Liver of Sulfur and stones

[arands1]

I am really puzzled. I have some sterling silver earrings which I want to patina using liver of sulfur. They are set with lab created corundum ruby, saphires, and alexandrites.

One of the articles in the April 2014 Lapidary journal states that when using LOS one should finish the piece, but"do not set any Stones should be set after patination."

However, I read somewhere else that soft stones, such as lapis, turquoise opal etc. should not be submerged in LOS, but that it was safe to use LOS on lab created gemstones which have been made from corundum and are not porous.

Before I dunk the earrings in the LOS I thought I had better check with the experts on Orchid who have come to my aid so many times. Alma

[judyh]

Alma - the LOS won't hurt your stones - but the bigger question is what does the darkened area under the stones do to their color and brightness.

Diamonds usually don't matter, well cut ones reflect up. Other gems not so much.

The softer stones usually aren't affected by LOS - but might be if you are using it hot. As a matter of practice, I use room temperature LOS. It is slower, but lasts much longer. Depending on the design, I sometimes paint it on the piece. Using it cold requires that the metal be newly cleaned.

That doesn't mean overnight, it means now. I use a 3M bristle disc to clean off the metal, then apply LOS. It may take many coats of LOS. Be patient.

Judy Hoch G. G.

[Doug_Frey]

I can't see that there would be any damage to the stones from LOS. If you are setting your stones in bezels the patina that will occur inside the settings may not enhance the look of your stones. And once the stones are set you will have to live with it.

[peterrowe]

Before I dunk the earrings in the LOS I thought I had better check
with the experts on Orchid who have come to my aid so many times.

Alma, LOS is not an especially reactive chemical or anything, beyond it's ability to form sulphides on silver or copper alloys. But it does have that distinctive dark color, so it can stain things. Your solid crystaline or glass materials will be fine, just as is the metal which lets you rinse off the LOS. You might be better avoiding dunking in stones that are porous and could absorb the LOS, staining them. turquoise is a prime example, at least for the typical softer unstabilized material. Good "persian" quality, relatively hard and dense (for turquoise) probably wouldn't be affected. Plain white solid opal also is fine, but you'd want to avoid the sort of granular materials that are sometimes "sugar/acid" treated, or some boulder opals with porous rhyolite or limonite bases or inclusions. Similar idea with Lapis. The sulphate in LOS might give it slight acidity too. Not sure of that. But if so, pearls or acid sensative stones like coral might also be better kept out. I don't recall ever having any trouble with malachite though, so that's probably not an issue. Your synthetics, or for that matter, natural stones like saphires, tourmalines, topaz, etc, won't be affected at all. Dunk away.

Peter

[arands1]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions about dunking my earrings with stones into the LOS. After reading Peter Rowes explanation of what los is, and the fact that stones are impervious to

discoloration from it. I took adeep breath dunked a pair of the earrings into the hot liquid, and to my delight, the silver turned a lovely black and the stones came through as bright and clear as when I first set them. They were tube set and I had left the backs open, so there was no collection of LOS to deal with.

Thanks again, one and all for your help. Alma