Does silver tarnish?

Yes, silver can tarnish due to oxide in the air or the high acidity of your skin. It can also tarnish when it interacts with perfume or other chemicals.

Does seawater tarnish silver?

Yes, the likelihood of darkening is very high, especially in seas with very high salt content.

What happens if I don't take off my jewelry when I go into the sea?

This is a preference; you should normally remove it.

There are three risks involved:

1- Seawater can tarnish silver.

2. You risk dropping your jewelry with every stroke you take. Because when you enter the sea, your rings can come off your finger underwater.

3. The salt in seawater can rust the springs inside the clasps of jewelry, which over time can cause the clasps to loosen and fall out without you noticing.

Why isn't jewelry made from pure silver?

That's a great technical question. There's no rule that says it can't be done, but there are some drawbacks.

What are these drawbacks?

Silver needs to be hardened to a certain degree so that the jewelry can be used for a long time.

Today, this is done using 925 sterling silver. This ensures your jewelry won't bend, warp, or deform easily, and its shine will be more ideal. As a result, it will last longer and won't cause allergic reactions.

Why is silver produced as 925 sterling silver?

It's a very relevant question, both technically and culturally.

925 sterling silver contains silver with a purity level of .5, while the other %7.5 is usually composed of copper and zinc. In terms of workability, 925 sterling silver is ideal for jewelry making; it is both resistant to deformation and retains its shine longer than 900 and 835 sterling silver. That was the technical answer.

Culturally, the answer is that the "sterling silver" mark, meaning 925 sterling silver, is a mark belonging to Anglo-Saxon culture, particularly the British and Germans. In England, especially during royal times, household accessories like forks, cups, and spoons in palaces were always produced in 925 sterling silver. Because of the British cultural hegemony in the world, they introduced this sterling mark globally. Especially after the 1950s, this sterling mark began to be used in American culture as well. Therefore, the adoption of 925 sterling silver worldwide stems from this. Otherwise, silver can very well be produced in 930, 935, 950, or 975 sterling silver, and there have been countries throughout history that used these silver marks. For example, during the Ottoman era, palace jewelry was produced in 840 sterling silver. It was also produced in 840 during the Tsarist Russian era. Old French tableware was produced in 875 sterling silver. Indeed, it is possible to find 915 or 935 marks in some European countries. This is entirely a cultural matter; it is not measured by quality. The filigree jewelry produced in Midyat is made in 950 sterling silver. There are two answers to this, both cultural and technical. For filigree to be easy to work with, the silver needs to be close to pure, so that the silver wires can be easily shaped and remain bright white for a long time. Culturally, the traditional filigree craft of Mardin has always been worked this way. In fact, the wires are pulled from a sickle, and when the wires are soldered, they lose a little purity due to the chemicals used in the soldering process, so the purity is slightly reduced; therefore, a 950 purity stamp is applied.

I want my silver to never tarnish. Would that be possible if I had jewelry made from pure silver?

That's another very good and pertinent question.

You'll get better performance compared to 925 sterling silver. This is because silver is completely pure and contains no additives. However, life is chemistry, and every time you use silver, you're actually becoming a part of life itself. In other words, you're becoming involved in chemistry.

What is this? If you stay in a very humid environment, the higher the oxide level in the air, the more it will tarnish your silver. No apple doesn't rot, so no silver doesn't tarnish; it's against the natural order of things, you're just reducing the probability. So, what I'm saying is, don't worry too much about it. Our hair gets dirty, let it get dirty, we'll shower and clean it. My silver tarnishes, we'll clean and polish it, and that's that; life goes on.

What is Italian silver? Isn't it 925 sterling silver? How is it different from regular silver?

Another very pertinent and technical, excellent question.

There are several answers to this.

Italian silver also contains 925 sterling silver.

Now, the second question concerns where you obtained this silver.

This is somewhat of a marketing strategy. Italians have revolutionized the jewelry industry. Therefore, they developed some technical details before our local manufacturers.

What are they?

Firstly, because they had previously implemented innovations in manufacturing, they patented their products, thus highlighting the Italian brand. Their most well-known innovation was industrial advancements in mechanization. It was the Italians who transformed the sector from small workshops into factories. They achieved this, particularly through the machines they produced, becoming a leading brand in chain manufacturing. Many of the names of the chains we know come from Italian. Although local manufacturers had long been producing these chains, the Italians branded them and made them accepted worldwide. Therefore, the perception that Italian patents are of higher quality stems from this.

The 925 sterling silver I bought from Europe and Italy hardly tarnishes at all, but the 925 sterling silver I bought from Türkiye tarnishes much faster. Why is there this difference?

