FINISHES AND EFFECTS
Below you will find some examples of finishes and effects that I can use on your jewellery. Their are pros and cons to each but life is too short to worry about such things, so I recommend you just pick the one you like best!
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If you choose a finish and then change your mind at a later date then it is often possible to change the finish. Though please note, there are always exceptions to the rule - an oxidised finish is hard to remove and for some custom pieces it may not always be possible to alter a finish depending on the design. If in doubt, please get in touch.
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POLISHED FINISH
A 'mirror' like finish
This finish is popular for its excellent durability.
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A polished finish will wear/dull over time with natural scratches and scuffs but can be easily re-polished as and when required.
SATIN FINISH
A light 'matt' finish
A satin finish has a soft shimmering shine giving a piece a contemporary look and feel. The brush marks will all go in one direction (on a ring, this can be either along or across the band)
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A satin finish will gradually ‘polish’ up over time and may show up marks a little more quickly than a polished finish, depending on the piece and when/how it is worn.
BRUSHED FINISH
A heavy 'matt' finish
A brushed finish is a little heavier than a satin finish and is achieved by using coarser papers/tools brushed across the surface of the metal. I often ‘hatch’ this finish to give it a rougher look.
OXIDISED FINISH
A 'tarnished' finish
An oxidised effect is created by accelerating the natural tarnish that appears on silver over time. It is possible to create lots of colours with this technique but generally oxidised silver is dark grey and can then be lightly brushed to pick out the details on a piece of jewellery as you can see on these earrings.
HAMMERED TEXTURE
A hammered or textured effect on a metal surface adds a unique dimension to a piece of jewellery and can transform a plain piece. It adds extra shine to a piece as it reflects light of the surface at different angles.
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This effect is achieved simply by hammering the surface of the metal to create a ripple like effect. Different size hammers produce different sized ripples and I will adjust them according to the size and shape of a piece.
BARK TEXTURE
Using a a different hammer, this ‘bark’ effect is a pleasing alternative to a hammered effect with lots of gentle ripples on the surface of the metal.
It is a particularly practical effect as it won’t show scuffs and scratches with wear as obviously.
PLANISHED TEXTURE
A planished effect is created by hitting the metal to produce a series of flat ‘planished’ edges rather than the round indents of a hammered finish.
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This produces a lovely waterfall shimmer that looks fantastic either highly polished or with one of the other finishes.