Depends entirely on the piece. Sometimes a texture or dimensional element just doesn’t show up properly unless it’s emphasized with patina, but sometimes it does and the patina can be too much. Plus some people just don’t like it, they want all shine all the time.
I recently made these earrings and couldn’t make up my mind whether to add patina or not.
That etched texture is certainly capable of standing on its own… but I do like the look of patina. I mentioned my dithering in the listing and left it up to the customer whether they wanted the patina. They just sold and the customer asked for the patina, and I’m so glad they did! The black patina actually makes the blue-purple tones in the pearls much more visible. I’ve got more of the pearls so this will definitely guide my hand the next time I work with them.
