14K gold but silicone filled

Jewelry Discussion
1

I just saw on JTV a necklace that was 14K gold but silicone filled.
Never heard of that one but thought I would pass it along.

Rick

2

I was approached by a customer who had one of those big hip hop
style chains that had a hollow gold pendant on it that was at least 3
inches tall. His complaint was that it sounded like a cow bell when
he wore it. He wanted to know if I could fill the hollow pendant with
molten gold. I of course told him that wasn’t possible and he
couldn’t afford it anyway. I suggested he go to a craft store and get
some sort of resin to fill it. I never thought of silicone like
bathroom caulk. If I get another customer looking for ways to make
their bling stop clanging like a cow bell I’ll send him to the
hardware store for silicone…

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
rockymountainwonders.com

3

http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/gold-alloys.htm Sounds like a
sneaky way around the high price of “real” gold to me.

4

could that be a sneaky way of saying electroformed?

5

Silicone may take a long time to cure if there is only a small hole
to the atmosphere. Hot melt glue out of a cheap electric glue gun is
a handy filler because it solidifies on cooling. It shrinks when it
cools so be ready to top it up as it cools. It’s not hard enough to
prevent denting but probably harder than silicone. Hot melt glue is
removable! Silicone won’t melt after curing and I suspect it will be
very risky trying to burn it out.

Alastair

6 
Hot melt glue out of a cheap electric glue gun is a handy filler
because it solidifies on cooling. It shrinks when it cools so be
ready to top it up as it cools. It's not hard enough to prevent
denting but probably harder than silicone. Hot melt glue is
removable! Silicone won't melt after curing and I suspect it will
be very risky trying to burn it out.

Great idea! Next time a customer has a similar problem I’ll offer to
fix it for them. I wonder what I should charge for taking the cowbell
noise out of their bling? I’m thinking 2-3 glue sticks and 15
minutes… $25-$50? I may set up a kiosk in the shopping mall. :slight_smile:

Rick Copeland
rockymountainwonders.com

7 
I wonder what I should charge for taking the cowbell noise out of
their bling? I'm thinking 2-3 glue sticks and 15 minutes...
$25-$50? I may set up a kiosk in the shopping mall. :)

Got a wax injector? Even easier! Wax would be as good or better than
hot glue, no? A new industry.

Noel