Does Titanium Rust or Tarnish
No, titanium does not rust or tarnish. It is completely resistant towards any of these issues. This makes it one of the best metal to wear without any problems of rust or tarnish.
In this article we’ll answer questions like does titanium rust or tarnish, does titanium steel tarnish and should you buy titanium jewelry.
Titanium Jewelry
Titanium is a metal that is both lightweight and strong. It can offer a number of benefits over more popular metals like gold and silver. One of its key characteristics is it being resistant towards scratching. This makes it one of the most popular newer metals being used in jewelry making.
Does Titanium Rust
No, titanium does not rust. This is due to it being completely iron-free metal.
Instead of rusting, titanium forms a protective oxide layer when it comes into contact with oxygen. This layer, known as titanium dioxide, acts as a shield against further corrosion. The oxide layer is incredibly stable and prevents the metal underneath from reacting with moisture or other environmental factors. In fact, this protective layer even self-heals if it’s scratched or damaged, ensuring that titanium remains rust-free over time.
Does Titanium Tarnish
No, titanium does not tarnish as well. Tarnish occurs when metals react with sulfur or oxygen, leading to a dull and discolored appearance over time. Silver, for example, is well known metal which can tarnish.
Tarnish is due to presence of copper in a metal. If there is high amount of copper present in a metal, it is most likely to tarnish. As titanium does not has any copper percentage, it does not tarnish.
Difference between Rust and Tarnish
Rust and tarnish are two completely different processes. Rust is a form of corrosion that weakens the metal structurally. It can cause parts of jewelry like clasps to become brittle and break if they are made of iron. It is due to the oxidation of iron present in a metal.
Tarnish is more common phenomenon in jewelry. It is due to the oxidation of copper metal. Both of these occur due to different metals. That’s why a buyer must be aware of difference of both of these.
If we compare the damage done by both of these, rust can severely damage the jewelry. It destroys the structure of the metal. But tarnish is very less severe which only affects appearance rather than durability.
What Jewelry Can Rust
Normally jewelry does not rust. Any jewelry which contains iron, can rust. Once a metal starts to rust, it will get structurally weak with time and become very easy to break.
But in most of the jewelries, iron is never used. That’s why we can say that gold, silver, and titanium etc. never rust.
What Jewelry can Tarnish
Normally copper based jewelries like sterling silver, brass, bronze and lower karat gold can tarnish. All of these contain higher amount of copper. Here is a list of metal which can tarnish.
1. Low Karat Gold
Low karat gold i.e. 10k and lower contains high percentage of copper. This can be a problem as gold jewelry will start tarnishing after some time. Time taken to tarnish can depend on a number of factors like contact with water, gold’s karat etc.
It will take around 6 to 8 months of regular use for lower purity gold to develop tarnishing.
2. Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is made up by a combination of pure silver and copper. It contains 7.5% copper by weight. It tarnishes faster than lower purity gold. However tarnishing is not a very big problem and can be removed by using commercial tarnish removal chemicals. It all adds up to increase the costs and care to be taken.
3. Brass and Bronze Jewelry
Both brass and bronze are alloys of copper. Brass is often used as a base metal for rhodium or even gold plating as well. They tarnish with the fastest pace. If you live near coastal areas, brass or bronze jewelry will tarnish within 1 month.
Does Titanium Steel Tarnish
Titanium steel is a type of stainless steel with a thin coating of titanium. It does not tarnish easily. However, if the upper chromium layer is removed (which is highly rare to occur), then it can tarnish.
It is better to avoid it for piercing.
Care and Maintenance of Titanium
Titanium is a low-care demanding metal. However, it is better to take care of it properly for better appearance. Here are some care and maintenance tips related to titanium jewelry.
1. Regular Cleaning
Do regular cleaning of your titanium jewelry. Simply washing titanium with warm soapy water is usually sufficient to remove dirt or oils that accumulate over time.
2. Avoid Harsh Chemicals
While titanium is highly resistant to corrosion, it’s best to avoid exposure to harsh chemicals like chlorine or bleach, which can dull the metal’s finish over time.
3. Proper Storage
Sometimes people might not take care of their jewelry after removing. This can damage your jewelry. Buy an airtight storage box which will protect your jewelry from any dirt etc. These storage boxes come with separate item compartments which save jewelry from getting scratched against each other.
It is important to note that titanium is extremely resistant towards scratching and will not be scratched easily. But titanium jewelry rubbing against other softer metals like gold can scratch them.
Conclusion
Titanium is one of the best metal to wear if you don’t want to put in a lot of effort in taking care of the jewelry. It does not tarnish as well as rust. As it does not have any sort of iron or copper, it cannot tarnish or rust. Apart, it is highly resistant towards scratches as well. If you are considering to buy titanium jewelry, you can expect to spend very less time for its take care.