Gold leaf

[pearlescence]

I'm about to play around with applying gold leaf to parts of some pearls with the plan of necklaces and earrings. Clearly there will be a chance of the leaf wearing off...have seen instructions for applying lacquer but no type of lacquer/varnish specified.
Suggestions please?

[china]

I have used Rustins Plastic Coating over genuine gold leaf on repo period furniture in the past with no undesired effect, might have find a low grade pearl and test it automotive clear coat is also used on vehicles over gold leaf

[ps_bond]

Ki-urushi
(I've used Ercalene over copper before now - but obviously none of the plastic ones are desperately resilient)

[pearlescence]

These are very low grade pearls which I am hoping to hugely upgrade by hiding the low-gradeness under the gold leaf - as an experiment at least.. Where do I find these sealants?

[ps_bond]

I have some (low allergenic) ki-urushi from Mejiro in Japan; Ercalene is available from Walsh.

If you want, I can coat a couple for you rather than go through the aggro of international shipping for 1 tube.

[pearlescence]

Thanks Peter. Once I have done the application of the gold leaf I will take you up on that. Is this the stuff - ebay item 112041874357?

[ps_bond]

That's them - although I bought directly from them rather than go through EBay. Very fast delivery too.

[pearlescence]

Useful to have found if the whole thing works out..in which case I will be wnting rose gold leaf as well

[ps_bond]

Now that I've stopped long enough to think, traditionally (Japanese) the gold leaf would be applied with urushi too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWa_MyLpZfQ - while this is focused on kintsugi, the handling & application are the same (especially the drying - for use on metals it gets baked).

[pearlescence]

I got the glue along with the gold leaf in Bangkok - if it's good enough for a Buddha statue....
in any case this is an experiment. It may look horrible, it may not work out as a plan, it may not be durable enough....What i really need is someone who knows how to do gold leaf to spend a couple of hours showing me the basics really