I've used liver of sulfur in the past to darken my sterling to give it an antique look. That's always what I got. This week I made a sterling silver link bracelet and wanted to antique it.  I tumbled it first (I suspect that's where I went wrong.. or right.. read on please).  When I dipped the piece in the LOS it turned the most outrageously gorgeous combination of colors!  Blues, purples, gold... and shiny as if it had been enameled. I've read about the 'peacock' effect some patinazation (sp?) can have on sterling but I didn't know this could be accomplished with just LOS. Now my question is... as much as I love this fabulous and unusual look, it doesn't look anything like sterling silver and I have a feeling these colors will fade over time. Is there anything I can do to bring the piece back to an antiqued sterling look?  Thanks for any help.

~ Dee

That is an effect you can achieve with liver of sulfur. And usually people try really hard to create it. Lucky you that you stumbled upon it.  I'm guessing it was a reaction from whatever tumbling compound you used. Was it not rinsed off thoroughly?

You're right that the colors will fade eventually, or turn all the way to dark antique over time. 

You can remove the patina by soaking the piece in pickle. Or you can deepen it by the piece in the LOS solution longer, or heating the piece prior to dipping. Heat will always speed up the LOS reaction.

Hope that helps!

~Addie~ 

Thanks for your reply Addie.  I tumbled it in RayTech Burnishing Compound D... and it was thoroughly rinsed.  I would leave it as is if there were some technique to keep the color.  It truly is beautiful!  I would love to make pieces to sell with these amazing colors, but again, the colors will fade. 

Thanks again for your response.

~ Dee

Well, there is an option...

You can protect the colors if you rub the finished piece with with microcrystalline wax - brand name Renaissance wax. It's non-greasy, it won't built up on the piece, and it will protect and prolong those pretty colors. 

You could give it a try.  

I cut my own jumprings and put them in the tumbler before I made something with them. I tumbled them with Dawn liquid, water & the shot. I just made a bracelet with the rings and dipped it in the LOS and got the same coloring effect as mentioned above. So I'm guessing it must just happen as a result of the prior tumbling. It is pretty cool looking.

 SueW