Black patina with shiny finish on silver

[themaker]

Hi, I’ve designed a few silver jewellery pieces, I need to add black patina and shiny finish to my pieces to complete the look but I don’t know how to go about it.

I’ve seen a few tutorials but mostly ended up watching the ones that gives the metal dark antique finish using liver of sulfur, eggs etc.

I’m after really smooth black colour and then finish the piece with a nice shiny look without rubbing off the patina if that makes sense.

What do people use professionally to get that smooth black finish, is there any black patina for silver? Any tips, advice or tutorial links will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[CJ57]

I use platinum and then rub it with a duster and if I want to enhance the depth of colour I add a layer of ranaissance wax.
This is the finish I can achieve

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[Dennis]

As Caroline says, Platinol, or Noirit used cold and neat give a good dark grey metallic patina, enhanced by a wax polish afterwards.
Some brush it on with a synthetic brush, but immersion gives a more even result for me.
However if you are looking for a true black, then professional plating with titanium black is needed. there are services on line for this. Dennis.

[Paul Kay]

You could also try the Gold Brush Plating Budget Kit from Spa Plating: https://www.goldn.co.uk/product/gold-brush-plating-budget-kit/ and swap out the gold and silver brush plating solutions for their Black Chrome Brush Plating Solution: https://www.goldn.co.uk/product/black-chrome-plating-solution/ or just add it to the kit.

Your initial set up cost is going to approach or exceed £250, so it depends on how many pieces you are planning to give a shiny black finish. But it gives you the basic kit for future pen and brush plating with other finishes.

[themaker]

I use platinum and then rub it with a duster and if I want to enhance the depth of colour I add a layer of ranaissance wax.
This is the finish I can achieve

11930

11931


Caroline that’s a very nice finish, I didn’t think about platinum at all so great idea, I’ve some renaissance wax already so I can add the layer for the finial finish ��

[themaker]

As Caroline says, Platinol, or Noirit used cold and neat give a good dark grey metallic patina, enhanced by a wax polish afterwards.
Some brush it on with a synthetic brush, but immersion gives a more even result for me.
However if you are looking for a true black, then professional plating with titanium black is needed. there are services on line for this. Dennis.

Thank you Dennis! I wasn’t looking online for the right terms before to find tutorials etc but now I know what to search for, I’ll look into titanium plating as well ��

[themaker]

You could also try the Gold Brush Plating Budget Kit from Spa Plating: https://www.goldn.co.uk/product/gold-brush-plating-budget-kit/ and swap out the gold and silver brush plating solutions for their Black Chrome Brush Plating Solution: https://www.goldn.co.uk/product/black-chrome-plating-solution/ or just add it to the kit.

Your initial set up cost is going to approach or exceed £250, so it depends on how many pieces you are planning to give a shiny black finish. But it gives you the basic kit for future pen and brush plating with other finishes.

Thanks Paul for sharing the link, although it’s a bit pricey for me at this stage but definitely worth having a look when I start making more pieces ��

[misspond]

A slightly cheaper pen plating option would be to buy one of the brush plating kits from Gateros plating - you can easily make a pen plater by removing the brush from one of the two supplied, place it inside an old pen case and use cigarette filters for nibs. The kit costs around £50 for a gold plating kit. Then buy the black chrome solution from Spa plating. You'll be set up for less than £100 and have gold plating as an option as well (you get two brushes - which are actually sponges on a plastic handle - for plating so could have one for gold and one for black chrome).