Oxidizing Sterling Silver with… eggs?

Posted on August 12, 2008
Filed Under Arts and Crafts, fun stuff |

Today I got a hankering to make a necklace with the 18 gauge sterling I’ve been ~~afraid~~ waiting to use. So I twisted some flowers, linked them together with labrodorite chunks, and put it all together with a handforged chain and handforged hammered clasp.

Then I boiled some eggs, put the necklace in a ziplock bag with the uncracked eggs, zipped it up, and then mushed the eggs without unzipping the bag. Within minutes, the neckace had oxidized beautifully.

Notice the beautiful colors, especially on the clasp and chain. Now, I will tumble the necklace in a rotary tumbler with mixed steel shot and a drop of liquid soap, for two hours. I’ve never polished any of my jewelry with this method before, so I’m excited to see how it turns out.