Upon noticing a green tint to their finger some readers ask, does sterling silver turn your finger green?
Versatile and stunning, silver has long captivated people all over the world. According to Business Insider, silver surpassed gold in popularity in 2012. Demand for silver continues to grow. Global silver demand is forecast to reach 1.2 billion ounces in 2024, which would mark the second-highest level on record, the Silver Institute said in a recent report.
Before getting new jewelry, let’s explore the question, does sterling silver turn your finger green?
For many people, their first experience with their finger turning green was from cheap jewelry they got as a kid. This jewelry was not expensive and was more of a toy or prop than an actual precious piece. That begs the question, why did your finger turn green, and does that happen with more expensive jewelry?
Does Sterling Silver Turn Your Finger Green?
The short answer is “yes”. Sterling silver can turn your finger green.
You can identify sterling silver by the 925-mark stamped on it.
If your finger turns green, don’t just assume that your jewelry was cheap or isn’t real silver.
Just because your finger turns green while wearing a silver ring, does not mean that the ring is fake silver or low quality. Further, just because sterling silver can cause your finger to turn green, doesn’t mean it will.
Sterling silver is a composition. 92.5% is pure silver. The balance of 7.5% is other metal or metals alloyed. Most typically though, sterling silver has around 7.5% copper in it. It has copper in it because silver by itself is too soft to make jewelry. You can bend a pure silver ring with your fingers. This softness does make pure silver attractive for certain applications like technology manufacturing, but not for wearing on your body.
The culprit behind turning your finger green is copper. Our sweat is acidic, and it, along with many other common things like lotion, can cause copper to develop a green patina. This patina is the result of oxidation, and that green color stains your finger.
Photo Above. Does sterling silver turn your finger green? The answer is yes it can, but don’t be alarmed if you see this. Source: “Why does my skin do that?” by Beza Yoseph, Penn State University.
So, does sterling silver turn your finger green? Yes, it can but one way around this used by more expensive silver rings is plating. We’ll discuss more on that later.
Oxidation and Sterling Silver
While it is possible to have sterling silver that doesn’t turn your finger green, much depends on environmental factors. Acidic sweat and chemicals are the biggest cause of the green color. If you live somewhere that is warm, you will sweat more often so the green discoloration will be more common.
Sterling silver is an alloy, which means that it’s made from two types of metal blended together. In this case, it is pure silver and another mineral, with copper being the most popular choice. If your finger should start to turn green, don’t panic, the process is not harmful to you at all.
If your finger should start to turn green, don’t panic, the process is not harmful to you at all.
What causes this is that the copper in sterling silver loses its electrons because of the acid. Losing electrons is what causes oxidation in any mineral. It has nothing to do with exposure to oxygen. Most people see oxidation, and that is what they think.
The word oxidation describes the act of losing electrons because of oxygen interaction. The misconception is that it only applies to the process when there is oxygen involved. Modern use of the word oxidation implies electron loss through any means.
Is Oxidation Harmful to Me?
Copper has a lot of properties that make it useful.
Bronze, which helped create and forge famous civilizations like the ancient Greeks, is an alloy made with copper. Almost every electronic device you own uses copper, and copper wiring is very common in your home.
The green color that comes off on to your skin is the same thing that makes bronze patina as it ages. The presence of copper is what gives old bronze the beautiful color and variation that it has. In the case of antiques, it’s even recommended not to remove it as you could damage the value of the piece.
Copper doesn’t have any adverse effects on human health. In fact, copper has anti-microbial properties meaning that it helps to prevent the growth of microorganisms.
This property was known to early humans. Copper, as well as honey, were known for their medicinal quality as far back as the early Egyptian civilization.
Photo: Metal allergies from rings and other jewelry are not uncommon. According to specialists in the field of Contact Dermatitis, metals that are common sensitizers include nickel, cobalt and chromium. Around 10-15% of people are allergic to one or more of those three metals. Its a good idea to stay clear of jewelry with nickel content. However, if your finger turns green (as opposed to the red rash seen above) this is due to the oxidation of the copper in your sterling silver and you are in no danger.
If your finger turns green because of the oxidation of the copper in your sterling silver, you are in no danger. Quite the opposite, the oxidation has made the skin where it occurred even more resilient to infection.
“If your finger turns green because of the oxidation of the copper in your sterling silver, you are in no danger. Green fingers may be aesthetically displeasing, but they are not a health hazard!”
Something else you may want to consider is that cleaning your silver jewelry will prevent this discoloration to a point. Most of the tarnish that is associated with oxidation can be wiped off by a cloth. This means that you won’t even see the discoloration because when you wipe off the ring, the tarnish is removed without you noticing.
Not All Sterling Silver Rings Are the Same
Just because sterling silver can cause your finger to turn green, doesn’t mean it will. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin reacts differently to copper and the vast majority of wearers will experience no reaction.
One way which is helpful in combatting any reaction is to get a high-quality silver ring plated in rhodium. That will decrease the speed with which the ring tarnishes and make it harder and more durable.
One way which is helpful to combat reaction is to get a high-quality silver ring which is plated in rhodium. That will decrease the speed with which the ring tarnishes, plus make it brighter, harder and more durable.
The rhodium plating will protect the ring from oxidizing as fast as standard sterling silver. Oxidation can change the color of the ring, darkening it. Rhodium is a bright and reflective material. So when the ring is covered with rhodium, there won’t be the darkening you can expect from other types of sterling silver. Do note though that plating is not permanent and wears off with time.
Photo: Preventative measures helpful against getting a green finger from silver rings include rhodium plating. Seen above is the Luxuria® ACCAREZZARE ring. This Cushion cut fake engagement ring uses rhodium plated 925 sterling silver & diamond simulant. The silver used in this ring is also nickel free. We recommend nickel free silver as nickel can cause skin irritations.