Another great question! The answer lies in the technical details. 925 sterling silver contains .5% pure silver. The remaining %7.5% is an alloy. The whole difference stems from this %7.5%. In Türkiye, this %7.5% alloy, a mixture of copper and zinc, is commonly used. This is called an "alloy." Alloys are further categorized into cheap and expensive alloys. Cheap alloys, as mentioned, use %6 copper and %1.5 zinc. The most expensive alloys typically use %5.5 copper and %2 palladium. Palladium is an expensive metal. It's used in white gold to whiten the gold. This %2 palladium gives silver such an effect that it makes the silver shine brighter, whiter, and resists tarnishing easily. However, it is many times more expensive than zinc. That's why cheap alloys are used in production in Türkiye; that's where the difference comes from.

Secondly, foundries in Türkiye do not operate professionally enough. The granules they use sometimes contain various additives. This causes the metal to be patchy and stained when it comes out of the furnace. There is a lack of oversight in these areas.

Thirdly, some unlicensed workshops produce silver at 915 or 900 purity instead of 925. This can only be determined by having your jewelry assayed. This way, we can find out exactly how much silver the product contains.

What is rhodium plating on silver? What is the difference between rhodium and rhodium plating?

Another great question!

Silver is still silver as we know it. However, it is rhodium plated using an electroplating method. This plating process makes the silver shine like a mirror; it's the exact same process used on white gold. This particularly enhances the clarity of gemstones in jewelry. Therefore, rhodium plating is most commonly applied to white gold in diamond jewelry. Today, this method has been adapted to silver as well. It not only enhances the clarity of the stone but also prevents the silver from tarnishing. Its color is closer to platinum. Thus, those who appreciate elegance and brilliance prefer this rhodium plating process.

What is the difference between rhodium and rhodium plating?

Rhodium is an element used in the plating process of precious metals.

Rhodium plating, also known as rhodium plating, is a coating process applied to the surface of jewelry.

How can I polish my tarnished silver at home?

That's a very pertinent question, and when someone asks me that, I immediately ask them back: what exactly are you going to highlight?

Online solutions often rely on a single formula, whereas the chemistry involved is different. Each product has a different removal method.

How many pieces of silver will you be polishing, and what do you intend to do with them?

As I said, there isn't one single superficial answer to this; there are many answers, and many truths. This issue of multiple truths is what causes so much confusion on the internet.

Let's do a little categorization, if you like:

1- Household silverware:

For household silverware such as bowls, fruit plates, vases, and cutlery, you can only polish them at home. You should never, ever apply a buff. You can polish them using Vikaul, a metal polish available at hardware stores. This completely removes the accumulated black oxide from the silver. Apply a small amount of this metal polish to a cotton ball and then rub the dirty area vigorously. After rubbing sufficiently, wipe the area again with a dry cloth. This will polish your silverware, but don't expect a buffing effect.

2- Plain silver items without stones:

There isn't just one formula for this; there are many. The formula I'm going to give is a recipe that everyone can use and make at home.

-50 or 60 degrees hot water

-One teaspoon of lemon-scented dish soap or another brand of liquid soap (lemon-scented is better)

– one teaspoon of baking soda

– a glass jar or thermos or shaker

Fill half of the container with hot water. Mix liquid detergent and baking soda in the hot water, then place your silverware inside. Close the lid and shake vigorously for 5-10 minutes. After shaking, continue cleaning with a toothbrush, and finally dry with a hairdryer using the heat setting. Then, turn the hairdryer to a cold setting and dry for 30 seconds to avoid burning your hands.

3- Products with stones:

Again, there isn't just one formula, there are many; use whichever one seems most appealing to you.

To the glasses cleaning cloth,

a- cigarette ash

b- white toothpaste

c- silver polish sold in markets or online

d- vikaul or metal polish

Apply to areas without stones, wipe well, and continue wiping around the stone with the same cloth after applying to the stone-free area. Try to avoid contact with the "natural stone" as much as possible. These instructions do not apply to zircon and glass stones.

Why are silver and gold prices quoted in ounces?

An ounce is a unit of weight. It is approximately equal to 31.1 grams. It is a unit of measurement used in the United States and the United Kingdom. Following World War II, the Bretton Woods Agreement, signed in July 1944 in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA, during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, aimed to regulate the international monetary system. This agreement laid the foundations for the modern global financial system and marked the beginning of the dollar's status as a global reserve currency.

It laid the groundwork for global economic integration.

Each country has pegged the value of its currency to the US dollar.

