Letter 32034

I need to tone down gold plated fixtures  

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I have the unusual assignment of downgrading finishes in a residence. Many fixtures such as sinks, plumbing fixtures and door hardware are gold gilded. To avoid removal I'm looking for product(s) and techniques to dull or "age" the many fixtures involved. Is there any technique out there to apply to gold similar to that used to oxidize copper?

Maureen Odea
interior design - Los Angeles, California

There is a product available commercially to jewelers for oxidizing gold, stop by your jewelry store and see if they can reference you.

Marc Banks
- Elizabeth City, NC

Ed. note: We believe two brands are Vigor Oxidizer and Jax Silver and Gold Blackener.

I would like to know if there is anyway that I can antique GOLD jewelry, mainly rings. Is there any product that I can purchase in which I can do this myself? I have had this done professionally, but within months it washes off.

Susan Farrell
hobbyist - Hamburg, New York

Most gold stays bright, reguardless of what goes on, it will bend, scratch, or break outright, but it rarely tarnishes. As noted above you can attempt to find the listed products and they should point you on your way.

Marc Banks
- Elizabeth City, North Carolina

I have a gold celestrium award ring that does not have antiquing. I would like to add black or dark brown antiquing to the ring. Can anyone tell me how to do this.

B. Gentry
hobbyist - Bakersfield, California

We added your inquiry to this thread rather than spawning a duplicative one, B. Hopefully it will be a start.

This may be more for Susan than for you, but the dark tones should be planned for the recessed areas so they don't wear off. Normally, the whole item is darkened and then the darkening is buffed off of the high areas, matching subsequent normal wear patterns.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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