How to Darken Faded Letters on Hand-Stamped Jewelry & Pet Tags
The black coloring in your hand-stamped jewelry or pet tag may fade over time. This is normal and doesn't mean the stamped letters themselves are wearing away.
At String of Jewels, each letter, number, and design is individually hammered into the metal using a steel stamp and hammer. The impression is physically pressed into the metal and is permanent. The black coloring added inside those impressions is a surface treatment and may need refreshing from time to time.
Fortunately, refreshing faded lettering is easy to do at home.
Why Does the Black Coloring Fade?
After your piece is hand-stamped, black coloring is applied to the stamped impressions to make the letters and designs easier to see.
While the stamped impressions are permanent, the black coloring is not permanent.
How quickly it fades depends on how the piece is worn and cared for. Water, soap, sweat, swimming, bathing, frequent hand washing, and friction against the skin can all cause the coloring to fade more quickly.
Rings are especially prone to fading because they are exposed to frequent hand washing, soap, and everyday wear.
Images and designs with shallower stamped impressions may also show fading sooner than deeper lettering.
Important to remember: If the black coloring fades, your lettering has not disappeared. The stamped impression is still in the metal and can simply be darkened again.
Before You Begin: Check Your Metal
The instructions below can be used for:
- Aluminum
- Sterling silver
- Copper
- Brass
- Bronze
Have a 14K gold-filled piece? Please use the special gold-filled instructions farther down this page. Gold-filled jewelry requires slightly different care.
What You'll Need
Choose ONE of the following to darken your letters:
- Black Sharpie or other permanent black marker
- Black nail polish or black touch-up paint for cars
You will also need:
- Rubbing alcohol
- Paper towels or cotton swabs
- Mild liquid dish soap
- Soft drying cloth
Optional: Clear nail polish for temporarily sealing the refreshed area.
You don't need to purchase all the blackening products listed above. A black permanent marker is usually the easiest option for a quick at-home touch-up.
Step 1: Reapply the Black Color
Before beginning, make sure your jewelry or pet tag is clean and completely dry.
If Using a Black Sharpie or Permanent Marker
Color directly over the faded stamped letters or designs, making sure the black ink gets down into the impressions.
Work in small sections because permanent marker dries quickly.
As you work, use a dry paper towel to wipe away as much excess marker as possible from the metal surface.
Don't worry if some black marker remains around the letters. You will remove that in Step 2.
If Using Black Paint or Nail Polish
Apply the black paint or nail polish over the stamped area, making sure it fills the impressions.
Unlike the Sharpie method, let the paint or nail polish dry completely for at least 20 minutes before removing the excess from the surface.
Step 2: Remove the Excess Black Coloring
Place a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a paper towel or cotton swab. The paper towel or cotton swab should be damp, but not soaking wet.
Gently wipe across the surface of the metal to remove the excess black coloring while leaving the color inside the stamped impressions.
Try not to saturate the stamped letters with rubbing alcohol. If alcohol gets down into the impressions, it may remove some of the black coloring you just applied.
If that happens, don't worry. Simply repeat Step 1 on that area.
Continue gently wiping until you are happy with the appearance of your piece.
Step 3: Wash & Dry
Once you have removed the excess coloring, wash your piece with a small amount of mild liquid dish soap and warm water.
Rinse thoroughly and dry completely with a soft cloth. Your jewelry or pet tag is now ready to wear again.
Step 4: Add a Protective Coating — Optional
If you used the Sharpie method, you can apply 1–2 very thin coats of clear nail polish over the stamped area to help the refreshed color last longer.
Allow each coat to dry completely before applying another coat or wearing the piece.
Please keep in mind that clear nail polish is also a surface coating. It is not permanent and may eventually wear, peel, or need to be reapplied. This step is completely optional.
Special Instructions for 14K Gold-Filled Jewelry
Gold-filled jewelry should be treated differently from the other metals listed above.
To refresh faded lettering on a gold-filled piece, I recommend using a fine-tip black Sharpie.
Carefully fill in each stamped letter or design individually.
If you accidentally get marker on the surrounding surface, use a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab or paper towel to gently remove the excess.
Once finished, wash the piece with mild dish soap and warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
IMPORTANT: Do not use jewelry polishing cloths or traditional jewelry cleaners on gold-filled jewelry. These products may damage the surface of your piece.
How Often Can I Refresh the Letters?
You can repeat the darkening process whenever the black coloring begins to fade.
How often you need to do this depends on the piece and how you wear it. Jewelry that is frequently exposed to water, soap, sweat, or friction may need refreshing more often.
To help the coloring last longer, remove your jewelry before swimming, bathing, showering, exercising, or other activities involving prolonged exposure to water or sweat.
Remember: Faded Coloring Does Not Mean Faded Stamping
String of Jewels pieces are hand-stamped, not machine-engraved.
Each individual letter, number, and design is hammered into the metal by hand. This creates a physical impression in the metal.
The black coloring simply makes those impressions easier to see.
The stamped impression is permanent.
The black coloring inside it is not.
If the black begins to fade, your jewelry isn't ruined and your lettering hasn't worn away. It simply needs a quick refresh using the instructions above.
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