There are other materials some sterling silver is mixed with in order to prevent oxidation and tarnishing. If you’re interested in sterling silver, but don’t want to deal with the discoloration, look into your options. At Luxuria Diamonds, we have chosen rhodium because it is both valuable and practical.
Beautiful Engagement Rings and Sterling Silver
If you want a ring that can be displayed with pride and look like a million dollars, we can help you. You won’t have to worry about does sterling silver turn your finger green when you are wearing our high-quality rings. You will be able to wear your ring without concern.
At Luxuria, we pride ourselves on quality and value. We use only the finest sterling silver and diamond simulant to give you a beautiful ring without an account crushing price tag. There are a lot of benefits to wearing a fake ring in place of a more expensive one that you should consider.
Putting tens-of-thousands of dollars into a ring that can be lost, damaged, or stolen needs careful consideration. In many situations such as marriage proposals, vacations / travel and office wear, sterling silver rings are a very sensible choice. Just be sure to look for higher quality silver rings with rhodium plating. That way, at least until the plating wears out the question, Does Sterling Silver Turn Your Finger Green will be less of a concern.
Want to learn more?
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Is it ok to propose with a silver ring? In 2020 the reasons and results may surprise you! In this post we outline why sterling silver rings have become so popular.
As a member of several prestigious jewellery associations we are often asked – what are the best fake diamonds? Read our article to learn more.
We also welcome any comments you have on the topic Does Sterling Silver Turn Your Finger Green? Please use the comments section below to share your thoughts.
Brenda Auyang
This information was very helpful and educational. I really enjoyed reading the material you provided and I learned so much.
Thank you so much.
Ralph Ede
Hello Brenda. Thanks for the feedback and pleased you found our blog on Does Sterling Silver turn your finger green useful. While the short answer is “yes” sterling silver can turn your finger green – it doesn’t mean it will. Furthermore, preventative measures helpful against getting a green finger from silver rings include rhodium plating.
Chedda Da Connect
Good read! Very insightful
Ralph Ede
Pleased you enjoyed reading our article on Does Sterling Silver Turn Your Finger Green? Just because 925 silver can cause your finger to turn green, doesn’t mean it will. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin reacts differently to copper and the vast majority of wearers will experience no reaction. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Patricia Ann Tucker
I just got a ring from Walmart yesterday and it’s made from China I was wondering will it turn my finger green
Ralph Ede
Hello Patricia,
A very common question we receive is; will sterling silver turn your finger green?
It can be tempting to think that cheap rings from China will turn your finger green, but that is not necessary true.
Much depends on what material the ring is made from and whether a chemical reaction occurs between that material (i.e. the metal content) and your skin.
For example, 925 silver is an alloy with 7.5% of material being made up of something that is not pure silver. Commonly that material is copper or zinc or sometimes nickel.
Copper is usually the culprit of green finger. Copper reacts with the pH levels on your skin to create a green color mark where your skin and the metal meet. If you live somewhere that is warm, you will sweat more often so the green discoloration on your finger could be more common.
Just because 925 silver can cause your finger to turn green, doesn’t mean it will. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin reacts differently to copper and the vast majority of wearers will experience no reaction.
Also keep in mind that higher quality silver rings tend to be rhodium plated. Rhodium is an expensive precious metal which acts as a barrier between the silver and the skin. Rhodium is a noble metal and hypoallergenic. This means it presence will not only reduce the chance of green finger it will also reduce the chances of skin irritations caused by nickel.
When buying cheap rings from Walmart or elsewhere make sure you know and completely trust the metallic content as advised in the product description.
Photo: Will sterling silver turn your finger green?
Totsy Jinkens
It was very helpful. Glad I know now that I can I see my dr to see if im allergy to certain metals. Cause I have lots of health issues and allergies .I enjoyed your article.
Ralph Ede
Hello Totsy. Thanks for commenting on our blog which answers the question – can sterling silver turn your finger green? We are pleased to read you found the information helpful.
Metal Sensitivity also sometimes called metal hypersensitivity is a form of an allergic reaction and can be caused by exposure to metals in jewelry.
Your Doctor can organise a simple Metal-LLT blood test to test immune cell responses to different metals so you can understand which specific metals you have sensitivity too.
According to specialists in the field of Contact Dermatitis, metals that are common sensitizers include nickel, cobalt and chromium, where 10-15% of people are allergic to one or more of those three metals.
Silver doesn’t usually cause any problems but be aware that some silver contains a small amount of nickel.
We recommend you ask jewelry supplier’s for details on their products metal content before purchase.
BEINOZ
Thank you for all the information. Silver plated with rhodium, sounds the way to go. How would one know if it is plated with rhodium?
Thank You,
Beino Z
Ralph Ede
Hello Beino. Yes, there are many benefits to using Rhodium plating. It not only can protect sensitive skin against irritations, but increases the rings shine and durability. However, rhodium is rare and expensive so many cheaper rings are not plated with it.
To the untrained eye Rhodium plating will only be obvious once the ring has been worn for sufficient period that the non-permanent rhodium coating has worn off and a different colour tone is visible in the area of wear. Rhodium has a shinier whiter finish than silver or white gold.
tinna
First of all I want to say thanks for all you know about the silver rings and their possible effects on the body.
Many people want to know whether silver can turn your finger green and if so why? Your article is the best i’ve read on giving answers to these questions. Luxuria Diamonds is a great website to get information about 925 silver rings. Thank you so much!
Ralph Ede
Hello Tinna,
Thanks for your kind words. We try our best to answer common customer questions via blog posts – and can sterling silver turn your finger green or even black is a common question we receive. For more information on our sterling silver rings you might like to read our Luxuria jewelry value page.