Hello,
I would like some advice from anyone familiar with colorit and
enameling on the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques…
Any advice is welcome 
Beth Thompson
Cimmaran Designs
www.cimmarandesigns.com
I would like some advice from anyone familiar with colorit and enameling on the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques..
There have been a lot of post threads and a good deal of discussion
on the subject of Colorit and of Enamel in the Orchid Forum in the
past few years. A search in the Orchid Archives under Colorit and
under Enamels would probably yield a lot of useful for
you.
I will include a few of the archived post threads which might offer
you some info. / thoughts on the subject.
Search of the word Colorit in the Orchid archives:
Link to an in-depth discussion / Post Thread of Colorit verses
Enamel in the Orchid archives:
Gesswein Colorit enameling unit
Gesswein Colorit enameling unit - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
Gesswein Colorit enameling unit - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
Gesswein Colorit enameling unit
Gesswein Colorit enameling unit - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
Ultra violet set enamels
Ultra Violet Set "Enamels" - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
Colorit and UltraUV alternatives
Colorit and UltraUV alternatives - Jewelry Discussion - Ganoksin Orchid Jewelry Forum Community for Jewelers and Metalsmiths
I’ll also try to briefly answer some of you questions.
Colorit is a material originating from the dental industry. It’s a
ceramic-reinforced composite material which is cured by light. It is
photosensitive and a special light is supplied with the Colorit Kits
to make curing faster.
Colorit is a very different material from Vitreous (glass) Enamel.
It is applied differently. Enamel is fired onto the metal base at
high temperatures in a kiln - Colorit is “Cured” with light.
Does colorit work on gold?
Yes both can be applied to gold - vitreous enameling on gold
requires a gold alloy without nickel in it. It also requires a kiln.
Are the results similar?
No not really they are very different materials. They have a
different properties, clarity, and reflective qualities.
Which is more durable?
They both have pros and cons to their durability. Vitreous enamel
can be cracked or fractured by hard impacts. However high fire
vitreous (glass) enamels have been produced for centuries - and many
many pieces have survived for hundreds of years. Colorit is a
relatively new product so it does not have such a long history of
use.
Do either crack over time?
Both could be cracked or damaged under the right circumstances - but
it would not be due to time it would be due to either improper
application methods or impact to the item.
I hope that some of the links and info. might be of some help. Best
of luck with which ever material you choose to use.
Sharon Scalise
SScalise:
http://users.netconnect.com.au/~sscalise/
I would like some advice from anyone familiar with colorit and enameling on the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques
As Sharon stated, Colorit was a spin off from the dental industry (I
used to be a dental assistant in a previous life). This material is
very hard and very durable. It is cured with a UV light in a
particlar wavelength range. Now dentists use what is called
‘composites’ that are not nearly as durable, and are rough. The
original formula for the UV cured composite material will last for
years, if done correctly. I have some on my two front teeth that has
lasted 30+ years, with no cracking, degradation or decay under the
filling. However, as Sharon also stated, it is opaque. No
transparency as with enamels. Hope this helps your decision.