Gold Filled Bracelet Questions

[jeremyethier]

Hi,

I'm working on having some 14K Gold Filled cuff bracelets made for me and I had a couple questions.

1. To create the following colours, are these the correct alloys to mix the 14K Gold with?

Rose gold: copper
White gold: rhodium
Silver and zinc: green gold

2. What is the best base metal for gold filled bracelets? I'm under the impression that the two most common base metals used are either brass or sterling silver. What are the benefits of each and which would be better to use as a base metal for a gold filled bracelet (I'd like the bracelet to be quite durable and not bend)?

3. How thin is too thin for a cuff bracelet made with this material? In my design the cuff bracelet eventually layers down to a 1.5mm thickness, but the rest of the bracelet will have a 2mm thickness.

[ps_bond]

I don't use gold filled at all, so I'm not sure exactly what you're after - gold fill is not a process I'd try to carry out on less than an industrial scale, personally. But... In terms of the alloys, yes, broadly - copper makes it red; palladium (rather than rhodium, but they're both platinum group metals) makes it white while silver makes it "green" although it's not that green. Wouldn't use zinc myself, but I don't like the stuff as it'll obstruct enamelling and I'd prefer to avoid fabrication with it as it's unpleasant when it gets vaporised.

The thickness depends upon the structure of the design - I can use 0.7mm silver for anticlastic bracelets & cuffs, but I'm relying on the strength of the form then. 1.5mm should be more than plenty though.

[CJ57]

1.5 in silver would make a heavy cuff. I think the ones I made recently were 1.2

[Stacey]

As far as I'm aware, gold filled sheet or wire is based on either copper or brass, not sterling silver. And available in either yellow or rose (pink) gold as sheet metal for cuffs or whatever. Unless you are dealing directly with a manufacturer I don't imagine you will have a choice about base metal and will need to select from the gold colours already available.

I suggest you take a look at Rio Grande in the U.S. as they tend to stock more gold filled products than here in the U.K. or elsewhere in Europe.

[pearlescence]

But if buying materials from outside Europe you will also need to check that they comply with the various rules on nickel content etc,. which do not apply in the USA. It is illegal to sell anywhere in europe anything which doesn't comply