When it comes to jewelry, will Sterling Silver tarnish and turn green over time?
Sterling Silver
- Thread starter barlowc
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Yes, it will tarnish fairly quickly. I'm not sure about green - more of a brownish color if I remember correctly.
JHZR2
Staff member
Green? Well sterling may have some copper in it (sterling is 0.925 pure), but that said, 90% silver coins dont tarnish green.
So I have no idea what you have.
So I have no idea what you have.
Should have been more clear in my original post. I don't have anything that is tarnishing or turning green. My wife dropped a "hint" on a piece of jewelry she'd like. It's Sterling Silver and looks nice new and is comparatively inexpensive, but I don't want to get it for her if it's going to tarnish and get ugly. If it's going to do that, I'd rather try to find something similar in white gold.
Ah...now I understand...Dinner ware (real silverware, not just cutlery) will tarnish quickly in the presence of sulfer (in some foods, particularly mushrooms) and that requires a bit of polishing to remedy. In contrast, I have a silver Cross pen that I carry (sentimental reasons...)...it slowly tarnishes with age to a slighly grayer finish...but that's with frequent regular use...
It cleans up quickly and then looks as lustrous and attractive as ever. Quick swipe with a silver polishing cloth will brighten the jewelry...no worries...
It cleans up quickly and then looks as lustrous and attractive as ever. Quick swipe with a silver polishing cloth will brighten the jewelry...no worries...
Don't they call this the "patina?" (Been watching Pawn Stars)
I've got some Thai silver baht chains that don't tarnish, but that's because they are plated with another metal. Even pure silver will tarnish - it's not like gold (pure gold won't oxidize)
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