silver's surface. This is what causes the silver to darken or blacken.

This process can be accelerated by several different factors. For example, silver blackens faster if it is exposed to high humidity or air pollution. It can also turn black if stored near materials such as rubber or wool, as these contain sulphur. In addition to this, body oils, sweat and cosmetic products can react with silver. For these reasons, it is important that you clean and dry silver jewelry regularly.

So what can you do?

If you have silver jewelry, or other silver items, that have become blackened, it is fortunately easy to restore them in most cases. A practical and simple way to clean silver is to use a special silver polishing cloth. There are also special silver polishes available for purchase. If the items are heavily blackened, the easiest and best option may be to take them to a professional jeweler for cleaning.

To prevent, or slow down the process that causes silver to turn black, if you can, you can store jewelry and other silver items in airtight containers or plastic bags. It can also be good to put a piece of chalk, which absorbs moisture, in the storage space.