Argentium mystery

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi all

had a customer tell me that their Argentium ring was exposed to a lot
of chlorine. It turned black no surprise. I have had sterling rings
do this and have had to pickle and polish to clean up.

But with the Argentium ring the black disappeared in ten days and
the ring looks as good as new. Any ideas as to what happened?

all the best
Richard

2

Hello Richard,

had a customer tell me that their Argentium ring was exposed to a
lot of chlorine. It turned black no surprise. I have had sterling
rings do this and have had to pickle and polish to clean up. But
with the Argentium ring the black disappeared in ten days and the
ring looks as good as new. Any ideas as to what happened?

about 20 years ago, I started with patinating silver using Liver of
sulfur.

I had no knowledge at all of how to use it. Just graped the item and
dumped it in a solution with the awfull smelling stuff.

I observed how the item changed into all the colors and ended up
with a nice darkblue item.

However, I was satisfied and wanted it black, realy pitch black. My
first thought was, leave it in for a couple of hours in order to
build up that layer.

I succeded and was very pleased with a nice black layer of patina.

A week later, I observed how the layer came of bit by bit leaving a
nice silver shine underneed the patina.

Now I know to rince and patinate an item in several stages giving
the item time to build up a nice strong layer.

Sometimes I use a cratex path to remove the patina and redo the
proces to inhance a nice even layer.

This looks familiar with wath happened with your story.

If the solution is too strong or the item is patinated too
aggresively, it will come off in time.

The patina layer is too tick and will not hold on to the silver
surface.

I do not have a lot of experience with argentium but this may of
happened in the same way.

The patination with the chlorine was too fast, too strong and with
the help of the germanium layer, the patina had to come off.

Well, it all makes sence to me but maybe someone else has a better
explanation for this event.

That’s howfar I can tell by experience I made myself.

Regards