Why does some jewellery stain the skin?

When creating the Spoon or Fork pieces, I use antique cutlery made from different alloys, brass, nickel silver, steel, and silver, and once the piece is created, I also coat the designs in gold. Here I would like to explain why a green stain may appear on your skin when using one of these pieces, and what to do to prevent it.

The green stains on our skin are left by a chemical reaction that occurs between the skin and the metal., This occurs mainly when in contact with air or other substances such as sweat, and is caused by the use of impure metals with a higher iron or copper content.

Alpaca, for example, or brass, are alloys that contain copper, so if you wear an alpaca ring, for example, it will most likely leave a mark on your finger. The metals in the ring will react with the acidic components in sweat, causing an oxidation reaction that results in green discolouration. The acids cause the copper on the surface of the metal to corrode, producing a salt compound that is then absorbed into the skin, resulting in green stains.

Curious, eh?

Furthermore, the green discolouration caused by jewellery is not an allergic or skin reaction, but a chemical reaction between metals, meaning it will not damage or hurt your skin.

From what I have been reading, it even turns out that the oxidation process and the chemical reactions that cause green discolouration have some health benefits. Copper does not pose a health risk; on the contrary, copper that enters the body through the skin helps to improve overall health, as it improves circulation and alleviates osteoarthritis problems, among other things.

SILVER JEWELLERY

Sterling silver has a fineness of 0.950, which means that it contains 951 parts per thousand of fine silver and 51 parts per thousand of copper, which could cause greenish stains from the copper. However, the stains that are most common in sterling silver jewellery are black, and these stains occur precisely when the silver tarnishes.

In the case of this brand, the reused silver in the cutlery does not usually contain such a high amount of silver. What I usually find is 800 silver and also, in many cases, silver plating in different densities. This means that some silver pieces can also cause the reaction we mentioned earlier due to their copper content.

You can also affect the reaction caused by metal coming into contact with your body, namely the pH of your skin. A high level of acidity in the skin can accelerate the process and leave a green stain on your skin. pH refers to the degree of acidity or alkalinity of the skin, which depends on your diet, the type and amount of water you drink, and even the medicines you take.

On the other hand, jewellery can also react to traces of make-up, cologne or creams... an abrasive process that damages the surface of the jewellery and exposes the underlying copper, leading to a reaction with the environment and staining your skin green. This can also happen with silver or pure gold jewellery, causing your skin to turn the colour of the piece or black.

ALPACA JEWELLERY

If you are allergic to nickel, I recommend buying brass, silver or gold-plated jewellery, as nickel silver is an alloy containing copper, zinc and nickel. Jewellery containing this material can stain your skin, and depending on the person, it can cause a skin reaction due to nickel allergy.

If you have a piece of alpaca jewellery, such as a necklace, there is no problem with going into the water with it on. The more you wear it, the cleaner it will become, and it is very unlikely to leave a mark. In alpaca designs such as bracelets and rings, the piece is closer to the skin, so it will leave a mark. If you want to avoid this, you can apply a layer of clear enamel to the inside, which will act as an insulating layer.

If this fails, you can take your piece to be rhodium plated.