QuestionQUESTION: Hi,
I am a jeweler and have just been contacted by a customer from London Great Britain. She had me custom made an Argentium ring for her fiance. I made a wax, cast together with several other pieces and sent it off. I also sent her detailed instructions about how to clean it in case it show some signs of tarnish in a year or two. After only a few days I got the following e-mail:
"As soon as he put it on it tarnished all over and turned the finger he was wearing it on and the neighbouring two that touched it bright blue! We have been cleaning it (and his fingers!) regularly and have noticed it getting a bit better over time though."
This is something I have never heard of or experienced. I am very concerned because of this. Do you have any idea or have you ever experienced such a thing? What could be the problem and is there any way to stop this or prevent it in the future?
I appreciate the time and effort you put into answering questions her. Thank you, Pal
ANSWER: Dear Pal, this is not your answer. I will try to get a suitable answer to you tonight. I have not heard of this sort of discoloration with Argentium sterling and have no answer at the moment. I do know this silver alloy is made with germanium and the small percent of that does create an oxide layer, a clear layer which protects the surface. That is why Argentium silver is quite tarnish resistant.
Why a blue coloration? I do not know but will call one of my metal suppliers and speak with their technical people to see if they are familiar with this blue reaction.
I will be back and hope to have a clear answer. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
--------Thomas is back-------------------------------------------------
Pal, I am back at the computer now.
I did some checking today and made a phone call trying to find out more of what might cause a bluish smudge on skin from argentium sterling silver. I was hoping somehow to be able to find a cause which could be easily corrected for your customer. What I found out was pretty much expected and relates to the same factors which allow some folks to wear sterling silver while others simply cannot wear it because of rapid tarnish problems and subsequent smudges. I would have thought argentium would be more resistant to such tarnishing. The alloy is certainly more resistant to the everyday sort of tarnish picked up with normal sterling.
Perhaps it is simply body chemistry in this case. I realize that does not make your position any easier.
Do you know if the person wearing the ring has experience wearing sterling silver previously? I mean, sterling without a factory rhodium plated surface. I suspect they would have even more trouble with regular sterling since the argentium sterling is being smudged in some way.
The people I consulted today said they have reports of a greenish smudge(could be bluish) from argentium sterling when in contact with the skin of certain people. What is coming from the skin or is on it is a problem. Keep in mind, most people do not have this problem but those who do will find it difficult to isolate the cause. When I say body chemistry, we are talking about a chemical reaction with skin chemicals and chemicals excreted through the skin. Outside causes which become inside causes are prescription medicines, including blood pressure meds and others. Outside causes on the skin are lotions, something used more often in winter seasons than other times of the year.
Of course, the typical hot tub, swimming pool chemical mess will also cause problems.
So, what to do? The best suggestion is to have the ring thoroughly buffed and thoroughly cleaned by a jeweler. Buffing is needed to be sure the metal surface is exposed. Then give the ring a day(who really knows how long) for the oxidation from the germanium to be brought up again. This is the clear coat which forms on the silver and protects it from tarnish in a way normal sterling cannot do at all.
At that point, watch lotions and chemical exposures. Prescription medications cannot very easily or wisely be altered simply to see if the ring is affected. There can be control to an extent of environmental chemical contact.
I certainly hope something in this answer will help. Honestly, I truly do not know what else to say. I am not with the ring and cannot see what is happening. The explanation may be a chemical one which the new ring owner can identify. If not, it is possible that person is one of those who cannot wear sterling, even the tarnish resistant argentium silver.
Pal, I have tried but cannot identify a single isolated cause for the smudges. That may be up to the person wearing the ring to identify through trial and observation As with the people who have sensitivities to gold jewelry alloys, the possible causes are many and even overlapped one with another.
I wish you the best with this situation. Please get back with me if you discover more.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: HI Thomas,
Thank you very much for your thoughts and time you put into this. I also made several calls to Stuller and GSGold and they have no idea either. I am still awaiting the customer's reply to my questions about chemical contact, medications, cosmetics, past experience with regular sterling etc. as well as photos of the discoloration. I know, that some people will turn green from regular sterling and was also hoping that Argentium would solve their problem. Further I found a patent : http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5874167.html that suggests, that germanium can be used as a blue pigment. Maybe the person's body invented this method naturally:) . This is certainly an interesting problem and I will keep you updated, in case I found out something. However I am not sure how to post the info here.
