Back in Black

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Tips for blackening silver

By Tina Wojtkielo Snyder

Blackening silver involves coating a piece of silver with one of a number of solutions that blackens the surface. The end result can be chic, sleek, or sexy—and it looks great with high karat gold accents. But taking silver from sterling to black can be a little tricky. If you’re looking to achieve a consistent, high-quality surface finish, you may need to experiment for some time with the process parameters before finding a system that works best for you. To aid you in your quest to get back in black, we’ve compiled the following tips from metal suppliers and jewelry makers that should take some of the mystery out of this touchy process.

Start with a Clean, Prefinished Surface