Greetings, our dear readers! Remembering the dashing nineties, I now laugh at one story that excited our children’s hearts then. It was rumored that gold had some magical powers. And we willingly believed in it - otherwise how could we explain why the finger under the gold ring turns black? Not otherwise than from the evil eye!
And only in my second year at university, during lectures on inorganic chemistry, I learned that the reasons for such blackening are much more prosaic. Today I will try to tell you about them in detail.
Causes of skin darkening from gold jewelry
A dark stripe of gold on a finger clearly indicates oxidation of the metal. This reaction also causes the skin to turn black. This can happen for several reasons.
Domestic
Human sweat can be one of the catalysts for the oxidation process. It contains a lot of salts and acids that can provoke the oxidation of gold. If the skin on the finger under the ring darkens in the hot summer, during a climate change or on vacation, you should temporarily abandon jewelry.
Some people experience hyperhidrosis - increased sweating regardless of the ambient temperature. In this case, you should undergo treatment or switch to products made of precious metal of a higher standard. They react much less to an aggressive environment, and the finger will not turn black.
If dark stripes appear for no apparent reason, for example from earrings in the ears, or the skin has turned black from a chain, analyze factors such as taking medications. They are excreted from the body, including through the skin, and can cause an oxidative reaction of gold.
The reason that the finger under the gold ring has turned black may be simple stress that affects metabolic processes in the body.
External
Low-grade gold 375 may well cause the appearance of dark spots from the ring due to the alloying components in the alloy: nickel, zinc and copper. They often stain the skin.
If we are talking about a higher-quality gold product, you should make sure that it is not a fake. Submit the metal for examination. Experts will accurately identify a counterfeit or a manufacturing defect (harmful components in the alloy), this is also quite possible.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
Poisonous metals in the ligature are not such a rare occurrence; they sometimes become a source of serious allergic reactions.
Interaction with aggressive environments - chemicals, acids and alkalis - can also cause reactions that leave a noticeable mark on the ring on the finger. This could be detergent, pool water, sea water, or even bath salts. You should avoid contact of gold with substances that leave traces of a ring or chain on your body, use protective equipment or remove jewelry.
Many skin care products contain zinc. It provokes darkening of the skin. When using creams and lotions, you need to remove all rings from your fingers - this will protect you from a negative reaction.
A new product can also be the culprit of blackened leather due to the special polishing agent that is used on the product during manufacture. This problem can be easily solved - just rinse the item thoroughly.
Superstitions and signs
It is believed that if the pectoral cross darkens or the finger under the wedding ring turns black, then this is a bad sign. Perhaps there is some truth in this statement, since our ancestors saw a certain connection in this, but I have never had such an experience in my life.
In our youth, we believed that if your face suddenly turns red, it means that someone is remembering you, perhaps your betrothed. To check this, you had to run a gold ring across your cheek.
If there is a streak left, the boy he likes has thought about you. By the way, there was always a trace, because the pressure of gold further increases the blood flow in this place. But even now, sometimes I run the ring over my face, see a dark mark, and my mood lifts.
Why are other metals added to gold jewelry?
999.9 standard gold is a very soft and ductile metal. And very heavy. Thus, a pendant in the form of a droplet of pure gold with a diameter of only 2 cm will weigh almost 500 g, and it can be easily scratched even with a fingernail. Therefore, in order to increase strength, reduce specific gravity, and also give gold an unusual color, other metals are added to the alloy. Thus, the presence of copper gives the alloy a pleasant pink tint, platinum adds noble white, and when alloyed with silver, gold turns green!
Not the least important factor in the choice of metals for the ligature is the cost of decoration, so often an alloy can contain up to eight different metals. It is they, or rather their oxides, that are the culprits of the blackening stripes on your fingers.
Does white gold darken?
First, let's figure out what white gold is. White gold is, first of all, an alloy of ordinary gold (yellow) with silver, palladium or nickel. An alloy with these components is needed so that gold loses its usual yellow color and becomes white.
White gold is also considered a symbol of prosperity and wealth. However, not all people like this metal. This happens due to the strong similarity of white gold to silver. Many people simply do not see the need to overpay money, essentially visually getting the same result.
But is it really that simple? Of course, white gold has a number of advantages:
- Firstly, white gold is still gold, and therefore an investment. Everyone knows that you cannot hand over silver, but if necessary, you can turn in white gold and get money, or hand it in, pay a small amount of money and buy another product.
- Secondly, white gold is a very malleable metal, working with which gives the craftsman real pleasure and, accordingly, he can easily realize all your wishes and fantasies regarding the design of the product.
Does white gold darken?
- Regarding whether this metal darkens or not: as we already know, gold itself does not turn black, so it will be with white gold. This metal has a slightly different property. Over time, white gold may yellow slightly, this is due to the fact that white gold jewelry is initially rhodium-plated. It is this procedure that gives the decoration whiteness and shine.
- After the coating wears off, the color of the jewelry may take on a yellowish tint. In principle, this is not at all scary, because if you wish, you can contact a jeweler and re-plate the product.
- The main thing is to remember that any jewelry made of any metal requires and deserves proper care. If you initially pay enough attention to this point, then such problems will not arise at all.
Hexing
If options with polishing paste and low quality metal are excluded, everything is checked and confirmed, then fears begin to arise that a curse or damage has been imposed on a particular piece of jewelry.
Since ancient times, gold has been considered a noble and important metal, with many signs and superstitions associated with it. Black stripes on the finger appear as a result of the following reasons:
- Gold catches the negative impact that is directed towards a person. The signal for this situation will be blackening under the ring.
- The reason lies in the person himself. Often anxiety and despondency come from the person himself, and not from the world around him. If this happens, the signal is the appearance of a black mark on the finger.
