Recently, various blackened silver products have been presented on the market. This metal is durable, inexpensive, and it is suitable for any age. Silver itself (in its pure form) is practically not used by jewelers. Craftsmen choose its alloys to make jewelry.

Blackened silver jewelry

Copper is mainly added to silver alloys. As a result, the product becomes hard, acquires good anti-corrosion characteristics, and improves its appearance. In the Russian Federation, jewelers work only with a few stamps, the passport of the product. She talks about the amount of pure silver in the product. 925 standard suggests 92.5% of the metal itself, the remaining 7.5% being various impurities. There are several types of silver, such as blackened silver.

Varieties of silver

In silver At the moment, the following types of this metal are distinguished: filigree, matte, blackened, coin. Each species has its own specific characteristics.

Matte silver does not have bright patterns. To obtain it, various emulsions are applied to the raw materials. The use of emulsions allows you to make the surface rough and give it additional charm. The product turns out to be original, beautiful, unusual.

Distinctive characteristics of filigree silver are a variety of openwork patterns. Since silver has high malleability and strength, thin threads are made, giving the product a beautiful and unusual design. Making filigree silver requires professionalism and takes quite a lot of time. Jewelers highlight background and openwork filigree. For an openwork look, a through pattern is implied.

It is the main material used in jewelry. This material has a smooth surface, silver-white color, excellent strength, and a long service life. The sterling material contains 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% copper.

Blackening technology

Since ancient times, craftsmen have tried to decorate their products (weapons, jewelry, dishes) with ornaments, drawings, and unusual patterns. Technologies for applying ornaments have changed and improved. Blackened using special technology. It is used in the processing of jewelry, as well as in applied arts. In Rus', blackening has developed since the mid-20th century. Unique rings made of blackened silver, made by craftsmen from Veliky Ustyug (Vologda region), were in demand. In the 18th and 19th centuries, dishes, cigarette cases, and trays were made using a similar technology. Master jewelers mastered numerous subtleties of the craft, but they did not pass on their knowledge, and therefore some of the nuances were lost. Blackened silver was quite expensive, so only wealthy people could afford such products. The essence of blackening was to coat pure metal with black. The product became embossed and acquired a refined appearance.

Features of blackening

This technology is aimed at obtaining unusual patterns on the product. A special technology has been developed that produces blackened silver at home. First, the jewelry is engraved or minted, then a special solution is applied to it, including oxides of lead, copper, and silver. The surface of the product must be clean; all grease stains must first be removed from it. To melt the solution, the product is heated. As a result, a beautiful black pattern appears on the silver surface.

Benefits of blackened silver

Such products have numerous advantages. This material does not require additional cleaning and retains its aesthetic appearance. Such an alloy also has certain limitations. Boiling with soda, for example, removes blackening. Dishes created using this technology have long been used to store valuables, amulets, and elixirs. In ancient times, the bactericidal properties of blackened silver were considered a manifestation of magic. People sincerely believed that blackened silver protected against failure and evil spirits.

Metal oxidation

Currently, many products similar to natural blackening are made using oxidation. Today it is difficult to buy real blackened silver. The jewelry offered on jewelry store shelves is mostly created by coating a silver item with a thin oxide film. Over time, it wears off and the jewelry loses its shine. Real earrings made of blackened silver have a fairly high price. When the cost of 1 gram of ordinary silver is 30-40 rubles, the price for 1 gram of blackening increases 10 times. Such jewelry has a high cost due to manual labor and individual work of the master.

When choosing a product made of blackened silver, you need to carefully inspect the jewelry, check the presence and quality of the mark, and also get acquainted with the accompanying documents for the product. In Rus' there was a belief according to which silver dishes with blackening protect the family life of the owner of the house. If household items were lost, great misfortune awaited the owner of the house and its inhabitants. Blackened silver was used to make coins, rings, earrings, bracelets, and amulets.

Currently, jewelers are trying to combine silver in jewelry with semi-precious or precious stones. Natural emeralds, rubies, garnets, and pearls are used as such “additives.” If gold adds age to a person, then silver, on the contrary, rejuvenates. It can be worn by women of any age. Jewelry with precious inserts is suitable for special occasions: receptions, presentations. For everyday wear, you can choose items made of blackened silver that do not have inserts.

