If this happens, remember to dry it quickly! To avoid this reaction, you should avoid immersing it in water too often.
Silver is a metal that oxidises in contact with moisture and turns black. In order to delay this phenomenon and keep your metal in its original state as long as possible, we recommend two important reflexes: It is very difficult to say, it depends on each person, but overall you should know that the more your jewelry is worn, handled, rubbed, the faster this patina will occur. How long does it take for silver jewelry to develop a patina? For a pendant or earrings, jewels that are less exposed, this patina will be weaker. Beyond the scratches, your metal will then be less bright, less luminous and will have a more matt appearance.Īn important note: It is particularly common for a ring, to develop a patina: it is a piece of jewelry that is much more subject to rubbing, movement and possible shocks. Over time, the more you wear your jewelry, the more the thin layer of rhodium applied to the silver will fade. What does the patina of silver jewelry actually look like? In simple terms, patina is normal wear and tear from use. In the same way that a piece of leather goods will show small scratches or marks from rubbing, a piece of jewelry that has been worn will show signs of time, and is said to have developed a patina. This method therefore gives silver its colour but, like all metals that are rhodium-plated, the downside is that silver will tend to develop a patina over time.Ī metal or material is said to have a patina when it shows signs of age. As with white gold or black gold, rhodium not only gives the metal its final colour, but also acts as a shield to protect it :) It is characterised by its high durability, low electrical and thermal conductivity and hardness. Rhodium is a noble and very precious metal of the platinum family. Rhodium plating is a technique whereby a thin layer of liquid metal, rhodium, is deposited, on the base of the metal to give it its characteristic white colour. The white colour of silver comes from an operation called rhodium plating. The hallmark is also an excellent way to recognise it very simply - we will come back to this point a little later.īut is silver naturally white? Well, not quite. Silver is a lighter metal than gold and platinum, so you can feel it by comparing them by weight. At this stage it is almost impossible to distinguish it from white gold or even platinum, the other famous white metals in jewelry. Its brilliant sheen has enabled silver to establish itself as one of the precious metals frequently used by goldsmiths and in jewelry for thousands of years.Ī piece of silver jewelry will be bright white when it is first produced.
While for a long time the most common means of exchange was the bartering of objects or services, the first coins minted were made of silver (and also gold). Discovered in ancient times, it was long coveted by the Egyptian and Greek civilisations, to name but two, because of its white colour with grey reflections. The word silver comes from the Indo-European word Ar-jun, which means shiny. Let’s start with a few basic concepts: - 1. We answer all your questions ! Key concepts
JEWELRY PATINA DEFINITION HOW TO
Its properties, color and non-allergenic nature make silver the ideal candidate for jewelry making.īut then, is the silver we use the same everywhere? Are there different qualities of silver? How to recognize it? Is silver a metal adapted to a specific wedding band or engagement ring ? With 1 gram of silver we can stretch a wire of 2600 meters!
Silver is also a metal that is said to be ductile which means that it can stretch without breaking. More widely used than gold for example, it is used furniture, silverware, coins, for electrical or electronic applications and even in the manufacture of music, for example the plating of certain guitar strings.īecause of its strength and the fact that it is malleable, we can give it almost any shape, this is one of the reasons why it is so well known and widespread. Silver is a relatively well-known metal which is used in a variety of areas. Even if you are not a specialist in precious metals, you must have heard of silver!
0 kommentar(er)
