Darken silver: blackening silver at home

Blackened silver is gaining popularity among buyers, since jewelry made from this type of precious metal has an unusual appearance that is distinguished by sophistication and looks like an antique.

Blackened silver ring

The following types of silver are used in jewelry:

• Sterling. This term refers to plain 925 sterling silver without additional plating. Therefore, sterling silver items require care and cleaning to remove tarnish. The test is popular in the manufacture of not only jewelry, but also cutlery.
• Blackened. Outwardly it looks like darkened silver, but the effect is achieved artificially. Does not require special cleaning.
• Oxidized. It looks like a blackened precious metal, but the effect of applying a dark layer is cheaper and short-lived.
• Rhodinated. Applying a layer of rhodium to a product without changing its color. This is done to protect the jewelry from scratches and darkening.

What is a mob?

Niello is one of the ancient techniques of decorating various silver and gold objects by painting them black. The consequence of using this technique is the contrast of colors on the surface of objects, and it does not matter whether it is an ornamental design or a relief detail.
Thus, silver blackening is also used to hide minor flaws on a product, such as small scratches or connecting seams. Blackened silver can easily be called a classic of the genre for making items in an antique style or with “traditional” notes. Blackening is a kind of “black” alloy of copper, silver, sulfur and lead fused into the base metal. The alloy is fused into a 0.3 mm depression, which is applied in several ways:

1. minting;
2. engraving;
3. gouging;
4. etching.

When heated, at high temperatures, a chemical reaction occurs between the melted mixture (black) and silver. Thus, in addition to new decorative properties, the blackened product also gains practical properties. Now it will not fade so quickly and will not require additional care. The color range of niello is quite wide: from light, silver-gray shades to noble velvet, black tones.

The niello alloy also looks very beautiful on high-grade gold and silver items. However, it is quite difficult to cast a high-quality niello composition that will not peel off gold, which is why niello coating on precious metals is used extremely rarely. From time immemorial, blackening of silver has been considered exquisite and the most durable. Well, if you really want gold jewelry, then you can, for example, gild the silver, protecting the areas with the finished niello with a special varnish. Why not?!

How to clean a silver ring with a stone

The easiest and most reliable way to clean jewelry inlaid with semi-precious stones is to take it to a specialized workshop. Professionals use tools and compounds that can deal with any contamination carefully and successfully. But there is not always the opportunity and desire to visit such an establishment. We have to look for alternative ways.

Methods of applying niello

The niello is applied both wet and dry:

• In the dry method, the surface is wetted with the necessary special solution and finely ground black powder is applied. Then all this is carefully dried and fired in a muffle at a temperature of 300° to 400° C.
• In the wet application method, the composition is applied to the product in the form of a creamy porridge, which is diluted with water. Using a spatula or brush, spread the mixture tightly and thickly in the recesses and wait for the water to evaporate. Then, when heated in the muffle, the niello becomes soft, melts and flows into the design, covering the object. This means it's time to remove the product from the oven. Small decorations are melted with a soldering gun. The heat flow is concentrated on the base metal, so it is better to heat it from the reverse side. As soon as the mass melts, heating is completed.

Now it’s time to “clean up” the product with a scraper or file until a pattern appears. Very often, the background of the product requires additional engraving or shotting - applying strokes, dots or notches to the surface of the metal.

Having an understanding of the process of blackening products, you will be able to see flaws in jewelry on store shelves with the naked eye. For example, uneven background of the product: spots or bumps. You may notice splashes or streaks on light areas of the product. In general, negligence or, as experts say, a universal “vice”.

Blackening silver at home

There are many simple home methods for blackening. It happens that you just urgently need to blacken a chain, ring, saucer or vase. As always, the Internet can help us. It is replete with all sorts of recipes: from boiled eggs, which are gentle on the product and do not harm the product, to pharmaceutical sulfur ointment and fixative for attaching photographs. If you choose sulfur ointment, you will need to thoroughly coat the surface with it, then dry it with a hot hairdryer until it drips. When the product turns dark purple, you need to rinse and dry the item.

To blacken silver at home, it is recommended to use iodine. In this case, you won't need a hairdryer. Simply coat the product with iodine, leave it to dry with iodine impregnation, and polish it thoroughly when dry. If you find it difficult to do this yourself, refer to the videos. Keep in mind that blackening is not that easy. Just the preparation of “sulfur liver,” as jewelers call it, is worth a lot. It is very harmful and smelly.

