Silver tarnishing with unknown cause

[BSnow]

I use 925 Sterling Silver in my jewelry making and recently have been really struggling with tarnishing without being able to find the cause. I first bought my silver last summer and made my first set of pieces by the beginning of September. Up until the following summer I had no issues with my silver at all. But then when the hot and humid summer came, despite my best efforts to keep our third floor attic apartment cool and dry, I began noticing some tarnishing. The thing is I'm not totally convinced the humidity was the issue. All the findings that were kept in their original packaging in my drawers were absolutely fine, no tarnishing at all. It was only my finished pieces that sit in small plastic storage containers that were starting to lightly tarnish. I even keep everything covered with a curtain and don't open the blinds for the windows that face my drawers. So I bought a polishing cloth and started polishing the tarnished pieces, regularly checking for new ones popping up. Believing at first it was just the humidity, I thought the problem would go away now that it's cooler but I'm still seeing some tarnishing show up. It mostly seems to only be my silver posts, not my jump rings or hooks.

I'm starting to get really discouraged and considering changing metals. But my customers love the feel of the silver as it doesn't bother their ears, and I love the shiny look of it. Does anyone know what might be happening? I did not change the types of containers they are in or where they are stored. The only thing I did change is which resin I use on my pieces. I'm not sure if that would really do anything, but I did have to change brands end of spring this year. Any ideas you have are much appreciated! I'm getting tired of constantly polishing pieces

[Dennis]

Tarnishing is a chemical reaction with sulphur containing pollutants in the air, or on fingers. The speed of tarnishing increases with temperature.
We all like working with silver and wearing it, but it is best stored in closed boxes or ziplock bags containing generous amounts of anti-tarnish strips or tabs.
These are long lasting, and easily available online. When sending work out it is best to include tabs which are printed to explain their purpose.

Some of our members have changed to Argentium silver which is brighter from the outset, and takes much longer to discolour in use. It is hallmarked as 925.
However the range of findings, chains and accessories is more limited. It takes some adjustments in technique to make, notably being very fragile while hot. It is also somewhat more expensive.
Dennis.

[nicks creative stuff]

Thanks for your replies Dennis, your knowledgeable and wise comments always make an interesting read on many complex subjects … good work … N

[china]

One of the reasons I gave up on Stirling I now exclusively use Argentium, especially the new 940.

[Dennis]

Thank you , Nick, but I'll have to keep up. Bob is ahead of me with Argentium 940.

[CJ57]

The tarnish seems very specific to the plastic container.Some plastics give off a chemical reaction hence the advice on not reusing plastic water bottles. It may be that the heat started off that reaction and even though the temperature changed the reaction had already occurred .
Just a thought as my finished jewellery can sit in its boxes for months with a tarnish tab and no air and it doesn’t need much done.

[BSnow]

The tarnish seems very specific to the plastic container.Some plastics give off a chemical reaction hence the advice on not reusing plastic water bottles. It may be that the heat started off that reaction and even though the temperature changed the reaction had already occurred .
Just a thought as my finished jewellery can sit in its boxes for months with a tarnish tab and no air and it doesn’t need much done.

What type of box do you use to store yours?

[BSnow]

One of the reasons I gave up on Stirling I now exclusively use Argentium, especially the new 940.

I'll have to check out argentium, might be a good alternative for me as well. For the moment I'm going to try and fight the tarnish as I do really love the sterling silver.

[BSnow]

Tarnishing is a chemical reaction with sulphur containing pollutants in the air, or on fingers. The speed of tarnishing increases with temperature.
We all like working with silver and wearing it, but it is best stored in closed boxes or ziplock bags containing generous amounts of anti-tarnish strips or tabs.
These are long lasting, and easily available online. When sending work out it is best to include tabs which are printed to explain their purpose.

Some of our members have changed to Argentium silver which is brighter from the outset, and takes much longer to discolour in use. It is hallmarked as 925.
However the range of findings, chains and accessories is more limited. It takes some adjustments in technique to make, notably being very fragile while hot. It is also somewhat more expensive.
Dennis.

I never realized you could get tabs that had print on them, that's a good idea. I bought some tabs off amazon but when I tested them it appeared to make things worse. I did a little research and I'm wondering if they were charcoal ones? I did find a good website with some tarnish tabs I'm going to purchase instead.

[CJ57]

I used to store them in their boxes with a tarnish tab. Mine don’t have print, and the air doesn’t get at them so there was little tarnish that can’t be rubbed off with a cloth. I now wrap or layer them in tissue with a tab and they are in a stacking case