There are several types of silver niello, each of them has its own characteristics, and some types of niello are not quite so black.

Blackening with whiteness

For example, there is a folk method of blackening silver, in which in a bowl with white put the products in and boil for several minutes, the product takes on a black-graphite velvet color, such niello does not hold up very well and may peel off over time.

Blackening with sulfur ointment

Also very popular, quite simple and effective is the method of blackening silver with sulfur ointment.

Sulfuric ointment- this is a medicine that is used mainly to combat scabies in humans and animals; it can be bought in almost any pharmacy. The first thing you need is to apply the ointment to the silver item; when not heated it is thick. After heating it to a fluid state, you can use a regular hair dryer, so that drops of liquefied ointment can be moved along the surface of the product with a stream of hot air. Usually, at this moment the entire product acquires a black and blue glossy color. Then we wipe everything dry and, if necessary, repeat the process.

Blackening with “sulfur liver”

And finally, let’s name the third method of blackening silver, which is no less popular and effective.

To do this, you need to use a mixture of sodium polysulfides (Na 2 S n; in the old days it was called “sulfur liver”). To obtain sulfur liver, you need to mix sulfur with soda, and then solder it by burning this mixture (when burned, a very poisonous and caustic gas is released). Then the resulting homogeneous mass must be placed together with silver items in hot water and held over the fire for several minutes, trying not to bring to a boil, periodically removing from the heat, and looking “by eye” at the level of blackness of the items. Afterwards we wash, dry and get a high-quality black coating.

ATTENTION! When choosing this method, there MUST be a powerful exhaust hood in the room where the blackening process will take place, because... when creating a sulfur liver, and also, but to a lesser extent, when boiling water with a sulfur liver, a large amount of hydrogen sulfide (POISONOUS GAS) is released.

Other means for blackening silver items

There are also other means for blackening silver, which give the product a dark color with different shades of brown, green, blue and other colors. Each of them has its pros and cons, but despite this blackening can be chosen even to suit the most sophisticated taste. By the way, you can blacken not only silver items, but also any other items made from precious metals.

Removing mobile

It is much easier to cover a product with niello than to remove it. In order to make a silver item white again, you need to burn it with a torch, but this should be done carefully, because. When heated, silver may begin to melt at the joints and therefore lose its original shape.

You can find out how to clean silver from simple blackening.

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A lot of ways to create dark patterns on silver have accumulated over hundreds of years, because such silver has always had respect and honor among different layers of society. To make silver black, it is necessary to achieve the effect of deposition of silver sulfide on the surface of the product. You can do this in the following ways:

• Mechanical method. This is the simplest way, for which you will need graphite mixed with iron oxide and turpentine. The substance in the form of a paste is applied to silver items, wait until completely dry and remove from the surface with a suede cloth or a soft brush. Then the protruding places are wiped with alcohol, and an artificially aged silver product is obtained;
• Chemical method. It is the most effective and durable and involves filling the engraved parts of the product with a mixture of silver sulfide. Powder made of silver, copper, lead, and sulfur in different proportions is placed in the recesses of the pattern. The silver object is heated until the mixture dissolves and turns black. Then the product is polished and sanded. On a light background, dark patterns of any complexity are obtained;
• Galvanic method. It is used in large industries and requires special equipment.

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You can blacken silver at home; for this you will need affordable components that can always be found at home or can be easily purchased in a store. For blackening using one of the common methods, you will need an egg, a tightly closed plastic container, thin thread, fishing line or rope. Before the process, you should thoroughly clean the silver from dirt, boil the egg and cut it into two halves. Then parts of the egg are placed in the container, and a silver item is hung on a rope for blackening. The product is left under a hermetically sealed lid for half an hour or longer.

From time to time, the silver needs to be turned to ensure uniform formation of blackness. The resulting coating is very stable and does not disappear for a long time. This method can be used to blacken jewelry with precious stones, while the stones will not lose their natural shine and clarity.

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Also, at home, a solution for blackening silver from iodine is sometimes used. Iodine is applied to a silver object with a cotton swab and left to dry in the sun. After the black color appears, it is necessary to properly polish the product with a cloth with toothpaste squeezed onto it. In convex places, the silver will become light, and in hard-to-reach places it will remain dark. Relief jewelry with intricate patterns will look great; flat products should not be subjected to such processing.

