Low Melting Temprature White Gold

I asked a few questions a while back about soldering. I could get it
to flow, but it always went around the joint instead of through it.
Those problems are now solved with the use of Handy flux, better
heat control, and “light tight” joints. Today while sizing a 10k
white gold ring from our local Wal-Mart, the ring started to melt
before my medium Stuller solder even got close to melting. Something
from the ring flowed in the joint and there were localized melted
places that looked like solder as far as 15mm away from my joint.
The ring didn’t ever melt enough to lose shape, it just had what
looked to be like solder in it. I cut through the joint again and
tried 1200 ultra easy solder and it flowed right at the same time
the shank started to shimmer like it was melting again. I’ve done
more white gold rings today and have had no problems so it seems to
be that ring. Has anyone else had this problem before?

Hi Dennis,

My experience with 18k nickel white gold alloys is that they are as
springy as precious metal can get. try making a part then heat to
annealing temp briefly (just a few seconds) and quench a bit
prematurely if that isn’t hard enough for you you can work harden in
a pin finisher or hammer it a little.

Bruce