Multicolor gold

[Thierry Duguet]

Hello,

I am looking for someone to make my own color gold. I would like red and white. Most provider put nickel in their gold alloys which make it very hard. I would like to use copper and gold for red and silver and gold for white. Any idea about who would make that type of alloy for me?

 

[pilkguns]

Hi Thierry,
nice to see you on here. do a search on here, this was covered pretty good not too long back, some good input from a number of folks, including myself.

regards
Scott

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Hi Thierry,
nice to see you on here. do a search on here, this was covered pretty good not too long back, some good input from a number of folks, including myself.

regards
Scott

Hello, yes I should I start with a seach, sorry about that

 

[sword]

a few gold alloy compositions

red...........18k au 75%-cu 25%, 12k au 50%- cu 50%
white........18k au 75%-pd 25%, Grey white au 75%-cu 8%-fe 17%
blue white..18k au 75%-fe 25%
purple.............au 80%-al 20%
soft green...18k au 75%-ag 25%
green.........18k au 75%-ag 20%-cu 5%
dark green...12k au 50- cu10%- ag 40%

au=gold cu=copper fe=iron ag=silver al= aluminum pd=palladium

taken from "Jewelry Concepts and Technology" by Oppi Untracht published by Doubleday

 

[Ken Hurst]

Sword ---- have you tried any of these mixes and if so, what were your results ? Ken

 

[sword]

I had a ring cast with the 50-50 gold copper mix, set a large black star sapphire in a gypsy type setting. The alloy moved better than regular 14k for me. But I have NOT even tried to inlay yet and from what I have read here softer = better. Sorry I could not be of more help. Best to let the more experienced hands put there two cents in before making a purchase. here is one of the talking about alloys http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=236

 

[forty-five degrees]

Have you tried Stern metals in Massachusetts? I read that the late Steve Kretchmer used them.
There is also a company out in Califorina that we use ..ABI metals.
Best of luck,
Gail

 

[Mike Cirelli]

Thierry You may want to try palladium wire instead of white gold. A couple weeks ago I had to make a piece of jewelry from it. I forgot how much like platinum it is. I was able to get it much softer than white gold. If you must use white gold I think you may want to try palladium white it has no nickle. The rose gold I would use a standard mixed alloy for rolling and find the karat that will work best for your needs. A rolling alloy will not work harden so fast after anealling.

 

[John B.]

Ron Smith has actually inlaid more colors of gold into steel than anyone else I know about.
If he was so inclined he would be able to give great information on this subject.
About both the mixtures and the workability of them.
For those that don't know please see some of his inlaid historical portraits in guns and knife publications.
A great example is the Winchester rifle in the 2002 FEGA Engravers Profile as well as many other books.
Truely amazing! Fantastic inspiration!
Hope you don't mind me mentioning this, Ron if you happen to look in.
John B.

 

[Ron Smith]

Thierry, You didn't mention what you were going to use the colored metals for. It sounds like you are going to make jewelry, but that is just a guess. If you are going to inlay the metals, you need to treat it very different. You want ductible metals for inlaying, You want durable, tough metals for jewelry. Trying to inlay work hardening metals requires special treatment both in the alloy mixtures, inlay techniques, and the metals themselves. I am after the color and workability of the metals. You begin to mix them together, you increase the work hardening characteristics. You will pull your hair out using common inlaying techniques, but depending somewhat on what you are trying to accomplish having to do with line inlaying, or subject inlaying. There are a lot of on the spot judgment calls you have to make and you have to be able to deal with any situation on the spot. I do all of my subjects with exception of certain situations with wire inlays and I have a primary cavity and secondary cavity. One for the contour of the subject, the other to hold each strand of wire. I mix metals myself for the colors that I want, but the real secret is the value of your undercutting and those techniques. You must have cavities that will grip and hold wires that will work harden quickly. If the wire doesn't set with the first whack of the hammer, you will have trouble getting it to stick, as it will walk away from you during the hammering process and get misshappen ruining your whole aproach. This is a vast subject and difficult to cover in a short time, but hope this gives you enough clues that your practice will be successful...............Ron S

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Hello Ron, how have you been doing? Once again I should have been more precise. I wand to inlay my gold, right now I have to us fine silver and copper for color, so I call it multicolor inlay, I would like to be able to call it "Multicolor gold inlay", as for the result of here is an sample (the "black" is copper).
I thought that it might interesting to use more colors so the contrast would not be so sharp. I know nothing about mixing alloys, but I thought that someone might know of a company able and willing to do it for me as well as making wire out of the alloys.

 

[forty-five degrees]

Hello Thierry,
Here are the links to Stern and ABI
http://www.sternleach.com/products/products.php
http://www.abipreciousmetals.com/
Check them out, I'm sure they can help, Stern Leach has hundreds of different color alloys.
Gail

 

[Ron Smith]

Thierry, Wow, You are doing great with your colors. I would say it depends on whether you are after the value of the metals, or the impact of the art. I go for two things. Your ability to inspire is the regulating factor here, because the value of the art overcomes the value of the metals. Understand? 1. Emotional impact 2. Visual impact. This is what I would say gives your work mass appeal, providing you are not just trying to satisfy only your own pleasures. You have captured both requirements I mentioned. Work on your detail and intensity. This will help to deminish the harshness of the metal seperations. You may have to add artistic liscense and alter the subject that you are working from, but you are the artist and there are only foundational and structural rules to honor. The rest is up to you.

Did you stain the copper, or is it dark by textures? You can also soften transitions from one metal to another with textures as well. that is what I meant by intensity. As for mixing colors, it is pretty simple. All you need is a crucible, boric acid, and a torch to melt them, but you will need someone to pull them into wire or sheet. It is good to have the flexibility to mix the metals yourself because you can have the control of the colors you make. If you have a local manufacturing jewelry company around, you might could get him to draw wire and roll sheet for you.

Well done my friend, it definately drew me in............Ron S

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Hello Thierry,
Here are the links to Stern and ABI
Check them out, I'm sure they can help, Stern Leach has hundreds of different color alloys.
Gail

Thank you very much for the information, I shall contact them tomorrow.

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Did you stain the copper, or is it dark by textures? You can also soften transitions from one metal to another with textures as well. that is what I meant by intensity. As for mixing colors, it is pretty simple. All you need is a crucible, boric acid, and a torch to melt them, but you will need someone to pull them into wire or sheet. It is good to have the flexibility to mix the metals yourself because you can have the control of the colors you make. If you have a local manufacturing jewelry company around, you might could get him to draw wire and roll sheet for you.

Well done my friend, it definately drew me in............Ron S

I did texture the copper. I do understand that it would be convenient to be able to mix the metal but I would need to see it done to dare doing it myself.
For now I shall try to buy the alloys.
Thank you for the compliments and the advises I shall may good use of them.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Thierry

That's stunning inlay work that you've shown in the photo. Just beautiful.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

What you are telling me is I should practice my drawing. I have drawing paper with me. Any time I am waiting
for something I practice. The other day my truck broke down. I called a tow truck and started drawing.
It was great. You will be suprised at the amount of time you will have to draw when other wise you dont think you have
the time.
Rod

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Hi Thierry

That's stunning inlay work that you've shown in the photo. Just beautiful.

Cheers
Andrew

Thank you.

 

[Ron Smith]

Rod, your statement reminds me of my early days. I would sit in a restaraunt while eating and draw on the napkins. Or any where there was a piece of paper. I would doodle scrolls on letters and cards sent to friends etc..............That is the way you get there....Ron S