What Jewelry Does Not Tarnish?

Have you ever gone to put on your favorite piece of jewelry only to realize that it’s completely tarnished? We’ve been there too! Tarnishing happens when silver or other metals mix with sweat, makeup, body oil, and other outside substances. This can cause your jewelry pieces to become discolored. If you’re looking for pieces that won’t turn to a different color, you’ve come to the right place. Here are metals to look for when shopping for new non-tarnish jewelry pieces to add to your collection.

一、What Causes Metal to Tarnish?
Tarnish describes the end-product of a chemical reaction between metal and other non-metal reagents – it’s a form of corrosion. Some metals react when exposed to air and moisture, forming a thin surface layer that’s dull, usually discoloring the metal. This product is only on the metal’s surface and usually consists of the metal’s oxide or sulfide.

Tarnish is self-limiting since the layer of tarnish protects the underlying layers from contact with air and moisture. This prevents further tarnishing unless the tarnished layer is scratched, opening the deeper layers to corrosion reagents.

二、11 Jewelry Metal Does Not Tarnish

1. Platinum

On top of our list is platinum. Platinum refers to a precious earth metal known for its silvery-white hue. Although platinum is now gaining popularity in the jewelry world, it was one of the popular jewelry metals early in the 20th Century.

With more people understanding its strengths, platinum is now commonly used in wedding bands and engagement rings, among other types of jewelry.

So you guys can read this post for more info: is platinum good for wedding rings?. I guess you will learn a lot from this post!

Platinum doesn’t react with water or oxygen in the air, and it won’t lose its sheen. Platinum doesn’t tarnish, get oxidized or fade.

Pros

• It doesn’t tarnish
• Platinum is more durable and even stronger than gold
• Its strength and hardiness allow the creation of precise and sharp engravings on jewelry made of platinum.
• It gains a patina finish with time, from scratches; meaning that you won’t have to struggle with the scratches
• It is hypoallergenic
• Its strength and purity mean that platinum rings or bands symbolize everlasting and pure.
• It doesn’t expand if exposed to heat

Cons

• Its rarity makes it more expensive than even gold
• It’s only common in small-scale earrings, rings, and pendants

2. Stainless Steel (316L Stainless Steel)

Stainless steel is one of the most common metals used to make appliances, kitchenware, and hardware. Over the years, it’s gained popularity in the world of watches, as well as jewelry.

However, it is not a pure metal, and it’s actually a steel metal alloy made of at least 10% chromium. While there are different classes/ grades of stainless steel, 316 stainless steel is the stainless steel type used in the manufacture of jewelry.

It is silvery-white, and it has a mirror-like finish. Here is a post that will teach you how to tell the difference between silver and stainless steel.

Like platinum, stainless steel doesn’t tarnish, and it will retain its silvery mirror-like finish forever. As a result of its natural shine, stainless steel is easy to clean. It’s also scratch and corrosion-resistant, and durable. You can tell stainless steel from its hallmark signs SST or SSTL. If you want to know more about stainless steel, read this post for more.

Pros

• It’s easy to clean
• It doesn’t tarnish
• It has chromium which prevents tarnishing and corrosion
• It’s scratch-resistant
• It doesn’t rust
• It’s affordable
• Hypoallergenic

Cons

It’s not popular in the jewelry world.

3. Titanium

The other metal that’s gaining popularity rapidly in the jewelry world is titanium. Titanium is the world’s hardest natural metal, but also the most lightweight material used in jewelry.

This pure element is also very durable, and it’s one of the best materials for wedding bands. want to know more in detail? read this one: is titanium good for wedding rings?

Titanium boasts a silvery-white color (metallic), but its biggest caveat is that it’s not resistant to scratching. Its hallmark is TTN. Here My team focuses on a topic you might interest. Titanium vs stainless steel?. Do not forget to learn more.

Pros

• Durable
• Ultra-lightweight
• Hypoallergenic
• It doesn’t tarnish
• It’s just as strong as steel, but lighter.
• Great for men’s and women’s jewelry

Cons

• It is not scratch-resistant
• It’s too hard and cannot be engraved, resized, soldered or set with stones
• It’s damaged by heat

4. Tungsten Carbide

Tungsten carbide is an alloy of tungsten with 80% tungsten and 20% carbon (which is also alloyed with different other metals.

Tungsten carbide has, in the recent past, gained popularity because of its naturally grey or white beauty and elegance.

Here is a post you might like. because tungsten carbide is very popular for men’s wedding bands. Click here to learn more: is tungsten carbide is good for wedding rings?