Sulfur ointment will also help give silver the desired shade and antique look. To do this, you need to completely coat the jewelry and heat it with a hairdryer, turning on the hot air. As it heats up, a black-purple color will appear, which means the blackening process was successful. All that remains is to polish the product and enjoy its unique charm.

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Products made from blackened silver should be periodically cleaned of accumulated dust and dirt, but this must be done carefully so as not to remove the top layer that distinguishes such silver from all other metals. For cleaning, do not use aggressive chemicals, for example, ammonia; do not boil blackened jewelry or polish it with products containing sharp, abrasive particles.

You can always find a suitable way to clean blackened silver at home. If you need to clean a chain, earrings, or a ring made of this silver, a soap solution with a pinch of soda is useful, where you need to immerse the item and wait 15-20 minutes. During this time, severe stains will disappear; all that remains is to rinse the jewelry well under warm water and dry it. The appearance of the silver will not be affected, even if you clean it frequently using this method.

Water containing peeled raw potatoes can delicately remove stains on a blackened silver item. You should leave the decoration there for 3-4 hours, then remove it and rinse it. You can simply add 15 ml of soda to a glass of water and rinse the silver in this solution. It wouldn’t hurt to rub certain areas of the product with an eraser, which is used to remove a pencil from the paper; the dirt will go away instantly.

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Silver with beautiful blackened patterns is in great demand today and has many admirers. Typically, they are made of 800-grade metal, so they are quite durable and do not require constant cleaning. On sale you can find earrings, rings, pendants, bracelets, made in different styles and manners. Blackened silver jewelry is often complemented with precious stones: ruby, emerald, pearl, diamond, garnet. The cost of products with stones increases several times.

Stylish silver jewelry with blackened elements is an ideal decoration for special celebrations and important events. They go well with a classic dress or suit and harmonize well with any clothing, except for sportswear and those overloaded with decorative elements. Such accessories are not recommended to be worn to work or in everyday life; they deserve careful treatment and admiration from others.

Silver is a beautiful noble metal. Products made from it are simply mesmerizing - they shine, shimmer in the light and look like a real work of art. But as soon as you pick up silver or put on jewelry made from it, a rapid oxidation process begins. The metal becomes dull and loses a fair share of its attractiveness.

Therefore, many people prefer to darken silver. On the one hand, such products become like antiques, covered with a layer of patina. On the other hand, shiny silver with dark inclusions looks more attractive.

Blackening and oxidation

How to darken silver at home? There are two ways to do this: oxidation and traditional blackening. And the difference between these two methods is colossal.

During oxidation, silver is covered with a thin film of oxides, so the product receives a dark coating. But the coating is short-lived and easily erased. The difference is especially noticeable when cleaning - if you polish oxidized silver, it becomes covered with a network of lighter spots.

Blackening is the coating of a metal surface with a mixture of silver, copper and lead sulfides. This coating is resistant to abrasion and completely disappears only with prolonged boiling or exposure to acid.

Blackening on an industrial scale is carried out in various ways. But, as a rule, they all involve applying a powder from a mixture of silver, copper and lead sulfides to the product. The patina is fixed using the “dry” or “wet method” - in the first case, the product is fired after applying the powder, in the second, the metals are diluted with water to a creamy state, and the silver, after applying the mixture, is heated in a muffle furnace.

If we talk about how to darken silver in general, then experts identify the following methods:

• galvanic - this technology requires the presence of special equipment, so it is not used at home;
• mechanical - using graphite;
• chemical is the most reliable method of blackening.

Mechanical method

How to darken silver at home with graphite? This is a fairly simple technology, and its result is due to the same processes that occur with lunar metal over time. That is, dust particles stick to it and firmly “eat” into the recesses. Using graphite you can simply speed up this process.

To blacken the product, they are lubricated with a mixture of graphite powder, iron oxide and turpentine, diluted to a pasty state. Then wait for it to dry completely and wipe the silver with a soft cloth. The older the product, and the more uneven its surface, the more noticeable the result will be. But in general, such blackening is less durable than that obtained by chemical or galvanic methods.

