I've been having this bizarre problem. Anytime I hold a glass with condensation -- like an iced tea, for example -- in my right hand for a bit, the skin on my ring finger starts to look sooty -- like it's covered in black dust. I wear my sapphire and 14K gold ring w/ little diamonds every day -- and it's definitely all genuine materials...so I don't know why it's turning my finger black.

Anyone else ever encountered this problem?? I know that some synthetic golds turn fingers green? But this is different...and annoying!

14 kt gold is 58.5% pure gold, perhaps you might be sensitive to the remaining 41.5% composition. I think I did read about this problem happening to someone else, Im not positive but I think they said 18kt was needed due to thier sensitivity.It wasnt on this forum tho

This happens to me too. I absolutely can't wear anything less than 14K. Anything 10K turns my skin black very quickly. I had a pair of really pretty drop earrings in 10K and they would turn my earlobe black. (They fell down in a straight line and I would get a perfect line down the lobe.)

Sometimes, but not always, it happens even with 14K. I assume I just have a sensitivity to something in the composition, as ketap mentioned. You may have to move up to 18K. For me, it seems to dissipate as the gold content increases.

A lot of people don't notice anything on their hands, but if they take a gold ring and rub it gently on the side of their face they will get a black mark. An old wive's tale says that predicts the sex of the baby in a pg woman, but I've seen it happen on men, too.

I don't know why it happens, but like MandM said, it could be the remaining composition of the ring that you are sensitive to. Perhaps the cold condensation triggers a reaction. Quite a number of people are sensitive to gold, though, which is why so many rings are now made from platinum, titanium and other metals that are less likely to cause a reaction.

Wow, that's really interesting -- thanks guys!

I had always assumed that 14K was "safe" as far as allergies and reactions were concerned...but I guess not. It's definitely the same kind of blackening reaction that you are talking about though.

I've never tried this, but I've heard that if you take clear nail polish and coat the inside of the band that it will prevent your finger from going black. Acts as a barrier between your skin and the ring. Also, I do know that certain hand lotions will cause that problem because of what's in the lotion, not because of your skin PH type.

I'm not exactly sure which chemical reaction causes the black finger, but I want to say that if your body PH is a bit on the acidic side, that can cause your finger to turn black. Do you eat lots of oranges, limes or lemon (especially in your tea?).

Hi guys this is my first post! a jeweller told me, and my doctor confirmed it afterwards, that the black on your skin that develops when you wear gold, is directly proportional to how anemic you are, something about low iron making your body chemistry too acidic or something. When this happens to me, I start taking my iron supplements. Hope this helps!

Thanks, I'll try it! I had heard that it was because your chemistry was acidic, but didn't know that it was a result of low iron.

You learn something new every day! Thanks for the little tidbit of info. I don't have any rings turning black on me but it's always nice to know if I ever run into anyone who does have this problem.

wow, i never knew that

Hello there.

First time poster. Just registered to respond to this thread.

Both my mother and I have always been "allergic" to gold although for me the reaction has become more frequent now in my mid 20's. We both wear a lot of gold rings (3-5 per hand) although I have never noticed the reaction with earings or necklaces. The reaction is the worst with my yellow gold rings but still noticeable with white gold. And worse yet with my grandmother's dolphin ring which has air space underneath as opposed to rings which lay flat on my hand.

The black "soot" that the other poster described is an accurate depiction. It can rub and be washed off. My mother always said it happened when we got stressed out but I think that was just a convienent excuse. I always assumed it was some sort of chemical reaction between my skin and the gold.

My mother only seems to react when she is menstruating which follows the iron theory. I have long been accused of being anemic as I am a pale irish girl and I bruise easy but I've never been tested. It's nice to know why this happens though.

Thanks everyone.

Do you react that way to silver? Cause people who react to silver and get black marks on their skin can also react to lower carat golds, because silver is a common metal used as an alloy in gold.

This happens to me occasionally too. I mostly get it from a large 14K bangle bracelet and even the posts of 14K earrings. I haven't been able to get a straight answer from anyone but the iron theory makes senses and could be it.

Originally Posted by singerangel

Do you react that way to silver? Cause people who react to silver and get black marks on their skin can also react to lower carat golds, because silver is a common metal used as an alloy in gold.

Most folks aren't actually allergic to silver - Sterling silver is only 92.7% silver. The other 7.3% is "other" metal like copper or nickel which can cause allergies in many.

In gold, while there may also be silver, it's not what people are generally allergic to - it's going to be those other less precious metals like copper and nickel.

24% gold is 100% gold with no other metals - it is very soft but very few people are allergic.

Fine Silver (one of my favorite metals) is 99.9% silver and I have found that *most* folks can wear this if they are allergic to sterling.

I don't work with gold a lot (though starting to more often) but when silver tarnishes it can rub off - I know when I polish I get black stuff all over my hands. It's gross.

Interesting! My mom constantly has a dark spot where her cross necklace hits. I always think maybe she doesn't clean her jewelry often enough (I don't see her much). Maybe it's an allergy or iron deficiency.

Many people are allergic to nickel, which I think most sterling and gold does contain.

More and more designers are starting to make rings in palladium, which is hypoallergenic. Maybe try that?