- There is a belief among believers that blackness appears due to the commission of various crimes or sins. The blackness that appears appeals to the sinner’s conscience and gives a signal to others about his crime.
There is information on how to get rid of such damage. The decoration and the area under it must be washed with holy water. If it doesn’t help, then you should call a priest or a psychic. But you shouldn’t trust signs too much, since you should first look for the true cause of this phenomenon.
What do the signs say?
Popular superstitions say that if the skin under the gold darkens, a spell or evil eye has been cast on the person.
Since gold is a noble metal, it senses changes in the human body and gives such a reaction.
Interesting fact! If a person’s cheeks are burning, someone is gossiping about him. To find out what kind of gossip this is, you need to run a gold piece across your cheek. If a dark line remains, they speak badly of you. A light stripe indicates that you are remembered with warmth, in a friendly conversation. Believe it or not - it's up to you.
Ways to neutralize negativity
Signs do not always come true. To avoid bad omens, you need to follow these recommendations:
- go to church and take communion;
- consecrate the ring itself directly;
- clean the product by removing darkened areas;
- turn to a magician for help. He will be able to check whether an attempt was made to cause damage. If such actions were performed, the specialist will clear the ring of negativity.
Among the people, blackening of rings is regarded as a bad sign, foreshadowing troubles and misfortunes. But there is still no need to panic. There are a number of completely harmless reasons for such changes. Perhaps they are observed due to contact of the metal with detergents or cosmetics. You just need to be more careful with your jewelry and make sure that it is always in perfect condition.
Allergy to components
Gold does not react with other metals, but can cause allergies. In order to understand the mechanism of allergies, it is important to know the technology of making gold jewelry and the characteristics of the human body.
It was said earlier that gold in its pure form is not used in jewelry. That’s why various kinds of impurities are added there. They improve properties, but can be a strong allergen. The result can be redness, itching, and the appearance of black spots, even in those who have never been prone to this kind of reaction. Therefore, before purchasing, you should carefully read the certificates of conformity, which will indicate the full composition of the components included in the product.
Jeweler's opinion
Molokanov N.M.
Jeweler, 26 years of experience in jewelry production.
Why does a gold ring or other jewelry leave a black streak? In addition to the noble metal itself, copper, nickel, platinum or palladium are added to the composition of gold jewelry. It is from them that the dark stripes remain. These metals are necessary, first of all, to impart hardness to the metal. With the help of impurities, jewelry acquires different color shades. The addition of additional metals to the alloy is justified, but in a reasonable amount according to GOST. If there is very little base metal in gold jewelry, it is considered low-grade and of poor quality. Unfortunately, manufacturers pass off such products as original ones. Paying a high price for low-quality jewelry is not so bad. The most dangerous thing is that “gold” can cause allergies.
Low quality metal
The main reason for the appearance of stripes on the fingers is said to be the low quality of the metal used to make jewelry. Since gold in its pure form is not suitable for jewelry, various impurities are added to it, including silver or copper. The number of impurities corresponds to the sample number marked on each product.
The best sample is considered to be 585, which contains 59 percent gold. They practically do not break and have a characteristic shine. If a black stripe appears on your finger, then there are more impurities in the composition than stated.
Therefore, it is important to purchase jewelry only in specialized stores and check the product before purchasing. Sometimes the cause of the appearance is a paste that gives the product shine. But its effect is short-lived and disappears after a few days.
Water
We still use chlorine to purify water. It is not for nothing that people are always warned before chlorination that the use of such water is not recommended. Even if you simply wash your hands under the tap at this time, darkening of your fingers under the rings may occur. It is also important to remove jewelry before going to the pool, since there is still a caustic element there, although in smaller quantities.
Salty seawater is also likely to cause black fingers. If you use sea salts for bath, you should be sure to skim off the gold.
Possible consequences of black marks and ways to eliminate them
Often people, noticing that the skin on their finger is turning black from the ring, begin to worry greatly, suspecting either a defect in the product itself or serious health problems in themselves. However, other than aesthetic unattractiveness, blackening traces of oxides do not pose any particular danger if allergic reactions are excluded.
To remove the mark, just wash your skin thoroughly with neutral soap. Don't forget to wash and dry the product itself.
Chemical reactions
Many people use cosmetics. Various products may contain materials that come into contact with gold and lead to oxidation. One of these elements is mercury and similar substances.
In cosmetics it is quite harmless, but upon contact with gold a negative reaction occurs. The decoration begins to turn black and leave characteristic marks. It is quite possible to deal with the marks, but the product will be hopelessly damaged. This is one of the answers to the question why a gold ring leaves a black mark on the finger.
Therefore, it is recommended to remove all existing jewelry from your hands before using cosmetics.
Some recommendations
When using gold jewelry, you should adhere to some rules:
- wearing gold jewelry is allowed only after cosmetics have been completely absorbed;
- Extreme care should be taken when cleaning gold jewelry. Gold is a very soft metal; there is always the possibility of damaging the jewelry if not properly cared for;
- A simple solution of ammonia or laundry soap is suitable for cleaning gold products. You should place the product in the solution, and after a while simply wipe it with a soft cloth.
Before you get scared, you need to try basic measures to eliminate the possible causes of darkening.
First, you should clean the jewelry well, and be sure to remove the gold before doing housework. If no result appears, it is worth checking the metal for quality in the laboratory. However, if everything is in order, the decoration is of high quality, and the unpleasant phenomena resume, you should see a doctor for a general examination.
But there is no need to panic; most likely, the reason lies in poor hygiene or the purchase of counterfeit jewelry. There is no need to completely deny yourself the pleasure of wearing gold rings if your skin has darkened. Such phenomena usually disappear without a trace within a week.
