Jewelry made of gilded silver. Why and what test is applied to silver jewelry?
Jewelry, as well as objects of art, are never made of pure precious metal (as regulated by the periodic system of elements); this is impossible due to the specifics of the metal, since at 0.1% they contain their own oxide - a product of oxidation by atmospheric air .
First of all, the demand for using bimetallic alloys for making jewelry is explained by the characteristics of the metals. Gold and silver are very soft metals that are easily deformed. To reduce this manifestation, alloying (strengthening) metals are added to gold or silver. Let's say copper is most often used for silver, and the same silver is used for gold.
Silver rings with gold plated
In order to reflect on the product the quantitative content of precious metal in relation to the alloying metal, a special test is set. This is a “printed” embossed number on a special belt, which is displayed in an inconspicuous place so as not to spoil the aesthetic appearance of the jewelry.
The Russian jewelry industry uses a metric calculation of the quantitative metal content, which is calculated in milligrams.
Terms of use
Some buyers of gold-plated jewelry claim that the coating quickly wears off, and the products themselves lose their attractive and impressive appearance. For example, if a piece of jewelry quickly fades after contact with water, people think it is fake. But real gold-plated silver cannot deteriorate for this reason alone.
In order for products to delight you with their beautiful appearance for a long time, you should use them correctly:
- Earrings, chains and bracelets should be removed before showering or bathing. Jewelry becomes dull in soapy water, and frequent contact with it can easily damage the metal. If a person forgets to remove accessories, they should not be dried with a towel afterwards. Friction also negatively affects gold plating.
- When playing sports, it is not recommended to wear gold-plated silver as it deteriorates due to human sweat.
- Products should be stored in boxes or other closed containers that will protect them from sunlight and other negative factors. To prevent jewelry from scratching against each other, you should choose a separate box for each of them.
- Jewelry needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure it lasts a long time. But it is necessary to use certain methods of caring for gold-plated silver.
- Products should not be kept in a bathroom or kitchen area with high humidity levels, because the accessories will quickly lose their characteristic shine.
- If a person wears jewelry daily, he should wipe it with a suede cloth after each use. This material will help keep the product clean. In addition, suede will eliminate the need for radical methods of cleaning metal.
Demand for gold-plated products. Service life of gold-plated jewelry
Products made from pure gold have a high cost, and therefore are not available to everyone. An excellent alternative is presentable, high-quality jewelry made of silver with gold plated. If you don’t look closely, such jewelry may well be mistaken for gold. In addition, they are made of silver, which is also a noble and precious metal.
Detection of a counterfeit can only be done with the help of undercuts or the use of chemicals. But this requires special conditions.
Gold-plated products have their own life, which is associated with wear and tear of the gilding layer. It is also called the leaf layer. The specific durability depends on the composition and thickness of the application. The most durable are jewelry that is sprayed with a layer of liquid alloy of gold and copper. But if you replace copper with cheaper tin, the service life of the coating will be shorter.
Extraction of gold from radio components using an oxidizing agent
The etching method (chemical) is based on the inertness of gold. Precious metal can only react with halogens when heated. Therefore, to dissolve gold, a very strong metal oxidizing agent is needed. This is what “Royal Vodka” is.
Preparing “Royal Vodka”
“Royal vodka” can be prepared at home. To do this you need:
- concentrated nitric acid;
- concentrated hydrochloric acid.
You need to take them in a volume ratio of 1 to 3. “Royal vodka” has a strong smell of chlorine and nitrogen dioxide. The self-prepared liquid is colorless, but soon turns orange. When concentrated acids interact, a mixture of highly active products is formed, which make “Royal Vodka” one of the most powerful oxidizing agents.
Important! It is better to prepare the mixture immediately before using it, since during storage, aqua regia decomposes to form gaseous products. In addition, during storage the product loses its oxidizing abilities.
