Gesswein Colorit enameling unit

Jewelry Discussion
21

Hi all, For those of you waiting for test results on hardness, I’m
also waiting … on a report from the lab. As soon as I have it,
I’ll post it. I suspect you are right however and the hardness will
be comparable to glass fired enamel not greater… and the word I
should have used was indeed “durable” to express what I really
intended to.

So let me restate more accurately. Certainly COLORiT is much harder
than other resin products used in the jewelry industry and it is
indeed much more durable than enamel.

I would agree with those who feel it is important to distinguish
between enamel and polymer or resins when selling this jewelry. It
should not be advertised as enamel when in fact it is not enamel.
However it certainly looks like enamel and is more durable than
enamel. But each has their unique beauty which should be
appreciated for what it is.

For the manufacturer, it’s much simpler to use than enamel and can
be drilled, inlaid, sandblasted, and polished to a high shine. You
can even make cabochons out of it. I love the stuff because it’s a
whole new way to unleash your creativity with color without

For those of you looking for pictures, I’m currently working on
getting them onto our website. If you go to any of the trade shows,
stop by our booth and talk to Chuck Duncan. He’s at AGTA in Tucson
right now as a matter of fact. He’s our resident COLORiT expert and
can show you some rings he’s made. Let me know what you think of
them, I’d be most interested to hear. :slight_smile:

Best Regards,
Elaine Corwin
Gesswein Co. Inc. USA

22 
 and the word I  should have used was indeed "durable" to express
what I really  intended to. 

So let me restate more accurately.  Certainly COLORiT is ..... 
indeed much more durable than enamel. 

However it certainly looks like enamel and is more durable than
enamel.

g’day Elaine - if we are to start from a common base in this
discussion it would be helpful to agree on some definitions. For
example, how would you define “durable”? The simplest definition I
could find was "durable. a. lasting, resisting wear. Common synonyms
aRe: "abiding, constant, dependable, enduring, fast, firm,
hard-wearing, persistent, reliable, resistant, sound, stable, strong,
sturdy, substantial and tough. The same source defines “much” a. as:
existing in quantity and “more”. a. as: greater in quantity or
number.

If you accept that these are reasonable definitions I would ask you
again to either present to the Forum the factual basis for your
extraordinary claim or point us in the direction of the Standards
facility that conducted the comparative tests on which you are
basing this claim.

I’ve included for Orchidians a link to the website of the
manufacturer of Colorit, Inovis Aktiengesellschaft , along with a few
direct quotes from the site which are interesting as much for what
they don’t say as what they do. There are some good pictures of
pieces embellished with Colorit in the “Fascination” section.

Inovis is a large, reputable company and nowhere on their excellent
site do they even mention the word “enamel”, let alone compare
Colorit to enamel. They, unlike over-enthusiastic salespeople
(grins), are open to constant scrutiny and examination by their
industry peers and regulatory bodies.

http://www.inovis.li/E_Willkommen.html

The below was copied directly from this site, and the
exclamation marks are theirs. The italics are mine.

“Colorit - The new colour system A growing number of consumers are
very discerning and know exactly what they want. Expressing their
individuality is important to them. Design and quality, therefore,
play a key role in satisfying their requirements. The Colorit
material from Inovis responds to this demand. On the basis of this
newly developed ceramic-reinforced composite material, it is now
possible to create colourful decorations for jewellery pieces and
accessories in an innovative way. This new perspective offers
additional sales opportunities for goldsmiths and jewellery
workshops.”

  1. Fundamentals Optimum bond Mechanical and chemical bonding of
    Colorit!

mechanical: undercuts chemical: Colorit Link and Colorit Bond If
surfaces are sandblasted (250 =B5), the colours are chemically bonded
using Colorit Link If surfaces are ground or polished, the colours
are chemically bonded using Colorit Link and Colorit Bond

Colorit Bond does not have to be used if the inlays are small.
Undercuts, however, are imperative. Sandblast surface and use Colorit
Link.

Undercuts are absolutely necessary for an optimum bond! Inlays must
not be thinner than 0.8 mm!

  1. Finishing

" Colorit can be ground, polished, sandblasted, or turned on a lathe
(high rpms). Do not engrave Colorit with a hand tool! Machine
engravings are possible at high rpms.

Do not heat Colorit inlays over 100 degrees centigrade!

Remove cured inlays by cutting or burning them out."

"Slight shrinkage

The fact that Colorit shrinks slightly must be taken into
consideration when applying the material. Therefore, use a little
more material than necessary and slightly overfill the cavity".

A wise craftsperson would think through the implications of the
“shrinkage” and “heat” statements given that the material is a
photoresin and unless completely cured at the time of application
will continue to cure while exposed to actinic light.

cheers

Al Heywood

23

Hi all, I liked the “final word” post. I don’t think anyone can be
confused about what is or isn’t glass enamel. Nowhere does Gesswein
or do I claim that COLORiT is enamel. We clearly state it is a
polymer.

COLORiT is commonly compared to enamel in that they both serve the
purpose of adding color to jewelry. It’s up to the
manufacturer/seller to be sure their customer understands exactly
what they are getting.

