Have you ever heard that silver tarnish is caused by water? This is a common misconception when it comes to understanding what exactly triggers the corrosion of your metal valuables. Do not be fooled!

Perhaps you've noticed silver tarnish while traveling over an ocean or another circumstance when chloride concentrations are high. It is not surprising then, that jewelry manufacturing facilities near an ocean or jewelry stores in coastal areas often have problems with jewelry tarnish. Chlorinated water is all around us which is the root of the misconception that water causes your silver to tarnish. High chloride concentrations accelerate the corrosion process and make silver protection under these conditions extremely challenging.

Water works as an excellent carrier for corrosive gases and reactive ions that lead to tarnish on your silver. Easily dissolved in water, these ions are then carried by humidity, water vapor, etc. We also know that water speeds up the reaction rate of these gases and ions with the metal surfaces of your jewelry, which accelerates the corrosion process. So, water alone does not cause corrosion, rather it is what is actually in the water that does the damage.

Now that we've cleared up that misconception, make sure you chose anti-tarnish prevention storage that helps counteract these ions by avoiding contact with them altogether.