Tag Archives: natural

Natural Patina: Egg Yolks

Using oxidation to bring out the design of a piece of jewelry is a very common practice in the jewelry world. However, many of these finishes are achieved with chemical patinas, whose safety is often questionable. If you’re looking for an alternative and natural way to oxidize your  pieces, look no further! You can use egg yolks to achieve a darkened finish on your silver jewelry. (Note: this technique does NOT work on fine silver but is effective on sterling silver, copper and bronze).

images

1. Boil an Egg. Use two if you are working with alot of metal.

2. Put the yellows (yolks) into a plastic food storage container, or into a bowl that can be easily sealed. Break them up a bit.

3. Put a wire rack over the egg yolks to hold your jewelry above the eggs. If you don’t have a wire rack, use some paper toweling to keep the egg from touching the silver. Anywhere egg touches, it will oxidize faster, and unevenly.

4. Put your jewelry in the container and seal it. Leave it for a day, then check it If not dark enough, leave it for another day or two.

5. Remove the jewelry and wash it with a gentle soap.

6. Use a buffing cloth to bring the high points on the piece back to a bright shine. Cheap, quick and easy!

Source: WikiHow

A greener pickle

If you’ve ever stepped foot into an “old school” bench jeweler’s booth on 47th street who hasn’t cleaned since the 70’s – some of that stuff can be toxic! There are so many chemicals used in the industry it’s mind boggling. I try to eliminate as many as I can. One thing that’s pretty nasty is the pickle. Commercial pickle is a corrosive salt or a low-grade acid.  It’s used to clean the fire scale off of metal after you solder your work.

One of my goals is to make my studio the most Eco-friendly, or “greenest” place it can possibly be. Outside of being the Program Director and teaching and at Liloveve, I also have my own jewelry line, We Are Here. My studio is in L.I.C. which is just a quick hop on the G train from our studio here! My space is much smaller then our beautiful, spacious studio at Liloveve – but it works just perfectly for me.

I started using vinegar and table salt (I’m thinking this is how the pickle got its name…) and it works as an amazing Eco-friendly alternative to the commercial pickle. It will even clean your drain when you pour it out! Fill your pickle pot with 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and dissolve 1 T table salt in the warm vinegar. Tip: if you leave your silver piece in this pickle solution for too long, it will also act as a natural oxidizer!

photo (18)

Check out my Production Workshop coming up on June 9. Learn about the jewelry production industry, how to take your pieces and turn them into a cohesive line, how and where to get your pieces from the studio to sales, and more!