I get lots of inquiries from jewelers who want to use color but
don’t have time for an education in glass enameling. Resins and
COLORiT are their answer. COLORiT is the next step in evolution of
this type of product line.

I’ve received some nice emails from Orchid subscribers and I thank
you for them. Whether it’s through Orchid or in private emails, I
also enjoy discussing these issues and I do appreciate honest
forthright opinions. Thank you. :slight_smile:

As I’ve explained to some of you, I’m going to be putting pictures
of COLORiT jewelry up on our website which is a new feature for the
website called “Additional Images”. But it looks like I can’t do
it until next week. Our applications specialist for COLORiT, Chuck
Duncan, is at AGTA in Tucson and I will have to wait until he’s back
to get his pics. I wanted to post pictures of the jewelry he has
made rather than simply repeating what is on the COLORiT
manufacturer’s website. He has made some very pretty and very
interesting, imho, designs using COLORiT.

We’re also going to be contacting COLORiT users and asking if we can
post some of their designs as well with due credit of course. I
think it’s most fun and most interesting to see the different
concepts that different jewelers come up with. Plus I think it gives
a better understanding of what the product can do.

And once again, as soon as I have the test reports from COLORiT, I
will post those as well.

Thanks again for the interest and the emails. :slight_smile:

Best Regards,
Elaine Corwin
VP Tech Services
Gesswein Co. Inc. USA

24

Elaine Thanks for clarifying that, we look forward to the results and
images. Some of us are just to busy to attend shows, and have to
rely on others knowledge and experience. That’s what makes this
forum so valuable. There are those in the enamel industry who use
both Ceramit and other plastic base “enamels” as well as vitreous
hard enamel and don’t make the distinction between them when selling
the finished product. They have misled their merchants by not
informing them of it and many times get in trouble because of it.
One in particular is using a non Virtuous enamel on white gold bands
and some other floral pins in yellow gold. The retailer has found
out the hard way when they try to solder or ultrasonically clean it
only to have it fall off or burn. The response from the manufacturer
is “I said it is all enamel, no need to distinguish between
soft(cold) and hard enamel” The minimum purchase from this
manufacturer is over $35,000 per year. He is really doing an
injustice to his customers.

Jim Mannella
www.uniqueandprecious.com & www.enamelart.com

25

AL Thanks for posting the site for
http://www.inovis.li/E_Willkommen.html and all that they have to say
about it. This is what I was looking for when I posted my question
about Gessweins product.

I really appreciate all the debate and that the group
has posted on this subject. I’m sure we are all better off knowing
what the difference is between plastic (polymers) and virtuous
ENAMEL. To those who choose to use Colorit, have fun creating and
presenting your art. The same with those using vitreous Enamel, both
have qualities that can deliver what it is we are looking for. Just
make sure the person who purchases your creation is aware of the
materials used and the care needed for long enjoyment. Now lets all
get back to work and give the people what they want and deserve.

Jim Mannella Artist, Craftsman and Jeweler.

26 
    COLORiT is commonly compared to enamel in that they both serve
the purpose of adding color to jewelry. It's up to the
manufacturer/seller to be sure their customer understands exactly
what they are getting.

It’s also up to the seller, in this case Gesswein, on behalf of whom
you speak Elaine, to offer comments based on knowledge and not on
opinion. Our industry is based largely on trust at all levels, and
buyers and users of a product would be entitled to assume that the
“VP Tech Services” in an organisation would be offering facts, not
just opinions.

Your statement in this public forum Wednesday 6th last that:
“Certainly COLORiT is … indeed much more durable than enamel”
is, to give you the benefit of the doubt, simply uninformed, as was a
similar statement here on Tuesday 29 January: " Without a doubt,
COLORiT is harder and more durable than enamel, ceramit or resins."

Again, in the same email ( Tuesday 29th January) : “It’s much
harder than enamel … or resins.” Elaine, Colorit is itself a
resin composite, albeit one which is cured by actinic light.

And this gem on the same day: “It means a lot less throwaways, a lot
less returns, a lot less repairs” I can see that statement coming
back to haunt you in a couple of years time. (There are a number of
reasons why I think this will happen and I’m happy to discuss them
offline if anyone’s interested).

A smart marketer would be looking for attributes unique to this
class of photoresin and using them to sell their product - e.g. "
cutting edge space-age resin technology", “unique, exciting colours”,
“light weight material”, “acid and alkali resistant” etc etc.
instead of offering spurious comparisons designed to enhance sales of
one product at the expense of another.

cheers

Al Heywood

27

Having worked with several different types of resins and “glass
enamel”, I can tell you there is a tremendous difference in the
different products available. The fragile aspects of most are not
suitable for many applications. (Men’s rings, eating and serving
implements, etc.) It is also very hard to get a high polish on some
of the resins without burning the surface with a buffer. Glass
enameling is great for some pieces and the skill it takes to put out
fine pieces should be admired by all. It also takes skill and
craftsmanship to apply other forms of “enamel” and that too should be
admired. I for one am happy to know that there is a material out
there, that will hold up on teeth, that can be used on jewelry and
wood art. My only concern is the seemingly high cost of startup for
Colorit. Hopefully that will change.

JewelWood Studio Jack McDaniel POB 1409 4705 240th St SE Bothell WA
98041 (425) 486-9205