jewelry turning black

Why Jewelry Turning Black?

Jewelry usually turns black because of tarnishing, which is a chemical reaction between the metal in your jewelry and substances in the environment (like air, sweat, lotions, perfumes, or certain cleaning products).

Here’s the breakdown by common metals:

• Silver jewelry → Reacts with sulfur compounds in the air (or even from skin contact with things like eggs, onions, or polluted air). This creates silver sulfide, which looks black.

• Gold jewelry (especially 14k or less) → Pure gold doesn’t tarnish, but mixed-in metals like copper or silver can react and cause discoloration.

• Costume jewelry (plated or alloy) → The thin plating can wear off, exposing base metals like brass or nickel, which oxidize and turn dark.

• Skin oils & sweat → Natural body oils, sweat (which can be acidic), and certain skin pH levels speed up tarnishing.

• Chemicals → Perfume, hairspray, chlorine in pools, and even some soaps can cause blackening.