Rouge polishing and further work

[stu_clouds]

Hi,

just a quick question, after you have rouge polished do you apply anything else to your jewellery? like a laquer of some kind to protect it, i find myself polishing my jewellery more often than stands that buy in jewellery, just wondering what these factories do to keep their silver so high polished.

what is your full polishing method?

kind regards

Stuart

[ps_bond]

Goddard's Long Term Silver Polish helps quite a bit; a lot of the high street stuff is plated IIRC, which cuts down on the maintenance costs. I've started putting anti-tarnish tabs into every box I use; too early to say how effective they are but I know a lot of people are happy with them.

Failing that use Argentium or Reflections

Renassance wax would probably help, I can't remember what silver I last used it on though.

[Dennis]

The problem is that the high lustre, for which metals are prized, is much diminished by lacquers and to a lesser extent by waxes. So for me anti-tarnish strips, or tabs in a closed container to prevent the interchange of air, is the way to go.

I use Intercept and they are effective for at least a year in a box, or even the drawer of a small plastic cabinet. Dennis.
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&cp=27...w=1280&bih=649

[mizgeorge]

I'm another fan of anti-tarnish tabs, and I include them in pretty much all my packaging as well. Airtight containers, or at least a ziploc bag, helps a great deal as well.

There's not much you can do about pieces that are out on display though. I find a quick wipe over with a sunshine cloth helps a lot and is a good quick fix.

[Dennis]

Of course once a piece is tarnished more drastic action is needed to reach all the recesses. The big problem then is will any set stones survive treatment.

So far I have had no trouble with faceted stones, but cabs made of opaque and porous material can develop a permanent white bloom. This is particularly so with coral, turquoise and some lapis.

Method one: Immerse in a hand hot solution of soda crystals, or bicarbonate of soda, in contact with aluminium, or aluminium foil. Remove after 3-4 minutes and much of the tarnish will be gone. This is more likely to be gentle on stones, but will remove any oil they have been treated with.

Method two: What the hell, just dip it in Goddard’s silver dip for about 30 seconds, then rinse well and dry. This is what I mostly do, if I know from experience that the stones will stand it. I hate seeing my work all sad and tired, unless it has been purposely antiqued, so every six months or so, I have a blitz on what my family are wearing.

You can get it wrong though and in my first year I turned a large lapis in a Georg Jensen ring white. It cost me £90 then to have the stone removed and a new one cut to fit, although I set it myself. Dennis.

[stu_clouds]

My main problem is not so much tarnish, more just trying to achieve as a high a luster as bought in jewellery. It appears they plate their jewellery. Once you have rouged your pieces do you rinse and clean them to remove the rouge? seems a beginners question but i just noticed my stock is not quite as shiny and i need to compete with this stuff.

regards

Stuart

[ps_bond]

Warm soapy ultrasonic for removing the rouge is my usual.
Unless I'm short on time, when it's a toothbrush & hot soapy water.

[mizgeorge]

Stu - almost all commercial pieces will be silver plated - it's the cheap and easy option for the manufacturers - it saves them having to pickle, clean up and polish. As a result, it looks great to start with, but wears dreadfully. Once the plate starts to wear, the unfinished silver underneath shows up and in many cases is in a bad enough state for the wearers to doubt that it's silver at all.

Sometimes, it's easier to make a virtue of pieces not having a uniform high polish. A deliberately matte or textured finish can be just as appealing, and can help set a piece apart as artisan work rather than mass produced.

[lesley]

My main problem is not so much tarnish, more just trying to achieve as a high a luster as bought in jewellery. It appears they plate their jewellery. Once you have rouged your pieces do you rinse and clean them to remove the rouge? seems a beginners question but i just noticed my stock is not quite as shiny and i need to compete with this stuff.

regards

Stuart

I'm becoming a great fan of a matte/textured finish with a narrow, highly polished edge for that very reason.

I'm really impressed with those anti tarnish tabs. I include them with purchases but most people don't know what they are. I've recently tried some of the anti tarnish bags from Palmers - just wish they were bigger.

[Dennis]

Quote: I'm becoming a great fan of a matte/textured finish with a narrow, highly polished edge for that very reason. Quote

I cant agree with you more, Lesley, but many people seem to come into this determined to get the highest possible finish as in High Street Jewellery.