Jewelry Journal: Incorporating 24K into a Sterling Piece- March 2001 Lapidary Journal Project

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist: Gems, Beads, Jewelry Making and more

gold and silver piece Incorporating 24K into a Sterling Piece
BY EMMA PATTEN-HITT
Metals Project for beginners.

If you are like most beginners, you may balk at the thought of incorporating gold into your work. To accidentally destroy a piece of sterling is not a disaster, but gold is another story! There are many reasons why gold has been favored as a metal for centuries. Its advantages include color, luster, indestructibility, and the fact that it does not tarnish.

You can make your dollars stretch further when working with gold by fusing a thin layer of 24K gold over sterling sheet metal. The final piece will have the appearance of 24K at only a fraction of the cost of the full-fledged version.

This project will demonstrate how to make a ring from 2 strips of sterling sheet metal, 1 of which is covered with 24K gold, called ìdoublet.î You can carve out a design of your choice or leave the top layer uncut for a simple gold band.

• 18- or 20-gauge sterling sheet
• Paper
• 2.25g 24K casting grain
• Charcoal soldering block
• Pickle pot
• Flux
• Rolling mill
• Flat-nose pliers
• Medium and soft silver solder
• Torch
• Container of water • Rawhide mallet
• Silver bezel wire or fine-silver sheet
• Drill
• Files
• Rouge or tripoli and buffs
• Bezel pusher
• Jeweler’s saw
• Mandrel
• Scrubbing Pad
• Stone to be set in ring

For information on supplies, please see the Annual Buyers' Directory.
Always ask for the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for any materials you buy, which will give you reactivity, health hazard, and safe handling data.

Dr. Emma Patten-Hitt is a freelance science writer based in Atlanta, Georgia who enjoys making jewelry whenever she can. Her Web site address is www.EmmaScienceWriter.com.

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