What's the difference between "High Polish" and "Satin" finish?
We have many questions from clients on the finishes we provide as a service to you. It is basically like it sounds. "High Polish" is a very shiny, high metallic look. It is polished and very smooth allowing the silver in the piece to really shine. It is the more classic look of the two. "Satin" is just the opposite. The matte finish look gives more dimension to the piece and a more industrial feel. You will find many of our designs combine both finishes, but there are certain rings that look great with a "satin" finish and others that don't. You will find we offer this service only on certain rings and even talk about it in some of our descriptions. Don't be confused, though, "satin" does not look good on every piece we design and in some cases it is not even able to be accomplished. That's why you don't see it offered on every piece. Just know that for the most part, we have picked the ones it looks really good on.
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Why Does Silver Turn Black?
Customers may think that faulty manufacturing might be the problem when a ring "turns," blackening or discoloring the skin and clothing, or the jewelry itself. However, that is not the case. The most common reason is metallic abrasion, caused by makeup on skin or clothing. Cosmetics often contain compounds harder than the jewelry itself, which wear or rub off very tiny particles. Very finely divided metal always appears black rather than metallic, so it looks like a jet-black dust. When this dust comes into contact with absorbent surfaces such as skin or clothing, it sticks, forming a black smudge. To prevent this, try switching cosmetics. If this is not possible, remove rings and other jewelry while applying them, and clean skin areas in contact with jewelry with soap and water. Another cause is actual corrosion of the metals. Silver does not corrode, but its primary alloys will do so, forming very dark chemical compounds under moist or wet conditions. When you perspire, fats and fatty acids released can cause corrosion of silver jewelry, especially when exposed to warmth and air. This problem can be worse in seacoast and semitropical areas, where chlorides combine with perspiration to form a corrosive element that discolors skin. Smog fumes gradually attack jewelry and are evident as a tarnish that rubs off on the skin. Remove jewelry often and use an absorbent powder, free of abrasives, on skin that comes into contact with jewelry. Even the design of jewelry can be an influence. Wide shanks have more surface area to contact abrasives or corrosives. Concave surfaces inside a shank form collection points that trap moisture and contaminants, also causing a type of dermatitis. Remove all rings before using soaps, cleaning compounds or detergents, and clean the rings with a polishing cloth frequently (we offer one for a very small price). As well as solving the problem, you’ll be amazed at how much better the rings look!
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