Why Does Silver Tarnish?

As the purity of the silver decreases, the problem of tarnishing increases.

Chemically, silver is not very reactive.  It does not react with oxygen or water at ordinary temperatures, so does not easily form a silver oxide.  However, other metals in the alloy, usually copper, may react with oxygen in the air.  This forms a compound called silver sulfide.

There really isn’t much you can do about silver tarnishing.  That’s why most sterling silver sold today is plated with a thin layer of metal protection.  This process is called “flashing” and they use either silver or rhodium to coat the outside of the rings or jewelry to make them look whiter, brighter, and to keep the tarnishing down to a minimum.  So until that plating wears off, your silver will actually hold up pretty well.

Silver has a bad reaction with items such as wool, rubber bands, latex gloves, oils from your hands and fingers, ammonia, chlorinated water, carpet padding, air pollution, perfumes, and hair sprays, as well as some foods such as onions, mayonnaise, salad dressing, eggs, table salt, and salty foods. In fact, just the humidity alone can cause silver to tarnish!

Several products have been developed for the purpose of polishing silver that serve to remove sulfur from the metal without damaging or warping it.  Because harsh polishing and buffing can permanently damage and devalue a piece of antique silver, valuable items are typically hand-polished to preserve the unique patinas of older pieces. Techniques such as wheel polishing, which are typically performed by professional jewelers or silver repair companies, are reserved for extreme tarnish or corrosion.

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