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Interesting article on Colored Gold Alloys.

by CGM Findings on June 26, 2012

We found this interesting article on Colored Gold Alloys a while back and thought we might share it with you.

Héctor Rubén López Native of Arecibo Puerto Rico, USA is an amazing metalsmith.
“I learned the Art of working with Gold and Silver while working in the Amazon jungle with the military. This was located close to Ecuador and Peru in the little town of Santiago de Mendez. My teacher was Mr. Luis (Lucho) I also continued my leaning experience In Panama City, Panama in the jewelry manufacturing shop of Mr. Cornelio Vassel Joyeria la Suerte.”

He is doing some excellent work, and you can find the article, plus more about him here:

http://metalsmithorfebreria.blogspot.com/2010/05/colored-gold-alloys-aleaciones-de-oro.html

colored gold alloysColored Gold Alloys
The alloys of gold with copper have a reddish tinge; those of gold with silver are whiter, and an alloy of gold, silver, and copper together is distinguished by a greenish tone. Manufacturers of gold ware make use of these different colors, one piece being frequently composed of several pieces of varying color. Below are given some of these alloys, with their colors:
Gold Silver Copper Steel
Cadmium
I.. 2.6 1.0
II.. 75.0 16.6 8.4
III.. 74.6 11.4 9.7 4.3
IV.. 75.0 12.6 ‘.. ‘.. 1 2.5
v.. 1.0 2.0
VI.. 4.0 3.0 1.0
VII.. 14.7 7.0 6.0
VIII.. 14.7 9.0 4.0
IX.. 3.0 1.0 1.0
X.. 10.0 1.0 4.0
XL. 1.0 1.0 . . ;
XII.. 1.0 …. 2.0 …
XIII.. 30.0 3.0 2.0
XIV.. 4.0 … …. 1.0
XV.. 29.0 11.0 . . . .
XVI.. 1.3 1.0
Nos. I, II, III, and IV are green gold; No. V is pale yellow, Nos. VI, VII, and VIII bright yellow; Nos. IX and X pale red; Nos. XI and XII bright red; Nos. XIII, XIV, and XV gray; while No. X VI exhibits a bluish tint. The finished gold ware, before being put upon the market, is subjected to a special treatment, consisting either in the simple pickling or in the so-called coloring, which operation is conducted especially with alloys of low degree of fineness, the object being to give the layers a superficial layer of pure gold.
The presence of silver considerably modifies the color of gold, and the jeweler makes use of this property to obtain alloys of various shades. The following proportions are to be observed, viz.:
Gold Silver Copper Color of Gold per per per
1,000 1,000 1,000
I. Green……… 750 250 …
II. Dead leaves.. .. 700 300 …
III. Sea green……. 600 400 …
IV. Pink………. 750 200 50
V. English yellow.. 750 125 125
VI. English white. .. 750 150 100
VII. Whiter……… 750 170 80
VIII. Less white…… 750 190 60
IX. Red……….. 750 … 250
Other colored gold alloys are the following:
X. Blue
Fine gold, 75; iron, 25.
XI. Dark Gray
Fine gold, 94; iron, 6.
XII. Pale Gray
Fine gold, 191; iron, 9.
XIII. Cassel Yellow
Fine gold, 75; fine silver, 12.5; rose copper, 12.5.
The above figures are understood to be by weight.
The gold solders, known in France under the names of soudures au quart (13.5 carat), au tiers (12 carat), and au deux (9 carat), are composed of 3, 2, or 1 part of gold respectively, with 1 part of an alloy consisting of two-thirds silver and one-third copper. Gold also forms with aluminum a series of alloys of greatly varying coloration, the most curious of them, composed of 22 parts of aluminum for 88 parts of gold, possessing a pretty purple shade. But all these alloys, of a highly crystalline base, are very brittle and cannot be worked, for which reason their handsome colorings have not yet been capable of being utilized.

http://metalsmithorfebreria.blogspot.com/2010/05/colored-gold-alloys-aleaciones-de-oro.html

 

 

 

 

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