| Search our quarter-million Q&As |
Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989
-----:How to darken gold plated fixtures. Oxidize or brown the gold.
(To show dark relieved areas)
Courtesy: Balfour.com
Quickstart:
Gold plated fixtures would be extremely expensive, and may have a difficult to remove clearcoat on them to extend their life, so blackening may not work.
Gold colored fixtures are not necessarily actually gold plated -- they may have a zirconium nitride or similar "lifetime" PVD (physical vapor deposition) finish.
But if true gold plating without a clearcoat, powerful oxidizing solutions like Vigor Silver/Gold Blackener are available for professional use and many sites claim that Jax Silver Blackener will also blacken gold..Unfortunately, the blackening will quickly wear away unless in recessed areas as in school rings ⇨
It is possible, but may be impractical, to ruthenium plate or black rhodium plate gold fixtures.
Read on, join in ...
(iShor.com, stuller.com, & jemcousa.com say that Jax Silver Blackener blackens gold)
on Amazon or eBay
(affil link)
Q. 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 Odeainterior design - Los Angeles, California
2004
A. 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, North Carolina
Ed. note: We believe two brands are Vigor Silver/Gold Oxidizer (labeled for professional use only) and Jax Silver Blackener.
How to Antique Gold Jewelry
Q. I would like to know if there is any way that I can antique GOLD jewelry, mainly rings. Is there any product that I can purchase with which I can do this myself? I have had this done professionally, but within months it washes off.
Susan Farrellhobbyist - Hamburg, New York
2004
A. Most gold stays bright, regardless 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
A. Hi
The darkening doesn't actually "wash off" , but unfortunately it does quickly wear away except in recessed areas. School rings are bright on the high spots and dark in the recesses because the recesses don't wear.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
Q. 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. Gentryhobbyist - Bakersfield, California
2007
A. Hi B. We added your inquiry to this page rather than spawning a duplicative one, B. Hopefully it will be a start.
But our understanding is that "Celestrium" is a Balfour trademark for a stainless steel designed to imitate the look of platinum ... so you probably need a stainless steel blackener rather than a gold blackener.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
(this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative thread)
Q. How to oxidise gold jewelry to brown? ⇦ Answer?
- Chennai tamilnadu India
October 3, 2015
Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.