You’re confident that the gold ring you bought is real. Why then does your skin turn black on where the ring lies?
Well, we’re here to answer just that. Contrary to what you believe, you’ll find that the concern is not the legitimacy of the ring, but rather, external forces that are sometimes beyond you.
In this article, we’re going to look at the environmental, chemical, and biological reasons why your gold ring could be turning your finger black.
What is my gold ring made of?
Before we break down the causes for the discoloration, we first have to look at what your gold ring is made out of. Pure gold, that is, 24k gold is too soft for use in making jewelry. For that reason, jewelers add alloys to give it strength and durability.
Some of these metals that get used are copper, silver, nickel, and zinc. To make, for example, 14k gold, there needs to be 58.3 percent pure gold that exists in the gold alloy.
With that in mind, you’ll find that the gold you have is not pure gold. The issue is, therefore, not with the gold but with the other metals present on the gold.
These are what get affected by environmental, chemical, and biological aspects. By itself, gold doesn’t tarnish.
1. Environmental
Where you live can have an impact on what happens to your jewelry.
If you live in a humid place and there’s always moisture on your skin, then there will be an increased rate in which tarnishing of the metal takes place. The other aspect is if you live by the sea or the ocean.
There is salt or chlorine in the air, and when that comes into contact with your skin and after the ring, corrosion begins to take place.
The black color on your hand finds dust brought about from rubbing against the metal.
2. Chemical
If you’re using harsh detergents in the house, then you’re going to experience tarnishing.
That happens when the chemicals in the detergents react with the metal alloy, and as a result, you end up having the black deposit on your hand.
Other chemicals that bring about tarnishing are those found in makeup.
The compounds in the makeup rub finely against the metal and cause corrosion to take place. When metal is rubbed into fine pieces, it becomes black and not the metallic color that you would expect.
3. Biological
Your body chemistry is also what could be causing your finger to turn black.
The sweat on our skin is acidic, and when paired with the alloys on the gold ring, they are bound to cause a reaction and thus tarnish.
As a result, the ring discolors, and you’re left with a black color on your finger.
If the ring leaves you with a black mark from time to time, note what you’ve eaten that day so that you can consider avoiding those foods. There is also the factor of hormonal changes that can cause the ring to react and leave the unsightly mark.
How to prevent the discoloration?
There are some ways that you can enjoy wearing your gold ring without having to worry about a black mark forming underneath.
1. Check for quality before purchase
If you bought a gold ring for way cheaper than the market value, then it is likely that you have a gold plated ring and not the real deal.
If someone bought it for you, they could have done it unknowingly; don’t send them a link to this post accusing them.
When you purchase something without getting the full information about the metals used in making the ring, then you’re going to end up with something fake.
Therefore, you ought to ask multiple questions to the jeweler or the seller before making a purchase.
2. Keep your skin dry
The other way to keep the ring from tainting your skin is through keeping soaps and lotions away from your ring.
When you’re washing your hands and applying moisturizer after, be sure to take off the ring. The chemicals in the soap and lotion are bound to react with the metal alloys and thus give you the black mark.
Also, when you’re in the shower, in the pool or the ocean, take off the ring. It’s not just the skin that you want to keep dry when you’re wearing the jewelry but also the ring itself.
If, however, your skin tends to be moist all the time, invest in zinc oxide-free powder that you can apply on your hands to absorb the moisture.
You want to get a powder that is supper fine as you don’t want it to cause the metal to rub off.
3.Seal the ring
There are several ways that you can create a barrier between the ring and your skin.
You can get jewelry lacquer that you can apply to create a shiny barrier. You don’t have to apply it all around your ring, only on the inner part.
If you don’t get that, the most commonly used trick globally is involving clear nail polish, again, on the inner part of the ring. It will wear off after some time- you will know when your skin starts getting black again- but you can always reapply.
Best way to care for your gold ring
When it comes to keeping your ring looking new, you’ll have to use mild soap and water. You can soak your jewelry for an hour or more in warm water with some liquid soap.
After, take a soft cloth and rub gently on the metal until all visible tarnish is gone.
You don’t also want to overdo this as you’ll cause tarnish. Only do it when there’s an apparent reason to.
Stick to using a soft cloth; paper towels and the like will scratch the metal, especially given that gold is soft.
Conclusion
There are various ways to keep your ring from turning your finger that unsightly color.
We hope this article proves useful in your quest.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.