Blackening with an egg

How to darken silver at home with an egg? The technique is quite simple and you do not need to buy any additional funds. Everything you need is already in the refrigerator. So, to blacken with an egg you need to do the following:

1. Boil an egg or two if you have a lot of silver jewelry.
2. Separate the protein - it can be eaten, as it does not participate in the creation of a noble coating. All the substances needed for blackening are concentrated in the yolk.
3. The yolks must be placed in an airtight container and crushed.
4. Next, you need to place the silver in the same container, but so that the metal does not touch the yolks, otherwise the blackening process will proceed too quickly and unevenly. Therefore, decorations must either be hung or laid out on a wire rack, or, as a last resort, insulated with a paper towel.
5. The products should be left with the yolks in a tightly sealed container for a day. If after 24 hours the result does not look very impressive, then you can leave the silver for another 1-2 days.
6. Take out the products and wash them with soap.
7. Polish all protrusions with a soft cloth.

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 dark. 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.

Sulfuric ointment

You can quickly and effectively darken silver using sulfur ointment. This is a medicine that is mainly used to combat scabies pathogens in both humans and animals. Therefore, it is sold both in veterinary and regular pharmacies.

Sulfur ointment is thick, yellow in color and has a rather unpleasant odor. It must be applied to the product, and then heated to a fluid state using a hairdryer. After the ointment has transformed into a more liquid state, it can be more carefully distributed on the surface of the silver. When heated, you will see how the metal acquires a rich black-blue or purple color. Afterwards, the product can be wiped dry; if necessary, the procedure can be repeated.

Also at home, in order to darken silver, they use “sulfur liver” - a sintered mixture of sulfur and soda, which is thrown into water with silver. But it is not recommended to use this blackening technique at home, since the process will release hydrogen sulfide, a dangerous gas with an unpleasant odor.

How to clean blackened silver?

Applying dark plaque is much easier than removing it later. In order to get rid of blackening, you will have to make a lot of effort, and most likely you will turn to specialists for help.

But if you need to clean blackened silver while preserving the noble dark coating, then such a procedure will require special care. First of all, you need to give up brushes and use only soft cloths for polishing. This way the relief will remain darkened and the bumps will remain shiny. Toothpaste can be used as an abrasive. The blackened product cannot be boiled or cleaned with caustic substances.

And in cases where you take a patinated piece of jewelry to a workshop for cleaning, you need to warn the jeweler that you need to preserve the noble patina.

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Silver: blackening, its main types, cost

Silver in jewelry

Currently, jewelry making is very popular in the market. Every year in cities the number of salons and stores selling jewelry increases, despite the fact that production and extraction of raw materials is declining. The most common and sought-after metals in this craft are. The latter is more durable, inexpensive, and in addition, silver does not age a person, so it can be worn by both children and elderly people. Today, pure silver is practically never used anywhere. Its alloys are mainly used.

Copper is most often added to them. This is necessary to give the product hardness, anti-corrosion resistance and the best appearance. In Russia, several samples of silver are officially permitted. A sample is a kind of mark, a passport of a particular product. With its help, you can find out how much pure silver a product contains and how many impurities there are. For example, if it is 925, this means that there is 92.5% pure metal, and the rest is impurities. It is important to know that silver can be of several types. Let's take a closer look at each of them, in particular blackened silver.

Types of silver and their uses

Unlike gold, the appearance of silver, that is, its color, does not have variety. It is always white and silver, while gold can be yellow, red, pink and so on.

There are several types of silver: matte, filigree, sterling, coin and blackened.

They all have their own characteristics and differ from each other. So, matte silver does not have bright patterns; it is obtained through the use of various emulsions that are applied to the raw material. These emulsions impart some roughness. It looks beautiful and original. The second type is filigree. Unlike the previous one, its main feature is that multiple openwork patterns are created.

This is achieved due to the fact that silver has high strength and malleability, which allows you to make thin threads, like wire, to give the product a pattern. This is the highest skill that requires a lot of time and skill. There are openwork filigree and background filigree. The first option is characterized by a through pattern, while the second does not have it; the lace pattern is added to the background made of moonstone.

Next on the list is . It is the main material for jewelry. It has a smooth surface, white-silver color, high strength and lasts a very long time. It contains 92.5% pure silver and a copper additive.

