Posted in Jewelry

I'm sure we've all had the same experience. You become a lovely new piece of vintage jewelry and are so excited about its beauty until you inspect information technology closely and discover that awful green gunk on information technology. Often this shows itself at the clasp area of necklaces or on the clips of earrings only you tin find information technology anywhere on a piece of jewelry. Any metallic surface of a piece of jewelry is a potential host. Surfaces near the neckline are particularly susceptible because of sweat which can accumulate at that place. If yous are reading this, you lot've probably seen some verdigris on a piece of jewelry that you own.

Verdigris is the common proper noun for the chemical Cu(CH3COO)2. It well-nigh oft occurs when vintage jewelry is exposed to moisture, makeup or other contaminants over a period of time. If it is not defenseless in fourth dimension, it can severely damage your jewelry. The color of verdigris tin can range from night dark-green to bluish dark-green. Verdigris can also be passed from one slice of jewelry to another, so damaged pieces should be separated from those that aren't. The picture here shows a commonly found area for verdigris to form – on the metal pins which hold the pearls in place. This is a particularly bad instance of information technology.

Verdigris ways that in that location is some damage. How severe the impairment is volition make up one's mind how successful the attempted repair will be. Fifty-fifty if you only have a tiny amount of greenish on the jewelry, it ways that a tiny corporeality of the plating may have been damaged. Astringent verdigris means severe harm, with the issue that the metal is compromised. Verdigris on prongs means that they may not be able to hold stones in identify. On clasps, information technology means that you take the gamble of the piece coming apart from brittleness.

In that location are several different methods to clean verdigris. Catsup, lemon juice and vinegar are all suggested as being good for the chore at hand. That is because each of them has an acidic base. But be conscientious, all of these suggestions should be used with caution…there is no guarantee that the procedure won't damage the piece in other ways. Whichever method you effort, always use a soft bristled castor first to remove any lose light-green gunk.

Catsup has the advantage of non moving around…it stays where you lot put it, but it is also very messy and is hard to make clean when the repair is finished. Use it in small amounts, preferably with a cotton swab or toothpick, and check frequently. Catsup is better used on rhinestone pieces because it isn't so liquid and liquid amercement rhinestone foil backs.

Straight vinegar is very acidic and can as well exist used. It isn't as messy and is a amend choice for jewelry pieces such as drinking glass beaded jewelry and metal jewelry if you tin stand the odour of it. Soak the piece in directly vinegar for 15-twenty minutes and use a toothpick or cotton wool swab to get into any minor areas. You can also scrub the area with a toothbrush to help remove the light-green gunk. Sterling silver and some gemstones should not be soaked in vinegar. As well, never soak rhinestone jewelry in vinegar, because the liquid will damage the foil backs of the stones. Finally, silver plated pieces shouldn't be soaked in vinegar.

Lemon Juice is used in the same way that vinegar is. I prefer information technology for some of the same reasons. It isn't messy and is a good selection for glass and metal jewelry. It is also my method of choice for copper jewelry with verdigris. Plus, it has the added benefit of smelling much nicer than straight vinegar.

In all cases, exist certain that the piece is very dry when you lot are done cleaning. Moisture is what starts this trouble in the first place. You don't want to do all this work and exist back to commencement base when yous are finished. Please notation: Whatever of these remedies may leave you with a piece of jewelry where the metal has lost its plating. Just, it is better to have plating loss than the severe impairment that verdigris tin cause over time.

I last discussion – All of these processes have fourth dimension, but when completed may get out you with a jewelry piece, costless of light-green gunk, to enjoy for years to come.

Carol Speake
Visit: Jewelry Lane