Why Silver Tarnishes and How to Care for It

Silver tarnishes from traces of sulphur in the air and on the skin — a natural surface reaction, a dulling and a patina, not a fault in the metal.

• Why silver tarnishes
• Living Silver and oxidised silver
• How to clean silver, and whether to
• Which silver darkens differently
• FAQ

Why silver tarnishes

Silver does not rust — it has nothing to rust with. Rust belongs to iron; silver reacts to sulphur. The dark film is silver sulphide, a thin layer that grows from hydrogen sulphide in the air and from traces left by the skin. The layer is self-limiting: it seals the metal beneath it and stops. So tarnish is a surface reaction, not a breakdown of the alloy.

The pace differs from person to person and place to place. Humid air, perfume, sweat and household chemicals speed the reaction up; a dry drawer slows it down. The same piece tarnishes in weeks on one hand and holds a light tone for months on another. It is about the chemistry of the skin and the environment, not the quality of the silver.

Living Silver and oxidised silver

At STRUGA the darkening is not an accident but part of the design. The 925 silver is not rhodium-plated and not lacquered: this is Living Silver. The edges a hand touches lighten over time from friction; the recesses go to graphite. Light and dark settle into a pattern of their own — different on every piece.

Oxidised silver is a separate story: here the surface was darkened in advance, on purpose. It is not "aged" metal but a choice of tone made in the workshop. Such a piece arrives already dark and tarnishes more slowly from there than a light one.

The difference is worth holding in mind before the first cleaning. Light uncoated silver can be brought back lighter. An oxidised surface will come off under aggressive cleaning — together with the very dark tone it was made for.

How to clean silver, and whether to

First the question of whether, then the how. If the dark tone suits you, leave it: with Living Silver the darkening is designed in. You clean only when you want the metal lighter.

The most honest method is a soft dry cloth. A few passes over the raised edges return their shine, and the contrast with the light edges grows sharper. The recesses stay untouched: the surface pattern lives there, and it is what gives the form its depth.

What not to do: do not send a piece for rhodium plating and do not coat it with lacquer. A thin film stops the metal from breathing — the silver will no longer lighten or darken, that is, no longer live. Aggressive pastes and "magic" solutions strip a layer of metal; on an oxidised piece that is a direct way to erase the dark tone. If the silver has darkened more than you want, a cloth and patience are enough.

Which silver darkens differently

Behind the "silver care" query, STRUGA has two different surfaces — each with its own material node and its own live collections:

• Uncoated silver: 925 silver and Living Silver — the STRUGA base. Lightens on the edges, darkens in the recesses; care is a soft cloth, when you want it lighter.
• Dark from the start: oxidised silver — the surface is darkened in advance; cleaning is rarely needed, aggressive cleaning strips the tone.
• Live collections: oxidised silver and blackened silver — forms that arrive already dark.

One rule holds for all of it: dark silver needs no "rescue". You make it lighter by hand only if you wish; it stays dark by design.

FAQ

Why does silver tarnish? From sulphur, not from air as such. The dark film is silver sulphide: a thin layer from hydrogen sulphide in the air and traces on the skin. The layer is self-limiting and protects the metal beneath. It is a surface reaction, not damage to the alloy.

My silver has gone black — is it a defect? No. Darkening is a natural reaction of silver, and at STRUGA it is also part of the design: Living Silver darkens in the recesses and lightens on the edges. The dark surface here is the character of the metal, not a fault.

How do I clean silver jewellery at home? A soft dry cloth over the raised edges is enough to return the shine. Leave the recesses alone: the pattern lives there. STRUGA silver is not rhodium-plated or lacquered — a film would kill the life of the metal.

Does STRUGA silver need cleaning at all? Only if you want it lighter. The darkening is designed into Living Silver and made on purpose in oxidised silver. If you like the dark tone, leave it as it is — no care is required.

Can silver be kept bright forever? No, and promising "eternal shine" would not be honest. Uncoated silver will tarnish again — that is its life. A soft cloth returns light to the edges as many times as you need; the reaction can only be stopped fully by a coating, and a coating takes away the breathing of the metal.