Opaqure enamel on 14K or 18K yellow gold

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello all!

I am wanting to opaque enamel on yellow gold and was hoping to get
some advice.

(project would be opaque enamel on the top of a cast mens signet
ring)

  • does anyone have a recommendation for a caster (or metals
    supplier) that uses zinc-free 14K or 18K yellow gold?

  • or, is it possible to use opaque enamel on 14K or 18K yellow gold
    with contains zinc?

  • if it is possible to opaque enamel on 14K or 18K yellow gold which
    contains zinc, what is the maximum amount of zinc that can be used
    that will result in a successful enamel.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Best Regards,
Julie

2

Hi Julie

you are quite correct in that too much zinc makes the enamel ping. I
researched this a few years ago after a bad experience with a 9ct
gold casting, and have a vague memory of reading 9% is the limit.

In the UK, Niagara Falls Castings in Warwick are brilliant at
casting for enamelling, and Heans Studio are also very well
respected.

Casting under inert gas (rather than gravity casting) also reduces
the risk of small air bubbles and a porous casting throwing off the
enamel.

I wonder though why you want to use opaque on gold, rather than a
transparent which would show off the precious metal rather than
covering it? Wishing you happy enamelling Tamizan

3

I too am wondering, like Tam, why you would want to cover high karat
yellow gold with an opaque enamel? the colour range that is possible
with high karat yellow under transparent or translucent colours is
amazing and the effects one can get are equally inspiring!..rer

4

Julie…try depletion guilding the gold several times to bring the
fine gold to the surface…same as enamelists do with sterling
before doing champleve. Try it on a test piece first. Because of
possible small bubbles in the casting you may want to use a smaller
enamel grain size. Say,300. After depleting soak the piece in water
and baking soda to get ride of any possible pickle residue.

Chris

5

Many commercial casting houses have a non-zinc 18K alloy for
enamelling. Often they just call it enamel gold.

Call around.

Elliot Nesterman

6

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in my reply. I just wanted to say Thanks for the
advice!

Best Regards,
Julie