Dumb questions about gold plating (London)

[belette]

Hello everyone,

Forgive the possibly stupid questions, I haven't tried to get anything plated before.

I'm going to make a pair of earrings from sterling sheet and bezel set peridot - I think they'd actually look nicer in gold with the colour of the stone but don't want to work in gold directly as worried about wastage in what is a much more expensive metal! So I would like to plate them if possible.

Some questions:
- is there anywhere in London that will actually plate one pair of earrings plus earwires for me or do I need a minimum;
- what will happen when i set the stone and push the bezel over - i shouldn't get silver showing through should i?! conversely, will the added thickness of the plating make my bezel too tight?

Anything else I should know before I start going into plating places and embarrassing myself? :~:

[Dennis]

If you are going to do a lot of this shop around for a mini pen plater, which can be applied after plating.

If sending the work out for just a few pieces you will soon exceed the cost of using 9ct.

Another way to reduce cost is to use mixed metals, Argentium and gold, which will look good together but not corrode much.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=plating+services+for+jewellers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=z8eKWrSDGKHVgAaC-6jAAw.

No questions are dumb and all are welcome, Dennis

[ShinyLauren]

I use Elliot Fitzpatrick in London. They're happy to do small quantities, however their minimum order is £20 plus VAT, so you'd be better off waiting until you have a few things.

I set stones before I send for plating, otherwise as you say the plating would be scratched off when you set the stones afterwards. I think there are stones you can't plate though (I am not an expert!) and not sure if peridot is one of them. I've plated things with citrine, cz and blue topaz with no problems.

[misspond]

The biggest problem I have with this forum is thinking, "Ooh, I think I might like to try that!" Gold plating small areas being one of those things.

[ShinyLauren]

The biggest problem I have with this forum is thinking, "Ooh, I think I might like to try that!" Gold plating small areas being one of those things.

Yes, I often design things with gold plated detail, then remember how much I hate painting things with stop out varnish!

[Dennis]

Yes, that's where a plating pen wins. You can just draw with it. I had one once, but at the time you could only plate with 24ct, which has brownish cast, so I didn't like it much.
I wonder whether now you can plate with a brighter yellow. Dennis.

[belette]

Thankyou all, that's very useful! Intrigued by the pen idea although I still don't have a rolling mill so it probably shouldn't be #1 on the (long) list of tools I 'need'.

I will check with some platers whether peridot is OK. What prep does the piece need - presumably as clean and shiny as possible?

[enigma]

Have you checked the price of gold for the piece you are making? Earrings generally tend to not work out too expensive although pushing gold bezels is considerably harder than pushing silver.