The US dollar is also pegged to gold. The US guarantees the value of the dollar by holding gold reserves. Other countries can accumulate dollars and convert them into gold from the US. Although this system collapsed in 1971, the dollar's dominance continues. This is where the crux of the matter lies. One of the main reasons for today's trade disputes is that the prices of oil, natural gas, gold, and silver are still priced in relation to the dollar.

How is the price of gold calculated per ounce?

On the stock exchange, the dollar value of gold is determined by looking at the closing prices of the day.

Example: Let's say gold closed at $3,500 that day.

3,500 / 31.1 = $112.5.

So, the price of 1 gram of gold is $112.50.

Converting this to Turkish Lira (TL): 112.5 x 39 (the dollar-TL exchange rate on that day) = 4387.5 TL. This gives us the price of one gram of gold.

What is the difference between raw gold and pure gold?

That's a very good question. Raw gold means unprocessed, unrefined gold that has not been extracted from nature. This gold may contain various stones and components. It is then refined and, after undergoing the necessary processes, transformed into pure gold. When this is converted into ingot form, it has a very low loss rate. It is processed as 0.995.

I went to exchange my pure gold, and the jeweler only charged me 0.995 for my 24-karat gold. Did I get ripped off?

That's a very good question. No, you weren't ripped off. Gold loses a very small amount of value when it's refined, transforming raw gold into pure gold. In other words, true 24-karat gold is equal to 1000-karat gold; it's impossible to achieve that. When raw gold is refined using cyanide to remove impurities, it loses 0.5% of its value. This is inherent in the chemistry of the process. Very good refineries can achieve 0.999 purity, but in the market we generally see gold at 0.995, which is considered equivalent to pure gold. The situation I described for gold also applies to silver.

What is the difference between gold sheets or tins and gold bullion?

Sheet or tin gold is a type of gold used by craftsmen and artisans in the Grand Bazaar when working with gold. They produce jewelry in 22, 14, or 18 gram denominations by adding silver or copper. Because its price is somewhat cheaper than gold bars, citizens have recently been investing in sheet or tin gold. Gold bars, on the other hand, are more expensive than sheet gold due to the increased workmanship and the fact that they are sold in blocks. However, gold bars are barcoded and therefore valid worldwide. You can exchange them for the same value at any jeweler in the world. Sheet or tin gold, however, is only valued at jewelers in and around the Grand Bazaar. It has no certificate. If you travel to another country, a jeweler may not want to buy it or may value it at a lower price.

Why is gold more expensive in Türkiye compared to other countries?

This is entirely due to some trade decisions made by the government. In Türkiye, quotas were imposed on gold imports to close the current account deficit after 2023. However, domestic demand for gold was so high that the market could not meet the demand, and only a limited amount of gold could be imported. Consequently, this increased the price of physical gold domestically. If the government makes a new decision and removes the quota on imported gold, the price could equalize with world markets.

I bought a 22-karat gold bracelet today, but it says 916 inside. What does that mean?

The number inside the bracelet you bought indicates the purity level of the gold. In other words...

If it is 24 karat 1000 (0); ;

22-karat 916 (.6% pure gold)

18 karat 750 ( ratio pure gold)

14 karat 585 (.5 ratio pure gold)

10 karat 416 (.6 ratio pure gold)

9 karat 375 (% 37.5% pure gold)

8 karat 333 (.3 ratio of pure gold)

It includes.

A friend told me that 8-karat gold can't be white; is that true?

It's a very common misconception. 8-karat gold is generally known to have a reddish color because it contains a large amount of copper (.7). However, color is not the only indicator; the content is what matters. If we replace copper with silver or palladium (.7 ratio) when making 8-karat gold jewelry, we can obtain white gold.

I bought a 14-karat white gold jewelry set for a female friend living in Qatar. Did I do the right thing?

I think you've made two mistakes in a row.

In Qatar, the lowest karat gold starts at 18 karat, with 21 and 22 karat being the most commonly used. Traditionally, women prefer gold in its yellow color; white gold is only used in diamond jewelry. Return the jewelry set you purchased to the seller and exchange it for at least 18 karat yellow gold.

Will the price of gold rise further?

No one can know for sure; they can only make predictions by observing market trends. But one thing is certain: gold has been the safest investment vehicle for centuries. During times of war, crisis, and famine, people would rush to buy gold, increasing demand and driving up its price. Today, wars have shifted, taking on economic and commercial dimensions. Therefore, gold is no longer just an investment vehicle; it has become a tool for political and commercial manipulation. World-renowned large investment firms exploit political crises by engaging in daily buying and selling of gold, manipulating the price up or down to generate commercial profit, and sometimes speculating on the price of gold. If you are going to buy gold, stay away from these speculative movements and invest in the long term.