Assay question for Steve LAO

[SteveLAO]

Don't think you can use it as a description at all I'm afraid as there's no definitive formula Fortunately jedi and sith are in a galaxy far far away and so will be out of the reach of UK laws

[pearlescence]

That seems such a shame. How do I get that changed? It is such a lovely word, so redolent of history and precious metals....
In any case thank you for your help (do you also do the twitter @LondonAssay ?)

[SteveLAO]

Yeah sorry about that not sure how you could get that changed.....it's just not a recognised description as its just so vague I think...
no, I'm not the tweeter here...that's the marketing dept

[pearlescence]

I suppose that if I did want to make authentic electrum 80/20 silver gold it would have to be fine silver and 24ct gold
so...if I did how would that be marked?
800 silver would be okay presumably..what about the gold because there would presumably be enough to require hallmarking
Now that's another query - the ring is quite small, the gold will be under the required weight threshold and so is the silver content so it doesn't actually have to be marked...oinly voluntary.

[SteveLAO]

Yes if your ring is under the 7.78g for silver then it doesn't need marking.

This is the thing with electrum...what is authentic? with no "formula" who knows?? If you look back in history there have been several different % mixtures. If it only had 20% gold in an alloy mix you wouldn't get a gold mark, and if the rest of the alloy mix was 80% silver then all you'd get in total is an 800 silver hallmark. If the mix was 40% gold and 60% silver, then you'd have sufficient gold in the alloy to get a 9ct hallmark. You would be far better to keep the gold and silver apart...make something using the two metals separately and not mixed into one alloy and then you'd get a silver and a gold hallmark!!!
remember that electrum in an alloy....not two separate metals......

[pearlescence]

Much thanks for all your responses today Steve. Much appreciated.
I do do the silver base with applied gold thing and get the added gold mark.
I think I'll send in the prototype for 'what is it assay' and see if it makes 925, then take it from there.

[SteveLAO]

no problem...my pleasure

Yep, send it in and let's see what it gets

[pearlescence]

Not immediately, I have a pile of festive stuff to make and get ready (every year I mean to be ready in plenty of time and then...)