It’s best to remove your oxidized silver jewelry before aggressive contact and when showering or washing your hands to prolong the dark color. Blackened finishes which have been applied to the recesses of a design tend to hold their color best while the raised areas of the piece polish up over time. Rings and bracelets tend not to hold their color quite as long since they rub on things we touch more frequently. Oxidized finishes have the longest life on pieces that come into minimal contact with their surroundings, such as earrings and necklaces. The look of your blackened silver piece will gradually change over time, so it’s best to brace yourself for the evolution of the piece when you purchase it. Over time and depending on the amount of wear you give your pieces, the oxidized finish will polish off and the true color of the silver will shine through. Just the top layer of metal particles have been given that blackened color. Like other patinas, oxidized silver is just a surface treatment and does not change the internal color or properties of the metal.Īs I mentioned before, oxidized silver is only a surface treatment. But with a controlled application, a whole rainbow of colors can be achieved including blues, purples, yellows, and reds. At full strength, the color will appear a matte gunmetal black. The range of colors that can be achieved from this process is extensive. We jewelers use a chemical compound such as liver of sulphur, a potassium sulfide, to create the blackened surface on silver jewelry. But nevertheless, the industry terminology has stuck although it’s not technically correct. A layer of silver sulfide forms on the exterior of the metal giving it a blackened look.Ī quick aside: The term oxidizing is a misnomer since the process is caused by the introduction of sulfides and not oxygen. This patina, a surface color that occurs when the silver is introduced to sulfides, is a sped up version of the natural tarnishing process. Its contrasting color makes gemstones and diamonds pop! But you also may be wondering what exactly is oxidized silver? And just as important, how should you expect it to wear over time?Ī piece of blackened or oxidized silver is true sterling silver, but it’s surface has been intentionally darkened through by introducing it to a chemical process. They are comparing that dust film to the film that metal and other things get, talking about it like it's something more permanent than it actually is.From contemporary jewelry designs to art jewelry and sculpture, you’ve likely seen a lot more blackened silver these days. This is the correct definition for the term "patina", but it can also be used in a kind of figurative sense, like when people say that something has a patina of dust. Actually I wonder if those poets and writers really know what it means themselves.īut, in reality it means closer to "a tarnish" and should only be used to describe semi-permanent coatings, like a metal patina. March 6, - Yeah, I've seen the word patina used a lot in literary fiction and in poetry, almost to the point where you don't realize they mean it metaphorically, and you start to think that the word just means "a coating". The patina always comes back though, so it's not really something to worry about. But I noticed, when I was traveling, if a blacksmith saw that it had that patina, he would take it (politely) and clean it in acid to get rid of the patina, because they really like to keep their metal bright. It gets dark in the engraved bits, making them stand out, which I really like, particularly as the raised bits stay bright. It was made by a local blacksmith who basically melted down some silver coins to make it. I have a handmade silver ring I got from when I was traveling around Africa. I actually really like the right kind of patina. Equally, I've acquired a few pieces of wood jewelry and I'm desperate to find a way to clean that filthy residue! Gawd only knows how much bacteria breeds on that garbage! I like my silver shiny, not filthy because people were too filthy-lazy to clean their goods. Patina is disgusting!! I bought a very old silver brooch from Peru and after a while of looking at that disgusting film, I gave it a hot bath with aluminum foil and baking soda (and I forgot what else, found it online) and gently scrubbed it with a brush: now it's brand spanking new and shiny!
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