How To Oxidize Silver

Recently I ordered a number of jewelry supplies.  When I received my order, I realized that the antiqued silver bails I ordered were not "antiqued" but were bright silver.  I meant to send them back and get the antiqued version but got busy with the Holidays and did not.  So, I thought why not "antique" them myself?  I had read about this process but never tried it before.

First, one should understand how this process works.  An antiqued finish occurs on silver because tarnish results from a process called oxidation.  Silver will oxidize naturally when exposed to air for long periods of time, but this process can be hastened if you want to create the darkened patina that gives an item an older more vintage style appearance.  Silver will oxidize when it reacts with sulfur.  This reaction produces silver sulfide which causes a darkening and blackening of the silver.

One can elicit this reaction by either using a hard boiled egg or by using a product called liver of sulfur.  Liver of sulfur can be purchased at jewelry and craft supply stores and many on-line sites.  Since I am a beginner in this process, I used the supplies readily at hand - a hard boiled egg and a plastic bag.

Materials:

• Sterling silver or silver plated items
• Hard boiled egg
• Plastic bag with can be sealed
• Polishing cloth

Procedure:

Gather items to oxidize.  In my case, these were a handful of bright silver plated bails.

Before Oxidation

Place hard boiled egg into a plastic bag and seal - no need to peel the egg although this might make it easier to chop.  The sulfur is actually in the yoke so theoretically all you need is the egg yolk.

Hard Boiled Egg in Sealed Plastic Bag

Mash the egg within the plastic bag.  Since I did not peel the egg, the easiest way I found was to simply "stomp" it lightly with my foot a few times.  If you have peeled your egg, you can probably just use your hands.

Mashed Egg in Plastic Bag

Next, open your bag and place the item(s) to be oxidized.  Reseal the bag and watch as the process begins.  The longer you leave the silver within the bag, more discoloration will be produced.  I left my silver bails in the bag about 15 minutes.  I also repositioned and turned the bag over several times during that 15 minutes to make sure all surfaces were exposed to the sulfur.

See the Silver Oxidizing Within Bag

When desired level of oxidation is achieved, remove the items and rinse off to remove any pieces of egg.   Next dry the items and examine them.

After Oxidation

Next, polish with a soft jewelry cloth - this removes the "excess" tarnish and restores the shine.  The more you rub with the cloth, the more tarnish you will remove.  See the difference in these close-up photos of a bail after oxidation and polishing compared with a bail before oxidation.

After Oxidation and Polishing

Before Oxidation

I am quite pleased with the results of my experiment, though I will likely purchase some liver of sulfur to try as well.  If interested, HowToMakeJewelry.com provides a nice tutorial on using liver of sulfur.

To see finished jewelry using some of these oxidized items, be sure to visit my shops on ArtFire and Etsy!

Azure Blue Glass Gem Pendant - on Etsy

This tutorial has been featured on FaveCrafts.com!

The Steampunk Revolution

There is no doubt about it - steampunk jewelry has leapt in popularity over the last few years.  Steampunk really began to pick up steam - pardon the pun - in the early 2000's although it had been around even before then.  Google Trends took note of the steampunk movement in 2006 and noted a steady gain in popularity since then.

What is steampunk?  Science fiction writer H.G. Wells -often referred to as "the father of science fiction" - coined the term in 1987 as a way of describing his works and those of his contempories such as Jules Verne.  Initially the phrase referred specifically to Victorian science fiction and fantasies, but over time an entire subculture emerged to include jewelry, art, fashion and even music.

Steampunk jewelry blends the femininity of the Victorian era with the mechanical technology that emerged during this time.  Most steampunk and neo-Victorian items use dark non-shiny metals such as brass and gunmetal giving these pieces an antique vintage style appeal.  Steampunk jewelry is often handmade giving it a feeling of uniqueness.  Many jewelry and craft artists sell their steampunk designs on sites such as Etsy and ArtFire.

Supplies used to create steampunk designs include items such as filigree stampings, watch faces and watch parts, vintage jewelry components, skeleton keys and vintage keys, and almost any gadget or mechanical part.   Each piece is usually unique combining and layering different components.

To see fantastic examples of steampunk jewelry, view this ArtFire Collection entitled Steampunk Fantasy!


Helpful links:
http://www.squidoo.com/steampunkart
http://www.suite101.com/content/what-is-steampunk---a-guide-to-the-definitions-a237194
http://www.ehow.com/about_5082813_steampunk-jewelry.html

Lampwork Beads and Beaded Jewelry

Lampwork beads are one of my personal favorite beads to use because of their radiance and luster. They seem to have a depth not found in other types of glass beads. There are several popular types of lampwork:

Fiorato Beads: These are a variation of Murano and Venetian glass beads created using melted glass to “paint” flowers and decorations onto the surface.

Foil lined: These beads contain either white gold foil, 24K gold foil, or .925 sterling silver foil submerged beneath the glass brightening the color and producing a radiant glow.

Millefiori Beads: Variation of Murano and Venetian glass beads hand-created by working slices of millefiori glass canes into each bead. Millefiori means “thousand flowers” in Italian.

Sommerso beads: These beads are created using a technique in which the glass artisan submerges different colors beneath clear glass. Small copper flakes (called aventurina) are then worked into the clear glass giving the bead a look of depth and a rich luster.

Borosilicate (boro glass): Borosilicate glass is different from the "soft" glass that is normally used for beads and other items such as paperweights, ornaments, etc. It is far stronger than "soft" glass often used for other glass items. Expert torch work can meld different colors and hues to create incredible depth and vibrant beads.

I found these cherry red Czech lampwork beads at fusionbeads.com and used them to create the matching antiqued brass necklace and pair of earrings pictured.

Antiqued Brass Cherry Bomb Earrings $24.00
These antiqued brass earrings have gorgeous red cherry bomb lampwork glass beads that glow like bright little lanterns. Lampwork rondelle beads are accented with antiqued brass bead caps. They swing freely on a few links of antiqued brass chain. Antiqued brass earring wires. Drop is 1 3/4 inches.

Antiqued Brass Cherry Bomb Necklace $18.00
This antiqued brass necklace has the same gorgeous red cherry bomb lampwork glass bead as the earrings above. Lampwork rondelle bead is accented with antiqued brass bead caps. Suspended on antiqued brass chain. Measures 18 inches. Pendant adds another 1 1/2 inches. Lobster claw clasp closure.