Does 925 Sterling Silver Tarnish In Water

Here are the dos and don ts of exposing your silver jewelry to water.

Does 925 sterling silver tarnish in water.

However fortunately there are many ways to keep sterling silver from tarnishing. Usually the other 7 5 percent is added copper to give strength to the metal. Sterling silver even real 925 sterling silver will always tarnish. Next scrub your silver in a back and forth motion with a cotton ball or sponge dipped in soapy water then rinse the silver in warm water and dry it with a soft cotton cloth.

To clean sterling silver that is lightly tarnished rinse the piece with warm water using your hands to wipe away dirt and debris. This marking refers to the 92 5 percent pure silver composition. But water does cause silver to oxidize darken more quickly and what type of water and the chemicals in it has an impact on how much it will cause your silver change color. Sterling silver jewelry can be identified by a 925 marking.

Sterling silver will last for a long time if cared for properly whereas silver plating generally does not last longer than 20 years. Oxygen and moisture alone will not result in silver tarnish without the presence of sulfur compounds. But pure silver is also incredibly soft so it cannot be used to make jewelry utensils or serving pieces. Silver plated items are made of a lesser quality metal and then covered with a thin layer of silver making them less valuable than objects made of sterling silver.

While pure silver is not very reactive and does not tarnish easily the addition of copper makes sterling silver prone to tarnish. Instead metalworkers create an alloy combining pure silver and a small amount of copper to produce a metal that is stronger and more durable than silver on its own. Pure silver like pure gold does not rust or tarnish. Since about the 1300s sterling silver jewelry as well as household items have been made using silver and other metals like copper for added strength in a ratio of 92 5 percent silver and 7 5 percent other metals known as 925 sterling silver.