Yellow tarnish on PURE Silver

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have this same problem except mine happens on my PURE silver wire
all the sterling silver I use tarnishes in the regular fashion…any
ideas?

2

my spools of fine silver wire in 26,28 and 30 ga tend to get the gold
color tarnish, but as i work the crochet, the tarnish comes off on my
hands and a dip in silver cleaner finishes it. i do have to double
check to be sure it is the silver i’m using pat wild
poppy designs http://members.aol.com/patmcaudel/2index.html

3 
  I have this same problem except mine happens on my PURE silver
wire all the sterling silver I use tarnishes in the regular
fashion...any ideas?

Tarnish on silver, whether fine(pure) or sterling, is due to the
formation of sulphides, not oxides. Fine silver forms these more
slowly than does sterling, but it still forms it. Some silver
cleaners leave a protective film, a chemical inhibitor, on the
surface to retard this, and these will be more effective on fine
silver than on sterling. Rio Grande sells a dip product, who’s name
I forget, that will retard or even prevent tarnishing on sterling or
fine silver, while on display. It’s not a durable coating, so
handling or wiping with a cloth will remove it, but for protecting
things on display, it’s a decent product. It was intended to prevent
oxidation or tarnishing while things are between steps in the sequence
of tumbling, buffing, and then electroplating, I think, which is why
it doesn’t try to be resistant to handling.

Also, the 3M tarnish retarding paper works quite well in enclosed
spaces like show cases, or even more, in zip locks. Put a piece of
the paper in the bag with the product, and it won’t tarnish. At
least, that’s been my experience with it. Works for me, as
advertised…

Peter

4

All these yellow/brown/blue tarnishes are due to the interaction of
silver and sulphur oxides.

Most plastic bags and containers have sulphur in them, the
atmosphere of the whole world does (it used to come from volcanic
activity, now it’s from industrial sources and cars) and nothing -
apart from museum type cases with a sealed non reactive (nitrogen)
atmosphere inside them - will prevent this.

You can slow it down with anti-tarnish strips or by coating the
silver with a sealer - but it is inevitable. So we need to design
pieces that CAN be cleaned!

Tony Konrath
Key West Florida 33040

5

Hi: I have noticed that the crocheted necklaces I make out of Fine
Silver Wire will develop of light yellowish tarnish after a while.
Dipping them in a liquid silver cleaner seems to remove it very
quickly. After dipping, I promptly wash in soap and warm water, and
so far, any stones on the necklaces have not been affected. Sandra

6 
 my spools of fine silver wire in 26,28 and 30 ga tend to get the
gold color tarnish, but as i work the crochet, the tarnish comes
off on my hands and a dip in silver cleaner finishes it.  i do
have to double check to be sure it is the silver i'm using

The developing tarnish progresses through a predictable sequence of
colors that begins with very light yellow / straw.

My assumption is that the yellow color may be more noticeable on
fine silver because its lighter or brighter base color (compared to
that of sterling) reveals the color more readily and the yellowish
color stage would persist longer since fine silver tarnishes more
slowly than sterling.

Pam Chott
Song of the Phoenix