The principle of operation of the product
The etching process is as follows: the gold-plated elements of radio components are eaten away by acid. As a result, all metals except inert gold will dissolve in the acid. The precious metal will simply float in the acid solution in the form of a thin gold foil, and to collect it you must carefully filter the solution through a cloth.
Important! You cannot use medical gauze for filtering, as it has large holes.
Removing the gilding
Extract gold as follows:
- Carefully separate the gold-plated elements from all the others. For example, remove the contacts from the connectors, and cut off the metal caps with wire cutters and remove them. Remember that procurement of raw materials is a rather labor-intensive process.
- Prepare a container made of glass, stone or porcelain.
- Now you should prepare “Royal Vodka”. Mix hydrochloric and nitric acids. We obtain a strong oxidizing agent - nitrosyl chloride, which reacts with gold.
- Pour the prepared mixture into a container.
- Throw the part into nitrosyl chloride, wait a bit. Now you should have what is called “chlorine gold”.
- To isolate pure gold, you need to add sodium sulfide (sodium sulfide) to the resulting solution.
- The end result will be gold, which still needs to be collected. To do this, separate the damaged radio components from the test tube with gold.
- Filter the resulting yellow precious metal powder from the rest of the solution using a thick cloth.
- Wash, dry, and melt the resulting dust into a gold bar.
Important! Obtaining gold by this method has one drawback - the precious metal is mined with losses, as well as with an admixture of other elements, so the resulting gold must be further purified.
How to Handle Gilt Silver
Gilded silver has a number of rules for use, which are designed to increase its durability when worn:
- Before going to bed, it is better to put your jewelry in a specially designated box or case.
- When performing work, it is also better to remove jewelry.
These rules are not related to abrasion or deformation, but to the formation of sweat during sleep and work. Sweat destroys gold plating due to its specific composition and acidity pH.
- When working with aggressive cleaning substances, gold-plated jewelry is removed.
- If there is a risk of scratching or harsh impact on gold-plated jewelry, then it is better to refrain from wearing it. Otherwise damage may occur.
In addition, cleaning jewelry is very important, and there are many ways to do it at home. To do this, you can use solutions of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar...or simple alcoholic beer. The main thing is to use the recommendations and follow the rules.
Gold plated bracelet
How to clean it properly?
First you need to prepare the basin by lining its bottom and walls with a silicone mat. This measure protects fragile products from possible damage when in contact with plastic and metal containers. Next, fill the basin with clean water. The temperature of the liquid should be room temperature, within +24-30 degrees. Washing in water that is too cold or too hot will ruin your porcelain items.
When the water is ready, a small amount of liquid soap is added to it, stirred, after which the products can be lowered into the basin. There is no need to rush - ideally, put 1-2 cups in water, wash them and put them in a safe place. Then, move on to the next batch. Dishes soak in water for no more than 7-10 minutes. After this, you need to thoroughly wipe each item with a soft sponge and rinse under running warm water.
2 best ways - how and how to remove gold plating from silver at home
The following methods are great for removing gold plating yourself at home. They are effective and completely safe if basic safety rules are followed. But at the same time, maximum attention should be paid to safety, since acids are used for sale.
What you need for safety:
- smooth, clean surface;
- latex gloves;
- baking soda on a plate for quick use to “remove” acid that gets on the skin;
- metal or glassware.
Silver earrings with gold plated
Acid method
- Sulfuric acid
Professional method
The professional method excludes the use of acids in their pure form. A professional way to remove gold plating is to use a specific electrolysis method.
Technology for removing gold plating from coins
Electrolysis involves the following manipulations:
- 50 mg is poured into a glass bath. potassium cyanide or an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid - electrolyte.
- Two electrodes are placed inside the dish; professionals use metal plates for this - a negative anode and a positive cathode.
- The decoration is fixed on a conductive cathode.
- A current of up to 15V is supplied to the bath through the anode.
When current passes through the electrolyte, the gold plating will begin to dissolve, and gold will begin to be adsorbed on the cathode. In other words, this is the removal of gilding without dissolving the base.