Thank you again!
Sincerely, Pal
Answer--------Thomas is back-------------------------------------------------
Pal, I am back at the computer now.
I did some checking today and made a phone call trying to find out more of what might cause a bluish smudge on skin from argentium sterling silver. I was hoping somehow to be able to find a cause which could be easily corrected for your customer. What I found out was pretty much expected and relates to the same factors which allow some folks to wear sterling silver while others simply cannot wear it because of rapid tarnish problems and subsequent smudges. I would have thought argentium would be more resistant to such tarnishing. The alloy is certainly more resistant to the everyday sort of tarnish picked up with normal sterling.
Perhaps it is simply body chemistry in this case. I realize that does not make your position any easier.
Do you know if the person wearing the ring has experience wearing sterling silver previously? I mean, sterling without a factory rhodium plated surface. I suspect they would have even more trouble with regular sterling since the argentium sterling is being smudged in some way.
The people I consulted today said they have reports of a greenish smudge(could be bluish) from argentium sterling when in contact with the skin of certain people. What is coming from the skin or is on it is a problem. Keep in mind, most people do not have this problem but those who do will find it difficult to isolate the cause. When I say body chemistry, we are talking about a chemical reaction with skin chemicals and chemicals excreted through the skin. Outside causes which become inside causes are prescription medicines, including blood pressure meds and others. Outside causes on the skin are lotions, something used more often in winter seasons than other times of the year.
Of course, the typical hot tub, swimming pool chemical mess will also cause problems.
So, what to do? The best suggestion is to have the ring thoroughly buffed and thoroughly cleaned by a jeweler. Buffing is needed to be sure the metal surface is exposed. Then give the ring a day(who really knows how long) for the oxidation from the germanium to be brought up again. This is the clear coat which forms on the silver and protects it from tarnish in a way normal sterling cannot do at all.
At that point, watch lotions and chemical exposures. Prescription medications cannot very easily or wisely be altered simply to see if the ring is affected. There can be control to an extent of environmental chemical contact.
I certainly hope something in this answer will help. Honestly, I truly do not know what else to say. I am not with the ring and cannot see what is happening. The explanation may be a chemical one which the new ring owner can identify. If not, it is possible that person is one of those who cannot wear sterling, even the tarnish resistant argentium silver.
Pal, I have tried but cannot identify a single isolated cause for the smudges. That may be up to the person wearing the ring to identify through trial and observation As with the people who have sensitivities to gold jewelry alloys, the possible causes are many and even overlapped one with another.
I wish you the best with this situation. Please get back with me if you discover more.
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: HI Thomas,
Thank you very much for your thoughts and time you put into this. I also made several calls to Stuller and GSGold and they have no idea either. I am still awaiting the customer's reply to my questions about chemical contact, medications, cosmetics, past experience with regular sterling etc. as well as photos of the discoloration. I know, that some people will turn green from regular sterling and was also hoping that Argentium would solve their problem. Further I found a patent : http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5874167.html that suggests, that germanium can be used as a blue pigment. Maybe the person's body invented this method naturally:) . This is certainly an interesting problem and I will keep you updated, in case I found out something. However I am not sure how to post the info here.
Thank you again!
Sincerely, Pal
Thomas back again: I thought of one refiner you might want to speak with. I am not certain how much they know about Argentium silver but the contact there is very knowledgeable and takes much interest in such things.It is worth a phone call. Yes, use the phone. Get the number for Precious Metals West and call Daniel. When these folks invented plumb platinum solders a few years ago it got my attention. Up till then, platimum solders were likely to have no plat content and all had higher temperatures. The PMW platinum solders are marvelous. So, they are on the edge of development and looking beyond the box. Maybe, if fortunate, they may have some clues about the argentium silver.
To contact me again, you might just ask a question and check "private" to keep it off the web.
God Bless and Peace. Happy Holidays! Thomas.
