Light gray finish on silver and texture

Hi, All
I love this ring:

This silver and gold combination. I am learning techniques. What do you think about techniques used for this ring? I saw it on the show and it is light gray, not black. Do you think it’s oxidized or rhodium plated and how this light gray color and matte finish achieved? Also about texture, which tools are used - is it sand blasted or hammered?

Not sure how this particular texture was done, but you can get this sort of texture with coarse sandpaper and a rolling mill.

Noralie

The artist herself answers your questions in the quote on her “About” page here:

She writes:
“… I use sterling silver, 18K and 22K yellow gold combinations. …The pieces are oxidized, sandblasted and accented with small areas of high polished surfaces…”

Janet in Jerusalem

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Thanks, Janet
I’ve read that. However, my understanding that sandblasting would produce a uniform finish. The finish on Beth pieces is not uniform, so I an thinking, rolling mill is used? Also for oxidation - how would you achieve very uniform light gray color and how would you protect it wearing off when you rub your jewelry against your clothes constantly, especially rings?

Hi

Friends , I think it is CAD rendered picture.

It’s not CAD. It’s real. I can tell by the solder seams and a little unevenness in the tube settings.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com

The heavier texture looks like it was achieved with a rolling mill the. The whole thing was sand blasted after fabrication and oxidized last. Sandblasting is a finish I use often mostly in crevices though because it’s a fragile finish. It scratches easily. Also the oxidized finish does wear off easily. Especially on a ring.
If you go to my Facebook page Jo Haemer Gold and Platinum Smith you can see an example of sandblasted and oxidized finishes on the full surface of The Sexy Libraian eyeglasses as well as on my silver and 22 kt turquoise earrings and a pendant in silver and 18 kt and golden south sea pearl. On the eye glasses I oxidized the entire frames and then used a q-tip with pumice to achieve the fade out effect from lighter to darker.
Sandblasted silver that has been oxidized presents as a softer gray than polished metal. To achieve a blacker color and to protect the finish I use Renaissance Wax. With one exception I use this finish she only on pendants and earrings as it won’t stand up to the wear and tear a ring gets.

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Thank you. It is a real ring, I saw and touched it on the art show in Portland.
I

I made earrings for the client once. She wanted black with gold accents. I used WIN-OX and applied Renaissance Wax on the top of it. Looked great at this moment. She started to wear it and accidentally sprayed perfume. Perfume left spots on the finish. I had to redo the entire finish. Removed existing oxidation and made a new finish.
I am wondering if there is some kind of sealant, which would protect the finish. I also don’t want the piece to look shiny, I like soft matte finish.
Also in a few posts regarding silver oxidation - it was mentioned the Tech-ox P as a long lasting commercial silver oxidation option. Anyone tried it?

Look at this John Hardy ring. I saw this ring in Nordstrom:

It says: rhodium plated. However, is it not shiny at all and light gray color, not black. The rhodium plating solutions I saw for sale are black (not gray) and recommended to have high polished silver before applying it and also recommended to have it nickel plated before applying rhodium.
Anyone knows rhodium plating solutions which would produce gray and matte finish?
At least, it would last longer, than oxidation.

See my note on using Rennaisance wax in my previous post.

To have a plated matte finish you start out with a matte finish on the base metal. I’m not a big fan of black rhodium. Especially on silver. It’s troublesome and expensive to do for a finish that is only microns thick. All surface treatments such as plating and patinas are thin and wear off eventually. On rings I usually only oxidize or plate recessed areas that will not be subject to wear and abrasions.

Thanks, Janet
I’ve read that. However, my understanding that sandblasting would produce a uniform finish. The finish on Beth pieces is not uniform, so I an thinking, rolling mill is used? Also for oxidation - how would you achieve very uniform light gray color and how would you protect it wearing off when you rub your jewelry against your clothes constantly, especially rings?

  1. Since sandblasting is usually done with a homogeneous blasting medium (sand with all the grains the same size), it usually produces a uniform finish. But imagine sandblasting using a blasting medium with all different size grains…

  2. You get a uniform, light gray color by oxidizing, brushing with a glass brush, and repeating the process until you get the desired shade and evenness. This is just one of many ways. I use it on shiny metal when I want a sheen rather than a shine.

  3. Jewelry is usually renewed for a photo shoot and for exhibiting. A shiny ring will be carefully polished and thoroughly cleaned. Likewise, any sort of surface treatment which may have worn off with wear will be refinished before shooting or showing.

Janet in Jerusalem

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Anyone tried Tech-ox P? Recommended by Jeff Herman in his posts. The company http://www.technic.com still producing it, but not in US, you can only import it from Europe. I am currently in correspondence with this company to see if it’s possible to deliver to US and what is the minimum order. It’s a commercial product. Wondering is anyone tried it.

please explain glass brush. what is it used for

Glass Brush is made from tiny fiber glass “hair”. It’s used in enameling to clean metal and enamels for final polish. You can find it in websites which sell enamel supplies. Gentle cleaning action. Need to always work under water and in gloves, these little fibers cam get into your skin.
By the way I tried to use glass brush to clean oxidation between coats. It’s actually removing all oxidation, may be should be more gentle when cleaning?

Michelle Sandler

msjwlry@aol.com

It could be that a small wad of fiberglass insulation could be substituted for a glass brush. Would be easier to come by.
Also used with gloves.
Mike

It is best to build up oxidation via many, very thin layers if you want it to last. The glass brush removes as much as is needed to leave a fine, uniform layer. If you want it dark, you would repeat the process many times.

Janet in Jerusalem