Hi
Is it possible apply patina to a platinum ring?
I have Jax silver blackener and liver of sulphur.
I use Jax to apply patina on gold rings but never tried platinum.
I know that platinum does develop patina.
Thanks
Joseph
Hi,
I’m not aware of anything other thad a surface coating (plating / painting / enameling) that will have an effect on platinum.
As per my experience, it’s the copper that is reacting to the oxidizing agents if they’re acid based. Thats why (my understanding) fine gold, fine silver & platinum will not oxidize as such.
Open for other info.
Best,
Jim
Platinum is nearly completely inert, so much so that it is not even attacked by aqua regia, which will dissolve gold. It cannot be patinated via chemical means.
The patina that develops on platinum is merely the loss of polish through the normal abrasions of everyday wear. The microscopic scratches that accumulate will give the piece a softer look than the original bright polish. Thus platinum can acquire a patina of age, but not one of chemical change.
If you want to give your platinum or fine gold jewelry a chemical patina that’s dark in the low spots, you can do something that’s sometimes done by accident - contaminate your used pickle with iron, and then toss your ring in there. That will cause a light plating of copper to coat the surface. It’s usually an annoyance, but the copper will turn black with your Jax or LOS, and can be buffed away from the high spots, revealing the gold or platinum underneath.
Andrew Werby
Juxtamorph.com
Thank everyone.
I was thinking along these lines but it is good to ask.