I found these earrings in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The settings seem to be vintage/older (i added the newer hooks)
I figured the turquoise might be stabilized or block, but its just so blue and the matrix is so black, i worried they may be fake stones. Aby thoughts out there? I appreciate the help.
Tricia
@Talarese Hi & Welcome! That’s a pretty pair of earrings. They may be vintage - I see some spots of verdigris. I’m leaning toward this being block turquoise but, I don’t know that for a fact.
That is strange, right? Typically those are found on copper and not sterling (even though it has copper in it too). At least on coins, good silver coins don’t have it.
I don’t know that I’d call it strange. I’ve owned pieces of jewelry that had areas of verdigris. And, I was able to remove it. What causes verdigris? I’m not exactly sure. Does (high) humidity come into play to help create it?
I’m unsure if that is verdigris. Its cause is oxidation, and it’s seen as protective, hard layer.
I rather tend to say it’s bronze disease. Cause is a reaction with sulfur in the air, and this is a destructive process. That layer on the other hand is very soft and powdery. Infected copper and bronze coins can fall into dust within a week. It spreads over the air, and will affect nearby bronze/copper. That’s why valuable coins are individually put into airtight capsules.
Test is simple. Touch it with a soft and wet piece of paper or a wet brush. If some green comes off, it’s bronze disease.
If the previous owner was prone to sweating, the body salts could be the cause of the verdigris.
Yes, I think humidity does aggravate the tarnish/verdigris problem. I’m in coastal SC and this will happen if silver is left sitting around with no attention. I order anti tarnish cloth from Amazon since I haven’t seen it locally in years. A lot of the good fabric stores have closed.
@Islandmomma Thank you. Like yourself, I live in an area that has high humidity. Now and then, I see verdigris on jewelry here. The pieces I’ve owned that had it I was able to gently clean with no problem. Thanks for mentioning about an anti tarnish cloth. Think I’ll look into getting one.
Sterling silver is typically 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. In areas where things like skin oils or perspiration can accumulate, over time it can cause a verdigris tarnish due to a reaction with the sulfur content. You’re more likely to see it in crevices or in areas where solder was applied. It’s best to carefully clean it off to prevent pitting of the silver, and avoid storing your jewelry with dissimilar metals like copper or bronze.