Important!
Concentrated acids with the addition of mercury can be used as a liquid, but the voltage should be increased to 35V.
Silver coins with gilding
Methods for removing gold plating
There are several ways to remove gold plating from the desired item. It is important to understand that if we remove an unnecessary layer from a piece of jewelry, trying to bring it back to its divine form, we can do this at home. But if high-quality processing is necessary, it is better to trust an experienced specialist.
The purpose of removing the gold plating is also important. Some people remove the gold plating from radio components to get the remainder of the gold. This process is simple, but does not provide much profit. Gold obtained by this method is not suitable for sale. It can only be used for soldering damaged products. And to obtain it you need to have a lot of parts and expensive reagents.
Professional methods
Experienced specialists have all the necessary equipment for electrochemical cleaning. They know how to remove gold plating from silver using an electrolyte, which is a 7% solution of potassium cyanide and distilled water. A copper plate is used as a cathode.
Electrolytic fluid is required to remove gold plating.
The product is placed in a bath of electrolytic liquid, into which a copper plate is inserted. Then a voltage of 3.5 volts is applied, under the influence of which a chemical reaction occurs. As a bath, you can use a jar tightly closed with a lid. It must not be opened, otherwise you may get poisoned by the hydrogen sulfide vapors released.
When the product is processed, it is removed and washed thoroughly. If there is still gilding on the silver jewelry, it can be removed with a brush. When using this method, it is important not to overexpose the product. If it is exposed to reagents for a long time, its appearance may deteriorate. It is also important to take care of your own health. It is useful to wear a mask on your face and rubber gloves on your hands.
Methods for removing gold plating at home
You can remove gold plating from silver using chemicals. Most often, the so-called “royal vodka” is used for this. The method allows you to remove gilding without harming the base material from which the product is made. When working, you must use protective equipment.
The following steps need to be taken:
- First of all, you need to cover with a protective layer those places in the product where the gilding has worn off and the silver is visible. To do this, use a special substance in the form of a paste.
- If the product contains elements from other materials, they should be disassembled and only the gold-plated parts should be selected.
- Prepare a porcelain cup.
- Make “royal vodka”. To do this, you need to mix concentrated acids - nitric and hydrochloric in a ratio of 1:3. It must be prepared immediately before use, because its properties are weakened during storage.
- Place the product in a cup and fill it with the resulting reagent.
- Heat the cup, but do not bring to a boil.
- A spot of silver chloride will begin to appear on the surface of the liquid, which is a signal that it is time to interrupt the process. At this time you need to remove the decoration.
- Rinse the product with ammonia.
- If there is any gilding left, clean it with a brush.
This method can be used at home. But in order to carry out high-quality cleaning of gilding, you need to have experience working with such items. A beginner can easily ruin the product. Therefore, if you are not sure of the successful completion of the case, it is better to turn to a professional.
Reviews
I decided to remove the gold plating from my wedding ring. It is very dear to me, although it is not made of real gold. I made a solution of hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid - my husband gave it to me. I mixed it, threw in the ring, and waited a day. The next day I received a brand new silver ring. Great way. I am preparing the bracelet for cleaning.
Anastasia R., Novgorod
Mark G, Leningrad
I decided to update the chain a little, a gift from Turkey. The gold chain has become patina. I used the hydrolysis method, I read it on the Internet. The acid completely dissolved the gold plating. For 20 years I thought the chain was gold. But at least the method works, I recommend that anyone interested take note. By the way, my wife’s earrings also turned out to be fakes from Turkey.
My mother gave me an old silver ring, covered with gold... well, gilding. Beautiful, but the gilding has peeled off in places. I decided to make myself a simple silver ring. I found many methods on the Internet and chose one - “removing gold plating with citric acid and hydrogen peroxide.” I did everything exactly and now I have a brand new silver ring.
Masha P., Lviv