Blackening. History and manufacturing techniques

Since ancient times, masters and craftsmen have decorated household items with various patterns, designs, and ornaments: dishes, weapons and much more. Technologies in this area have been constantly improved. Blackening is one of the processing methods in jewelry and applied arts. In Rus', blackening began to develop around the 20th century. The products of the famous craftsman from Veliky Ustyug, Mikhail Klimshin, were very popular and in demand. A little earlier than this, in the 18th and 19th centuries, cigarette cases, dishes, trays, and snuff boxes were made using blackening elements made specifically from silver.

At first, such a craft developed only in private shops, and then factories and factories began to be built that were engaged in the manufacture of such products. Such products have always been in great demand in Rus', but not everyone could afford them, as they were not cheap. Famous masters knew many of the intricacies of their craft and passed on the knowledge they acquired to future generations, which is how it has come down to us today. Blackening is the coating of pure silver with niello to give it relief, beauty and sophistication.

Blackening technology and application

As mentioned above, this process aims to obtain a patterned product. For this, special technology is used. In this case, first of all, the product is minted or engraved, and then a special solution consisting of oxides of copper, lead and silver is applied. It is very important that the surface is clean and free of grease particles. In order for the solution to melt, the product is heated to a certain temperature. After that you're done. The result is a black pattern against a silver surface.

It has a number of advantages. The main thing is that it does not need to be constantly cleaned. But there are also limitations. For example, if you have dishes made of this material, then the blackening is removed by boiling with soda. Previously, it was very widely used due to its bactericidal properties. Amulets, valuables, and elixirs were often kept in containers made from it, which supposedly protected their owner from evil spirits and bad luck.

Silver oxidation

These days, this kind of silver is quite difficult to find in the market or in stores. Basically, its analogue is sold there, that is, oxidized silver. This is a common fake, since, unlike the original, it can darken and wear out over time. The technologies described above are not used in its manufacture. It is simply covered with a special film that protects the product from tarnishing. But it is not eternal, and after some time this film is erased. This requires re-oxidation. This is of great importance because buyers can be deceived by criminals into purchasing the wrong product.

Blackened silver also costs more than regular silver. If the average cost is 1 g. Simple silver costs from 30 rubles, but when it is blackened it increases significantly. The reason for this is the great work of the craftsmen and individual, exclusive work. It should, of course, be more expensive. Therefore, when purchasing a product, you need, firstly, to carefully examine it for the presence of a mark (sample), determine whether it is blackened or not, and check the integrity and presence of documents.

Silver: making cutlery, combining with other jewelry

Previously, kitchen utensils were made from it: dishes, spoons, forks and the like. It was believed that silverware protected the family and its owner, and if for any reason it was lost, then it was a great misfortune and a bad sign. Some of the items, such as spoons, were made from silver coins. But they were not melted down or rolled out, but simply forged. In this case, one large coin served for the spatula, and the second for the handle.

Today, silver in the form of bracelets, pendants, and rings is best combined with precious or semi-precious stones. Rubies, garnets, emeralds, and pearls are very suitable for this. Silver, unlike gold, does not age a person, but makes him younger. Therefore, it is suitable for any person. You can wear silver every day or exclusively for special occasions; jewelry with precious stones is suitable for this; they will add importance and sophistication.

Based on all of the above, we can conclude that silver is one of the most common and favorite materials used in jewelry, along with gold. It is inexpensive, has good physical and chemical characteristics, and most importantly, is highly valued by customers. In addition, there are several types of silver: filigree, sterling, blackened, coin. They are all good in one way or another. Blackened occupies a special place among them. Today, it is becoming less and less common in salons and increasingly so-called oxidized silver is being sold instead.

The latter may darken, requires cleaning, and the protective film is not permanent. depends on its type. For an ordinary one, it ranges from 30 rubles per year. It is important that the price does not decrease from year to year, this indicates that precious metals are an excellent investment. Many rich people keep their savings in them, and not in currency. - a rather difficult and long process. For this, a special mixture of oxides of various metals, including copper and tin, is used, which subsequently gives the jewelry strength and a beautiful pattern. This silver does not need to be cleaned; it has bactericidal properties, so it is safe to use. Therefore, if you love jewelry, then silver will come in handy more than ever.