Achieving Brown Patina on Sterling Silver: Methods & Tips

Question
Hello Chris,

I'd like to get a brown patina on sterling silver. I know there are some sulfur based products that will result in a grey/black finish, but I'm looking for something in the brown family. Any recommendations? Thank you for your time!

Answer
Israel,
A lot depends on the percentage of Silver in your item.
Bleach works as does Sulfur Dioxide
The Exposure concentration and time are the real art to getting the right shade you are after.

To darken, mix enough bleach and water into your container depending on what you want your piece to look like,
If you want a dark contrast to your item, use 100% bleach. It will take about an hour and your item will turn completely black.

If you want a nice brown patina, use about 50% bleach, 50% water. Within a few minutes, or sometimes seconds, it will start darkening.

If you want a slight patina, use very little bleach and lots of water. It may take a while, but you can pull them out at any time
This is up to you. You can use any combination of bleach and water and get the look you want.

Just Remember to use gloves and a well ventilated area. Also use Eye protection your eyes don't like fumes or spatter.

You might also like to read this article on toning coins even though they are 80-90% instead of 92.5% sterling, they act very similar.
http://www.encasedcollectorsinternational.org/archives/coin_toning.htm

I hope this helps.
Chris