Uses of iodine

How to blacken silver at home with iodine? When using this substance, the product must be cleaned first. Then apply an iodine solution with a cotton swab or cotton swab and put the silver to dry, best in direct sunlight.

When the metal darkens, you need to clean it with toothpaste - it will replace a mild abrasive. After cleaning, the bumps will shine, but the grooves will remain darkened. If the result is far from perfect, then the procedure must be repeated the required number of times.

The disadvantages of this technology are obvious: this blackening method is suitable for embossed products, but is not suitable for jewelry with a smooth surface.

Black on silver: styles and techniques

Blackened jewelry can be purchased in almost all jewelry stores. The main thing is to pay attention and check with the sellers whether this technique was used in the product you are trying on. After all, it may turn out to be a fake.

Israeli ethnic style jewelry deserves a separate topic. Israeli craftsmen use embossing, blackening and many other techniques in their works with their own stories. The decorations look like ancient ones, which we can only find in ancient human burials. In the cities of Ukraine and Russia today you can find many products from Israel.

Original or fake?

Blackened silver, although at first glance some may not like it, turns out to be far from being the last relative in the jewelry business. The price of blackened metal may differ from the price of ordinary silver. You can't find niello in oxidized silver either. Oxidation, simply put, is an oxide film that protects the metal from tarnishing. It gives the product attractive properties. If for some reason the niello peels off the silver, it means it was oxidized.

By and large, you can get rid of blackening on jewelry. If you boil the product in a soda solution with foil, it will lighten. Housewives often practice this technique in everyday life, getting rid of any dirt, both on cutlery and on any other surfaces. A well-known gentle way to clean jewelry is to pour it in a glass with detergent or just shampoo and forget about it for a few days. If you don't believe me, don't waste your time and fill it with "Fairy".

We wear jewelry made of blackened silver

Blackened silver with patterns is in great demand today and has many fans around the world. On sale you can find rings made of blackened silver, earrings, bracelets, pendants, made in different styles and manners. Quite often, these jewelry are complemented with precious and semi-precious stones: amber, garnet, pearls, diamond, emerald, ruby, etc. The cost of products with stones increases several times. As a rule, they are made of 925-grade metal, which means that they are very durable and do not require a lot of constant cleaning.

Stylish silver jewelry with blackening is an ideal decoration for both special occasions and everyday wear. Blackened silver will suit any style of clothing, perhaps except sportswear and those that are overloaded with additional decorative elements. It will look great with an evening dress, a business suit and a light summer sundress. Blackened silver is not recommended to be worn to work or at home. Remove jewelry while cleaning and other household chores. Silver with stones requires careful treatment; it is worthy of the admiration of others.

When choosing blackened silver jewelry, pay attention to your skin color. If you have dark skin, try to choose light silver with dark patterns. If you have fair skin, it is better for you to wear silver-icy patterns on a dark background.

In completely different styles: “office”, “elven”, and “casual”, blackened jewelry will work “perfectly”. In addition, niello, unlike oxidized silver, is not at all afraid of chipping. But if the jewelry is too expensive for you, try to handle it very carefully if you want your favorite item to serve you for many years and please the eye at any moment.

Our online store “Yantar Polesie” will help you choose and buy earrings made of blackened silver or other silver jewelry!

What is the story about?

The technique of blackening silver has a long tradition. Historical facts confirm that this method of processing was known to the masters of the ancient world. During numerous excavations, scientists have repeatedly found blackened earrings, bracelets, weapons, and household items on which blackened patterns were applied.

On the territory of the Russian state, the use of this technique dates back to the 10th century, and artifacts found in the territories of the Black Sea region and the Caucasus region indicate that it was familiar to craftsmen who lived in these inaccessible places much earlier. It reached its highest popularity in Russia by the 17th century.

Today you can admire the art of blackening silver items by masters of the past by visiting the Kremlin Armory.

In the Caucasus, the center for the production of various products using niello became the Dagestan village of Kubachi, whose craftsmen became famous throughout the world for the uniqueness and filigree of their work. It also has its own museum, where the history of the development of the fishery can be traced using the example of the original samples presented.