Hi folks I know this is a somewhat narrow area of interest but I
just had it brought to my attention again today so I thought I would
climb up on my soapbox.
I had a young couple bring in a pair of mokume rings made by another
goldsmith today for me to look at. They were a gold and shakudo (an
alloy of copper and gold typically 4-6% gold) combination. I had to
tell them that shakudo is a very poor choice for a wedding ring or
for any ring that gets full time wear because it will corrode away
in very short order (1-5 years depending on the individuals body
chemistry and the environment it is exposed to). Another mokume
artist was kind enough to clue me into this years ago before I had
too many shakudo combination rings of my own out there and I
immediately stopped marketing them. I have since had a chance to
look at a couple of my shakudo combination rings that have come back
for sizing or other service. It is amazing how fast the shakudo is
etched away by the action of skin chemistry and environment. My
personal decision on what to do about this is to buy back or
exchange any shakudo ring I produced that a client wishes to return.
Mokume is gaining in popularity and I am seeing lots more people
making mokume wedding rings, many with copper, shakudo or shibuichi
elements none of which are stable enough for long term day to day
wear in a ring. Given the divorce rate you could make a joke about
the ring self destructing about the same time the marriage does,
however the vast majority of people do not enter into a marriage
with the idea that it will not last. I understand the attraction of
the color and historical significance that these metals provide but
silver, gold and platinum or stainless steel are much better choices
for laminates in a ring that is intended to be the symbol of a life
time union. I feel that it is important for us as the makers of
these symbolic rings to take into consideration how they are going
to wear and how well they will stand up to the rigors of day to day
wear along with the aesthetic issues of the design.
I realize that there are going to always be clients who don’t care
how durable the metals or stones are that they desire in their
rings, they want what they want. And as long as we disclose to them
what the issues are then it is their choice and they will have to
deal with the consequences of that choice. However I feel that we
must make them aware of the issues or it reflects badly not just on
the individual goldsmith but on the trade as a whole. It is exactly
the same as disclosing treated stones or fracture filled diamonds.
I take great pride in my mokume rings and I am sure that others who
make mokume rings feel the same way about their work. If that other
artist had not been kind enough to clue me in to the corrosion issue
I would have blithely continued to produce rings with shakudo in the
laminate.
I don’t want the term mokume ring to become synonymous with
something that falls apart in a short period of time. So please,
think about the materials you use in your work.
End of rant,
Jim
Jim Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
@James_Binnion
Member of the Better Business Bureau