Jewelry is no longer perceived only as an addition to the image. Sometimes they themselves dictate what dress to wear or what shoes to prefer. For some, jewelry is a kind of investment, for others it is a memory of those who donated the product or wore it before. Certain tastes have already formed in the world. Some argue that there is no metal more valuable than gold. People who hold the opposite opinion defend the virtues and beauty of silver. Perhaps there would be much more fans of the second metal if it were not for the specific care that it requires. Without them, you will be faced with the question of why silver turns yellow. There are both quite logical reasons and explanations for this, as well as mystical ones associated with various signs.
Folk beliefs
Progress has forced many of us to give up superstition. Perhaps this is correct, but it is not worth denying that people tried to put a deep meaning into signs.
It is wiser to take them as a kind of practical advice. It is not necessary to assume that something bad will happen to you, but it will be useful to think about whether we are not too careless about ourselves. Often, the frantic pace of life captivates us and we forget about our he alth and proper nutrition.
Here are a few signs about why silver turns yellow or darkens:
- Jewelry that a person wears every day has become dark? This is a sign of a he alth problem. Another reason could be damage to it. As soon as a person begins to recover or remove damage, silver will brighten.
- If household silver utensils began to blacken, this is a signal that evil spirits have appeared in the dwelling.
However, signs give only a mystical explanation for this phenomenon. Let's move on to science-based reasons.
What is silver
This metal occupies a significant place among the precious ones and is included in the noble group. Its use as a material for making jewelry and other products dates back millennia.
The attractiveness and popularity of precious metals lies not only in their beautiful appearance. Since ancient times, people have paid attention to the fact that things made from them are absolutely not subject to corrosion, and if they were exposed to alkalis, then the surface of the products was not covered with plaque.
The secret of such invulnerability of precious metals is a high degree of resistance to chemical attackthe surrounding world. However, the silver turns yellow. Why is this happening?
Reasons for change
Specialists were able to identify a number of factors that can cause a change in the color of silver. Basically, the reasons lie in the chemical effect of sulfur and other substances on it:
- Human intake of medicines, the use of cosmetics, building materials, which contain bromine and iodine. The compounds that form on the surface of a silver item can be the cause of the yellow color. If you do not put the thing in order, then over time it will begin to turn black.
- The presence of sulfur in the air masses, which is released from objects made of special rubber. These include clothes, shoes, furniture fittings.
- The reaction that occurs under the influence of sulfur compounds. Their presence in air masses often leads to the fact that they mix with precipitation, such as rain, forming acids. Their contact with a silver product adversely affects its condition.
- Why does silver turn yellow on the body? The reason for this phenomenon may be the presence of sulfur compounds in the surrounding household items: cardboard, wrapping paper, clothing. They do not disintegrate, but after a while they begin to be released into the air. Settling on silver, they provoke the formation of a yellow coating.
- Change the color of the decoration can also contact sulfur and sodium thiosulfate. It is the second component that is often present in the composition of productsFood Industry. It acts as an oxidizing agent or complexing agent. It can also be used in the textile industry.
- If you are wondering "why does silver turn yellow and what does it mean", take into account that a considerable amount of industrial waste is thrown into the air every day. They can cause discoloration of the product.
However, not only because of sulfur and its contact with other substances, the color of this noble metal changes. There are a couple more reasons that can also affect this.
- Why does silver turn yellow on a person? The reason sometimes lies in human he alth problems. Sweat, breath and other secretions from our body contribute to the formation of yellow plaque.
- Spoiled silver is a sign that the product may be of poor quality. There are unscrupulous manufacturers of utensils and jewelry that pass off fake copper and bronze as silver. In order to verify the authenticity of the metal, it is worth giving it for examination.
Don't put off cleaning silver for too long. If you notice a yellow coating on the surface of the product, you need to urgently clean it. Subsequently, it will begin to darken until the metal finally turns black. Then it will be quite difficult to return it to its original form, and you risk losing your favorite thing.
Metal Purity
In order not to worry about whether you have real silver in the future, you should pay special attention to its choice. Buy products only from trusted brands or jewelers. On theIn factories, the metal is cleaned in a special way to minimize the amount of impurities.
However, looking for the purest silver does not mean completely protecting yourself from problems with it. In this case, another minus may arise - excessive fragility of the metal. Yes, you will save yourself from searching for an answer to the question of why silver turns yellow on your finger, but the jewelry can simply break or bend. That is why manufacturers mix this metal with others: gold, platinum or nickel.
A few rules of care
Having learned why silver turns yellow, you can at least partially avoid this, but you should also remember the rules for caring for this material, which will help keep your favorite things looking longer.
It is necessary to store jewelry in a wooden, tightly closed box, inside of which there will be a natural linen made of cotton or linen. After using a silver product, it should be washed well with warm water and soap or soda. Wipe down with a flannel cloth from time to time to avoid build-up.
You can clean the jewelry using lipstick. It is lubricated with the product, and then wiped with a cotton pad. Another effective remedy is toothpaste.
Conclusion
Jewellery and other items made of precious metals do not cease to please the eye to this day. However, you can save their appearance only by mastering a simple but necessary care for them. Then any product will look luxurious.