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Re-anodizing or oxidizing silver jewelry

     

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I purchased a pair of earrings that the hooks are gold and the hoop is silver. The silver hoops were black. The artist said the hoops were either anodized or oxidized. I don't remember. First at the joint the black flaked off a tiny bit, and then I mistakenly put them in jewelry cleaner and now the black has faded almost off. Do you know how I can get the silver black again? The artist lives in rural New York state and has not as yet answered my e-mail.

Thank you for your help,

Pepper Wells
consumer of artistic jewelry - Buffalo Grove, Illinois

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I think I remember from my jewelry class that egg whites oxidizes silver. Hope it helps.

Hector Hernandez
- Los Angeles, California

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The egg yolk contains sulfur which blackens silver. See letters #1178 & 12714. Note: silver can also be dipped into or brushed with raw yolk, although that may be messier than the methods described.

Ken Vlach - Goleta, California

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+++++ Silver may also be oxidized by using Liver of Sulphur [linked by editor to product info at Dick Blick] compound. This can also be controlled to give different patinas. Once you have mixed the liver of sulfur and oxidized the silver, use a very fine steel wool [linked by editor to product info at Rockler] to softly rub the surface and give it a burnished sheen or wipe with a jeweler's cloth or jeweler's rouge [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] to remove the oxidation you want and highly shine the raised surfaces. Susu Roberts - Bowling Green, Kentucky

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March 8, 2009

I tried the hard boiled egg method and it didn't work. I also tried several other things. The one that finally did it was lemon juice.

Michael Meehan
- Indianapolis, Indiana

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March 12, 2009

Hi, Michael. Hmmmmm, are you sure it's silver?

Regards,

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