Oxidation is natural in silver and other metals, but I will focus on silver today. It can be hideous, but it can also make jewelry stand out when used correctly.

Step 1: What Is Oxidation?

Oxidation on silver is when sulfur in the air reacts with the silver and causes the silver to become dull in shine and lack luster. Above is an oxidized silver ring. It looks dirty and cloudy.

Step 2: How to Harness It's Ability

It can make raised or lowered details pop in jewelry, it brings a new dimension into jewelry that makes a silver coin have depth. It happens over time as sulfuric acid in air meet silver. The sulfur in the air is natural and it is also a trace amount of the atmosphere so it doesn't tarnish silver overnight.

Step 3: How to Oxidize With Eggs

This sounds strange, but it's easy. Boil eggs in the shell as if you were to make pickled eggs or deviled eggs. Once the eggs are boiled you need about 3 to 5 depending on how much silver your doing. Take the white part and eat it or do whatever you wish with it. The gray coated core is where the sulfur lies. Take the inside gray covered yellow core and put it in a locking bag and mash them into pulp and add a tiny bit of water maybe about 2 teaspoons. Then Add your silver to the bag wait a day or two and then the silver is oxidized.

Step 4: How to Polish

The point in oxidizing is to get the image to pop and stand out so polish the jewelry gently and to keep some of the dark grey silver to make the image and words burst from the jewelry.

Step 5: How to Prevent

There are products to slow and try to prevent oxidation in unwanted circumstances. I prefer to get clear nail polish protectant. ( I'm a guy so I don't know what it's called) it's just a clear coat and it will stop air from getting to the metal.