Yellow skin on rose gold

Hi Everyone,

I have a 14k rose gold that was textured and formed into a ring. In
the annealing and soldering process the ring turned yellow. I was
pretty sure I would be able to remove the yellow with super pickle.
No luck, is there any way to remove the yellow short of sanding. I
realize that the yellow is a gold layer, we messed up but have a deep
square pattern that we are trying to preserve.

Christine

I have never had pink or rose gold do that. You might try scrubbing
it with a brass brush and pumice or a steel wire brush with your
flexshaft.

That is all I got.

maybe a quick dip in “aquaregia” this will dissolve gold so and many
other metals so mask anything soldered since this will go faster, but
surely it will take a layer off, or try electro stripping,

Christine- Did you quench while hot it in water or pickle? Tripoli
with a stiff bristle brush should work if it’s just a surface
coating. If that doesn’t work try glass bead blasting, electro
striping it or just a warm cyanide bath.

Have fun and make lots of jewelry.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your suggestions.

We let the metal cool before quenching, but we didn’t cover the
whole surface in a protective layer just next to the solder seem to
keep the solder from flowing through the pattern. The protected area
was covered in white out that area and the solder seem stayed pink
while the rest of the ring turned yellow.

Ill report back early next week with what worked.

Thanks for all the suggestions!
Christine

Christine- It is my understanding that Rose gold must be quenched
after soldering or casting to keep it from becoming brittle.

Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com