Tarnish is the oxidization that occurs when air-borne sulfurs and chlorides are present, causing a yellowish cast on the sterling silver. If left without being cleaned, the tarnish becomes brown and eventually turns a dark and iridescent purple/black.
“Tarnish is a product of chemical reaction that is caused by the other metals that are mixed with silver reacting to moisture and sulfur in the air. Sterling Silver will generally tarnish quicker in high humidity climates and places with high levels of air pollution.
If you mean “can a person turn silver into gold?” the answer is no, currently. We do not possess the technology necessary to transform one element into another (with the very limited-case except of fission and fusion bombs).
Background. When silver is exposed to sulfur-containing gases in the air, it discolours and then darkens as it reacts with the gas to form a surface layer of tarnish. This process is called tarnishing, as explained below in The science of silver tarnish and its cause.
Pure silver generally needs to be polished and cleaned on a regular basis to prevent tarnish. Similarly, oxidation can be buffed out of the silver over time, especially on pieces you wear often.
Sterling silver tarnishes when exposed to salty air, chlorine, sulfur, humidity, perspiration, cosmetics, household bleach and other strong chemicals.
Quickly restore your jewelry or tableware with vinegar, water and baking soda. This cleaning agent is a great option for many things, including your tarnished silver. Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl of lukewarm water. Let the silver soak for two to three hours.
Tarnishing occurs when the chemicals in pure silver or sterling silver jewellery react to moisture and sulphuric gases in the air. This causes a chemical reaction that results in your jewellery turning from a luscious and iridescent silver tone to a dull browny-red and copper colour.
The Nitric Acid Test
They also are trained to tell when this test succeeds or fails. A drop of nitric acid on a fake silver product will turn a greenish hue. If the acid becomes a cloudy grey, then the piece is real.
Vermeil Is Not Solid Gold
So, it's simply sterling silver with a layer of gold. You need to careful when purchasing vermeil pieces as they almost look like gold. Yellow gold is the most popular color for these pieces, but you will also find some in pink gold and Hamilton gold.
In fine jewelry, the most desirable kind of gold plating is gold over sterling silver, sometimes called "vermeil." Just as is sounds, vermeil is sterling silver that has been plated with a 14kt or 18kt gold in yellow, rose, or white.
Gold over silver is a special laminate process first fabricated by Ed Levin in the 1980's. A 14kt gold sheet is bonded to a sterling silver sheet. Ed Levin's gold over silver earrings are more than 25% 14kt gold by weight. Gold over silver is more valuable than gold filled or plated jewelry.
If you have a gold piece with a 925 mark, it's most likely sterling silver underneath gold plating. You'll normally see this kind of stamp on a gold vermeil (pronounced as "ver-may"), meaning that it's sterling silver that has gold plating.
Brush the jewelry with lemon juice to break down the tarnish. Mix together equal parts lemon juice and warm water to make your cleaning solution. Let your jewelry sit in the lemon juice solution for about 10 minutes before taking it out and scrubbing it with a toothbrush.
It's simple - over time, your jewelry comes in contact with moisture, acids, oils and air. They react with the metal in the jewelry, causing it to eventually wear down and tarnish.
Pure silver is not susceptible to tarnish in a pure oxygen environment. However, the copper that is contained in 925 sterling silver may react to the ozone and hydrogen sulfide in the air and cause sterling silver to tarnish. Perfumes, hair sprays, and profuse sweating can also cause a quicker formation of tarnish.
The Magnet Test
"Silver is not noticeably magnetic, and exhibits only weak magnetic effects unlike iron, nickel, cobalt, and the like," says Martin. "If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver." Fake silver or silver-plated items are generally made of other metals.
Look for the 925 marking.Genuine sterling silver jewelry will be marked with these three numbers or STERLING or STER. Hold a magnet to the silver. If the magnet sticks, your jewelry is not real sterling silver. Smell the sterling silver.If it smells strongly metallic, then your jewelry is not real sterling silver.
Tarnish is the oxidization that occurs when air-borne sulfurs and chlorides are present, causing a yellowish cast on the sterling silver. If left without being cleaned, the tarnish becomes brown and eventually turns a dark and iridescent purple/black.
Cleaning silver with Vinegar
Even the most tarnished pieces of silverware can come back to life just by using vinegar. The combination of bicarbonate of soda, aluminium foil and vinegar make for a deadly foe to tarnish and will leave your silverware looking beautiful once more.
Though tarnish on silver doesn't reduce its monetary value, it can make it unsightly. Cleaning and polishing the bars can bring back their natural beautiful luster. Silver is a precious metal that reacts to hydrogen sulfide.
While tarnish does not affect the metal content of the sterling silver piece, if not cleaned properly or if the silver piece sustains damage due to excess cleaning, then the tarnish may affect the value of the piece. Dealers will often give you a lower price if you bring it in covered with tarnish.
Baking soda, salt and aluminum foil.
Mix one tablespoon salt and one tablespoon of baking soda and mix with one cup warm water. Pour into the dish. The mixture will create a chemical reaction with the foil and bubble as it cleans the jewelry. Rinse with cool water and buff dry with a clean cloth.