Newsletter - November 18, 2009
The Jewelry Crafter
A newsletter for the home jeweler
This newsletter will be published every 2 weeks, and will include hints and tips for your jewelry business. Any feedback or comments about the topics presented here are always appreciated. Click here to e-mail us.
If you have an idea for an upcoming article, or would like to submit an article for the newsletter, please contact us. Anyone who submits an article will receive a permanent link to their website in a special section of our link pages.
Inventory Update
This week, we have some beautiful 7” mixed Swarvoski bicone and pearl bead strands in assorted colors, and Czech Glass Peacock pendants which are perfect for wire-wrapping or focals. Stop by Custom Jewelry Supply and take a look....
Colored Gold
by
Mary Harvey
The most popular color of gold is yellow. Most yellow gold is an alloy made from specific quantities of gold, copper and silver. But did you know that gold actually comes in a variety of colors? By adding different elements, different colors are created. Below are some examples of colored gold:
- White gold – an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually, nickel or palladium. If nickel is used, the resulting alloy is strong and hard, and is suitable for rings and pins. If palladium is used, the alloy is softer, and is good for gemstones settings. There is a possibility that if nickel is used, there could be a contact allergy in people sensitive to nickel.
- Rose gold – also called red or pink gold. Rose gold is created by mixing copper with yellow gold to make a reddish-hued alloy. The common mixture for rose gold is 75% gold and 21% copper and 4% silver, which results in 18k rose gold. 18k red gold is comprised of 75% gold and 25% copper. The more copper that is added, the more reddish the alloy becomes.
- Green Gold – created by leaving the copper out of the alloy mixture, green gold is comprised of 75% gold and 25% silver. This mixture results in a greenish tint to the gold.
- Purple / blue gold – also known as amethyst or violet gold. Purple gold is made of 79% gold and 21% aluminum. The resulting alloy is considered 18k, but it is more brittle than other gold. It is not normally used by itself, but in combination with other metals, or it is machined into shapes to be used as components to other jewelry. Blue gold is similar, but it is a mixture of gold and indium.
- Gray gold – This is a newer alloy that is created without nickel or palladium, therefore reducing the risk of skin reactions in people with allergies. According to the patent application, grey gold is created from gold, silver, manganese and copper, resulting in an alloy that is grayish in color, resistant to abrasion, and able to be used in lost wax casting.
- Black gold – This gold is not created by mixing metals, but rather by exposing it to an intense burst of laser light. This process changes its surface structure and turns it a deep black. Since the color becomes a property of the metal itself, it is permanent, and will not wear off.
A good example of how colored gold is used in jewelry is Black Hills Gold. It uses 10k or 12k alloys of gold in shades of yellow, pink, rose and green.
Yellow gold remains the most popular color for jewelry, but as you can see, gold comes in a variety of colors, which can produce striking jewelry.
Custom Jewelry Supply - Supplies for the Jewelry Designer or Wire Artist
The Jewelry Crafter Archive - Back issues full of useful information for your jewelry business
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