Knowledge about gold plating materials and metal wires

Sep 03, 2023

I believe that many of you have heard the saying “all that glitters is gold”. This sentence can not only be used to describe gold, but also applies to the field of jewelry. In recent years, due to factors such as the international situation, the price of gold has continued to rise. Jewelry makers and engravers began to look for alternative materials that would have the look and feel of gold while saving costs.

Gold plating can solve this problem very well, but I am confused about the actual application of gold plating. Let me explain it to you next.

At first glance, the term "gold-plated wire" is very misleading. It feels like it is made entirely of gold. In fact, gold-plated wire is made of an outer layer of pure gold wrapped with an inner layer of other metals (such as brass). It looks golden in appearance and is no different from real gold. It has the color and appearance of real gold. Even the touch feels the same, because its outermost layer is indeed real gold.

The difference between real gold and gold plating

When comparing the difference between real gold and gold-plated jewelry, there is no difference in appearance, but there is an essential difference. Gold-plated jewelry simply has a very thin outer shell of gold, with a negligible thickness. In contrast, real gold jewelry is indeed made entirely of gold from the inside out. How is gold plating made? Gold is mechanically bonded to other metal cores, such as brass. It is necessary to ensure that the gold will not fall off easily after the bonding is completed. When it comes to gold plating, there are many different classifications, such as "rolled gold", "gold bonding" and other different terms. No matter which way you say it, if it is labeled as gold-plated, then the outermost layer of gold must account for at least 5% of the weight, otherwise it cannot be called gold-plated.

Understanding Gold Filled Sheet, Wire, and Chain.

Cost of Solid Gold Wire and Gold Plated Wire

In the choice of gold wire, the cost difference between solid real gold wire and gold-plated wire is huge. The greater the cost difference when choosing a thicker and longer gold wire. At this time, the advantages of gold-plated wire are particularly obvious, which can save costs very well. , a very good cost-saving choice.

density

There is a certain difference in density between solid gold wire and gold-plated wire. A solid gold wire with the same diameter of 1 mm and a length of 12 feet weighs about 1 ounce, or 32 grams. A gold-plated wire of the same length and diameter weighs 25.5 grams. The density of gold is relatively high. This is also why the quality of pure gold wire is greater. Therefore, this feature has a good advantage in quality when engraving and making some larger works. It will be much lighter than pure gold items of the same volume. Suppose we To make a ring of the same quality, the gold-plated ring can be made larger.

Although gold plating is very attractive in terms of cost, not everyone can easily accept it. The key lies in not knowing how to use it correctly. So we should pay attention to the following mutual matters.

1.Wire

The wire is used for electrical conduction and is formed by gold wrapping brass. But if you need to cut off the wire, the brass at the end of the wire will be exposed. At the same time, when you need to weld two wires, you have to consider how to solder the two ends reasonably. In this case, the effect of making wires is Not ideal, unless it's a complete length of wire, make sure not to cut mid-solder.

2.Metal sheets

When you consider gold-plated metal sheets, you need to consider that when the edges are sliced, the brass will be exposed. The gold plating only covers the surface. You need to consider how to hide the exposed brass on the edges.

3.Polishing

When using gold-plated products, remember not to over-polish. As mentioned earlier, gold plating only occupies a very thin layer on the surface and can only withstand light polishing. Excessive use of abrasives such as sandpaper can easily damage the surface gold layer, causing the internal metal to be exposed. When using a polishing machine, you should polish lightly at low speed, or use a soft brass brush or soapy water to clean the surface. You can also choose a special gold polishing cloth.

Understanding Gold Filled Sheet, Wire, and Chain.

important hint

When using metal wire, you can use nylon jaw tools to prevent tool cutting marks from leaving on the metal wire. When using metal sheets, you can use the plastic covering provided by the manufacturer to protect the metal. Do not tear off the protective film easily. When dealing with other parts, you can cover the exposed metal with tape, which can very effectively protect the metal surface. At the same time, when working, clean up metal debris in time to prevent scratching the metal surface.