What is blackened silver? Products, features, properties and reviews

Recently, various products from blackened silver are on the market. This metal is durable, inexpensive, besides it is like for any age. Silver itself (in its pure form) is practically not used by jewelers. For the manufacture of jewelry, the craftsmen choose its alloys.

Jewelry made of blackened silver

In general, copper alloys are added to silver alloys. As a result, the product becomes hard, acquires good anticorrosion characteristics, improves its appearance. In the Russian Federation, jewelers work only with several samples of silver. The sample is a brand, a passport of the product. She talks about the amount of pure silver in the product. 925 test involves 92.5% of the metal itself, the remaining 7.5% are various impurities. There are several types of silver, for example blackened silver.

Varieties of silver

Silver has a white-silver color. Currently, the following types of this metal are distinguished: filigree, matte, blackened, and coin. Each species has its own specific characteristics.

Matte silver does not have bright patterns. To produce it, various emulsions applied to the raw material are used. The use of emulsions allows the surface to be roughened, giving it an additional charm. The product is original, beautiful, unusual.

The distinctive characteristics of filigree silver are various openwork patterns. Since silver has a high malleability and strength, thin threads are made, giving the product a beautiful and unusual pattern. For the production of filigree silver requires professionalism, this takes quite a long time. Jewelers distinguish the background and filigree filigree. For the openwork type is meant an end-to-end pattern.

Sterling silver is the main material used in jewelry. This material has a smooth surface, silver-white color, excellent strength, long operating period. In the composition of sterling material 92.5% pure silver, 7.5% copper.

Blackening technology

Masters from ancient times tried to decorate their products (weapons, ornaments, dishes) with ornaments, drawings, unusual patterns. The technology of ornamentation was changing, improving. Blackened silver is obtained by special technology. Apply it when processing jewelry, as well as in applied art. In Russia, the blackening has developed since the middle of the 20th century. Unique rings of blackened silver, made by craftsmen from Veliky Ustyug (Vologda region), were in demand. In the 18-19 centuries, similar technology produced dishes, cigarette cases, trays. Masters-jewelers owned numerous subtleties of craft, but they did not pass their knowledge, and therefore some of the nuances were lost. The cost of blackened silver is quite expensive, so only such well-to-do people could afford such products. The essence of the blackening was to cover the pure metal with black. The product became embossed, acquired an exquisite appearance.

Features of blackening

This technology is aimed at obtaining unusual patterns on the product. A special technology has been developed, which produces blackened silver at home. First, the jewelry is engraved or minted, then a special solution is applied to it, including lead, copper, and silver oxides. The surface of the product should be clean, all the fat spots are removed from it beforehand. To melt the solution, heat the product. As a result, a beautiful black pattern appears on the silver surface.

Advantages of blackened silver

Such products have numerous advantages. Such material does not need additional cleaning, retains its aesthetic appearance. There are certain limitations for such an alloy. Boiling with soda, for example, causes the removal of blackening. The dishes created by this technology were used for a long time to store valuable things, amulets, elixirs. Bactericidal properties of blackened silver in antiquity were considered a manifestation of magic. People sincerely believed that blackened silver protects from failures and evil forces.

Oxidation of metal

At present, with the help of oxidation, many products are made, similar to natural blackening. Today it is difficult to buy real blackened silver. Jewelry offered on the shelves of jewelry stores, for the most part created by coating a silver product with a thin oxide film. Over time, it is erased, and the decoration loses its luster. These earrings of blackened silver have a fairly high price. At a cost of 1 gram of regular silver 30-40 rubles, the price for 1 gram of blackening increases 10 times. The high cost of such jewelry is due to manual labor, individual work of the master.

Helpful Tips

When choosing a product of blackened silver, you need to carefully inspect the jewelry, check the presence and quality of the stamps, as well as get acquainted with the accompanying documents for the product. In Russia, there was a belief that silverware with black ink protects family life, the owner of the house. If the objects of use were lost, the owner of the house and its inhabitants expected a great misfortune. Blackened silver was used to make coins, rings, earrings, bracelets, amulets.

Currently, jewelers try to combine silver in jewelry with semiprecious or precious stones. As such "additives" natural emeralds, rubies, pomegranates, pearls are used. If gold adds age to the person, silver, on the contrary, rejuvenates. It can be worn by women of any age. Ornaments with precious inserts are suitable for solemn occasions: receptions, presentations. For everyday wear, you can choose products from blackened silver, without inserts.

Reviews

Women who bought jewelry from blackened silver, first of all, note its aesthetic characteristics. Buyers are satisfied that the product does not need constant cleaning, and during socks from the ring, earrings there are no allergic reactions. Lovers of silver jewelry are convinced that it is products with black ink - the best choice. The owners of accessories made of blackened silver note their influence on the mood. Rings and earrings, made with black, protect from unkind looks, help to fight troubles. Women who have worn such products for a long time have found their own happiness. Ladies of "Balzac's age" note that products made of blackened silver again make them young and beautiful.