Playing with gold

[art925]

Hi All

I have been wanting to play around with creating some 14 and 18 carat gold cast pieces but different from the usual yellow white and red colours. I know that when you buy golds they are always slightly different colours depending upon the supplier. My question is, does anyone have any "recipes" (Sorry for my ignorance to the true technical terminology here) for refining 24 to lesser carats using different alloys? Books or internet resources are good.

[Goldsmith]

Take a look at the Oppi Untracht books, Metal Techniques for Crafstmen and Jewellery, Concepts and Technology . They have a lot of refining info along with some gold alloy recipes.
I make my own green gold by alloying fine silver with fine gold, it's not really green but paler yellow and looks great when used with 18ct red golds.
James

[art925]

Thanks James,
I took a look and placed the order...50 quid plus postage...

[pearlescence]

Isn't fine silver with fine gold electrum? Beloved of Egyptians. It sounds so romantic. I would love to have some/make some to use. Could it be hallmarked and if so what as?

[Goldsmith]

Isn't fine silver with fine gold electrum? Beloved of Egyptians. It sounds so romantic. I would love to have some/make some to use. Could it be hallmarked and if so what as?

If your green gold alloy is 75% fine gold and 25% fine silver it can be hallmarking as 18ct gold. Some green gold alloys have cadmium as part of the 25% ratio, but UK bullion dealers are limiting the use of cadmium these days, for health reasons. I still have a supplier who stocks 18ct gold solders with cadmium in the alloy and I find these solders have a better flow on some jobs than the solders made without cadmium.
James
James