Arab percussion for comments

[kai]

I didn't realize that Ferric Chloride would not attack the silver. So I can manage this without the resist - great.

It won't attack pure silver to any noticeable degree and even lower silver alloys will repolish easily. However, the acid will eat away any rust in the crevices and sometimes this is the only hold for old inlay work which then can get loose...

If you work swiftly and take care to kill any remaining acid afterwards (IMHO ammonium based solutions work more effectively than washing soda or baking powder), this is usually not a problem. If you want a bit more safety, you can use a clear lacquer (or nail polish) to fill any crevices and offer so some protection for the inlay and remove this later with organic solvents. If you decide to go this route, I'd suggest to carefully remove any lacquer from the surface as any remaining stains may interfere with the etching process.

Regards,
Kai