Pros

• It has a beautiful white or gray finish
• It’s very strong (4x harder than titanium)
• Hypoallergenic
• Scratch-resistant
• Great for jewelry for men and women

Cons

• It could be marred
• It cannot be engraved or resized because it’s brittle and it could shatter easily under pressure

5. Palladium

Belonging to the platinum group of metals, palladium is known for its bright white color, as well as its strength and purity.

It’s also one of the affordable metals that make excellent jewelry. Palladium is made of 95% palladium and 5% ruthenium, but it doesn’t require plating. if you guys want to know more about this great jewelry metal, this post might help you a lot. You will learn the property and history of this metal in the jewelry world.

And we also discuss: is palladium good metal for a wedding ring or engagement ring?

Pros

• High purity
• Super-strength
• Hypoallergenic
• Lightweight
• Affordable
• It doesn’t tarnish or rust
• It develops a beautiful patina over time
• Palladium rings can be resized

Cons

Not as popular as it should be
Hard to work with, without the right equipment

6. Ceramic (Ceramic Carbide)

Ceramic jewelry has been making waves in the world of jewelry and thanks to its uniqueness, it a great material for making jewelry.

Ceramic is lightweight, ultra-versatile, and heat-resistant.

It’s made from hi-tech aerospace materials and as ceramic carbide, it’s not only durable but also scratch-resistant. Jewelry made of ceramic is affordable and available in different colors.

Pros

• Versatile
• available in different colors
• It’s hypoallergenic
• It doesn’t tarnish
• It’s scratch-resistant
• Heat resistant
• Lightweight
• Affordable

Cons

Ceramic cannot be engraved or resized because it is brittle, and it might shatter under pressure.

7. Cobalt

Though cobalt is used in jewelry as a metal bonded with nickel or copper, it’s one is the best metals for making jewelry.

Besides being tarnish-free, it’s also durable, and it looks a lot like white gold. If you want to know more about Cobalt, this post is for you.

Pros

• It’s resistant to scratching
• It’s hypoallergenic
• It’s durable
• Great for men’s rings
• Tarnish-resistant
• Corrosion and rust-free

Cons

Resizing is not very easy
It’s not popular

8.Gold

In its pure form, gold is famously unreactive and thus will not tarnish. Note that gold jewelry is usually made of an alloy, mixing gold and other metals prone to tarnish. So, gold below 18k will tarnish, while gold above 18k is unlikely to tarnish.

9.Rose Gold

As with gold, rose gold is an alloy. Here, the copper content is increased to give it that beautiful red hue. Since gold is inert, rose gold won’t tarnish. However, over time, it will develop a patina, a light protective layer due to the copper’s reaction with air and moisture. This will enhance the reddish hue of rose gold and is highly sought-after in the jewelry world. If you find it unsightly, you can remove it by polishing and cleaning it.

10.Niobium
Niobium, with its silvery sheen, is another inert metal. It won’t tarnish, rust, or corrode when exposed to air or moisture, making it ideal for long-wearing jewelry.

11. Aluminum

When aluminum comes into contact with air or moisture, it reacts to form aluminum oxide as a thin surface layer on the metal. While this hard, white surface layer protects the metal from tarnish, it doesn’t protect it from corrosion. Aluminum corrodes, which reduces the metal’s initial luster, rendering it less attractive as a jewelry metal.

三、Metals That Turn Skin Green
Now that you have seen the 10 best metals that do not tarnish, let me tell you about the metals that not only tarnish but will also turn your skin green.

Copper
Worn copper is famous for its emerald green patina, which forms over time through reaction with oxygen. Copper jewelry also reacts to the oils in our skin and the acidic salt in our sweat, forming a blue-green discoloration on the metal’s surface. Wearing this discolored jewelry causes it to rub off on our skin, discoloring it in the process. It’s not dangerous or unhealthy in any way, but some people find it unsightly.

Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. It is one of the metals that look like gold and can be bright and stylish when polished. However, wearing brass jewelry for long will turn your skin green, especially if it comes into contact with water or if you sweat while wearing it. This is due to the high copper content in the metal.

Bronze
Bronze is another copper alloy and thus turns your skin green when worn for long. In this case, the copper is alloyed with tin.

Nickel
Nickel is often used in low-cost jewelry, and many people are allergic to it. Like copper, it reacts with moisture and the oils on your skin to turn your skin green. Unlike copper, this green hue is often accompanied by an allergic reaction. This is why many jewelers suggest avoiding nickel alloys.

Conclusion
These are some of the best tarnish-free metals for jewelry. They are also hypoallergenic and suitable for making jewelry for men and women.

You guys can buy some jewelry that made of affordable metals, such as stainless steel or tungsten carbide.

If you want to read more jewelry metal posts,you can read our latest posts.