Silver naturally tarnishes over time when exposed to normal levels of oxygen. Silver which is oxidised, has been exposed to much higher levels of oxygen within a controlled environment which causes it to blacken in a way that is far more distinctive and appealing than ordinary tarnishing. This process is quite popular and more common in metal with a higher copper content. Silver jewellery is often oxidised to give it more of a worn and less shiny appearance.
This process happens naturally with all kinds of things in everyday life and is known as oxidation. Examples are a freshly cut apple turning brown, a bicycle spoiler becoming rusty and a copper penny turning green.
| ← Oxide | Pagan → |
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