Post subject: Blk Rhodium plating Ice Blue Topaz & Druse (CobaltanCalcite)
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 11:50 am
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 9:00 am Posts: 1
Hello everyone:
I'm an artist-jeweller who has a gem and black rhodium plating question. I made a ring (photo attached: silver with patina, ice blue topaz, druse of cobaltan calcite) a few years ago and used Jax patina to blacken the silver. Someone just bought the ring and sent me photos of "rust" on the silver. I now know that it is the Jax patina, which ages inconsistenly and terribly and I have since stopped using and wouldn't generally recommend Jax. I have just used emery paper to remove the patina on the ring. I am trying to find a safe and efficient solution to blacken the silver without unsetting the stones (the druse is stubborn and refuses to be pushed out by the hole I drilled underneath the setting) so I can send it back to the client.
I would like to know if the druse and ice blue topaz can tolerate black rhodium plating? I'm pretty sure from reading the forum that the topaz will be fine. I am unsure about the druse though.
Your wisdom & experience are much appreciated.
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Post subject: Re: Blk Rhodium plating Ice Blue Topaz & Druse (CobaltanCalc
Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 9:38 am
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Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:04 am Posts: 257 Location: Idaho
Most rhodium plating solutions (regular and black) are sulfuric acid based, so your cobaltan calcite would be damaged or dissolved. Also, if your iced blue topaz is a coated product rather than irradiated/heated, it could be affected.
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