Patina on gold?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi all,

Has anyone ever patinaed gold? I’m looking for a light to medium
brown patina (essentially a darker gold color) or oxidation that can
be used with 14 or 18K gold in the same way that you can use liver
or sulfur or whatever on silver (buff the highlights, relatively
durable, etc.). I know it’s possible because I’ve seen it done
(years ago) but I can’t find any on patinas/oxidizers for
gold that isn’t black “antiquing” paint or something weird.

2

What about using your torch? Do not use a flux to protect from
oxidation and use a gentle flame to cause color. Not sure how well it
will work for gold, but it is worth a try.

Melissa

3

Hello Cheyene. Try iodine. It will give a nice brown color on gold.
Have fun.

Tom Arnold

4

Cheyenne,

Patinas on golds are tough and rather limited in selection. You
might also need chemicals you might not want around.

Copper flash the gold with some of that old blue pickle and use the
patinas you are familiar with.

jeffD
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand

5

Hello tom,

Just read your suggestion of using "Iodine " in what state and how
does one apply iodine to the surface? also does one need to do some
surface preperation prior to applying iodine ?and lastly how
permenant is this on 18K yellow gold. Will appreciate an early reply
as I need to apply it to a product. Will surely share the results.

K.H.Kotwal

6

Hello, Just coat the piece with the kind of iodine you buy at the
drug store. Give it 2 minutes and then rinse it well. This is a
stain, not a coating like paint. It will last for a very long time.
Iodine will stain anything except platinum. The fresher the iodine,
the darker the stain. Try it.

Tom Arnold

7

I have a question about using iodine on gold. I have some gold with
a pattern that I would like to highlight. So, I would like the stain
to be in the, for lack of a better description, lower part of the
pattern, leaving the higher part of the pattern unstained.

How would I go about this? Do I dip the gold in iodine and wipe it
off? Or do I have to paint iodine in the areas I want darker?

Thank you,
Jaynemarie

8

Hello Jaymarie, Just paint the iodine liberally over the entire
piece, give it a few moments to set and then rinse it off. Rub the
surface briskly with a coarse cloth to highlight the piece.

Enjoy, Tom Arnold

9

Hi tom,

Just paint the iodine liberally over the entire piece, give it a
few moments to set and then rinse it off. Rub the surface briskly
with a coarse cloth to highlight the piece.

Is it possible to stain 18 k white gold also, the alloy that we use
is from Legor and is Nickel safe.

Do we use the same process as yellow ?

Khushroo Kotwal

10

Hello, You can use this iodine trick on any gold or silver. It will
wouk very slowly on palladium and not at all on platinum.

Have fun.
Tom Arnold

11

Hello Tom,

You can use this iodine trick on any gold or silver. It will wouk
very slowly on palladium and not at all on platinum.

I tried the Iodine trick, but it seems there is something wrong,
could not get the gold piece to stain.

I used tincture of Iodine,as this is readily available in drug
store, is there any other form one asks for in the drug stores ?

Khushroo Kotwal