Why Oxidize Jewelry?
First off, What is Oxidation?
Oxidation is a process in which color changes on the surface of a metal, this is called a tarnish. This process can occur naturally to most metals.
Picture a penny from the year 1940 versus one from this current year. The old penny will likely have less luster, and a darkened appearance. Now, think of walking into an antique store, the silverwares are not exactly all shined up and looking their Sunday best, but rather they have an aged quality, hence the name antique, which can be appealing.
Notice the irregularities in these naturally oxidized antique spoons.
This post is of course going to be about oxidation regarding jewelry. We’ve all seen an old chain, ring or pendant turn these strange colors. You may very well have utilized a silver cleaning product to brighten and polish up some jewelry.
Natural oxidation is not usually warranted for any jewelry, as it can be splotchy and unappealing. However, jewelers can antique their creations in a controlled manner to achieve a desirable patina without spottiness or blemishes depending on the type of look they are going for.
So, Why Oxidize?
There are plenty of great reasons one might want to oxidize their jewelry. If you are unsure about whether or not a patina is suited for your design, consider the following.
Texture
Increased depth & contrast with the use of a patina can enhance texture.
Texture is a key element in wire wrapping.
The far left of the above image shows one of my pendants, Rouge, prior to any oxidation. This is the natural color of the bright sterling silver wire which was used in the making of this pendant. You’ll notice a lack of depth and an overall blending of texture going on because every element is the same color.
The middle image shows Rouge right after a liver of sulfer bath to provide a quick and controlled blackened patina. Again, because there is no contrast in color of the wire, it has the same blending effect.
In the right most image, you’ll see the final product after Rouge has been all polished up. The patina has remained in the crevices of the varied textures, while the higher surface area points were able to be polished back to a shiny silver color. This contrast between dark and light is how texture is enhanced with the use of oxidation.
Color Play
Sometimes mixing colors can create great visual designs. A great example for color play is this pendant, “White Light” that has color play between silver & gold.
I left this piece bright silver for about a year, and it just sat.
One day, I decided to turn it black. I didn’t want to oxidize the silver because I wanted the contrast to be between the blackened silver & gold. The piece sold shortly thereafter.
The contrast of black and gold against the white/flashy blue moonstone was what the piece needed. The bail’s triangle pattern was brought out way more. It’s bones were a great design, but the contrast and color play were not highlighted until it was blackened out.
Metal Type
Copper jewelry warrants the use of oxidation more than silver.
If you have a silver necklace that you wear every day, you may notice that it doesn’t seem to tarnish much. The natural oils your body produces can shield the silver from oxygen and slow the oxidation process down. Copper, however, is different. Unless you are using tarnish resistant wire, you’ll need to oxidize your copper. Copper reacts faster to oxygen, so it will naturally oxidize regardless. A jeweler that controls the patina will create a longer lasting and better quality piece.
Antiqued copper has a much more appealing quality in my opinion, than the brassy orange color of copper. This metal is often chosen amongst jewelers when they want to achieve an antiqued look.
Less Maintenance
It’s already tarnished, so you won’t need to worry about cleaning or polishing this type of jewelry in order to prevent an ugly natural tarnish to develop.
