Peter W.. Rowe, schrieb:
On Tue, 05 Jul 2005 18:16:56 -0700, in =A4=07=F5 "m4816k"
wrote:
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14k vs. 18k?
Palladium vs. nickel?

Which brings the best white color? Thanks!


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As other posts will have suggested, there are lots of mixed feelings ab=
out white
gold. Abrasha's comment in particular sums up the feelings of many, in=
cluding
myself.
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Nevertheless, while white golds can be highly unpopular with those who =
actually
have to work with the stuff, it remains popular enough with those who b=
uy and sell
jewelry made with it, since they're not the folks who have to struggle =
to make the
metal do what is desired.
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In general, the palladium based white gold alloys are usually reasona=
bly
workable, but have a tendancy towards a darker color, variously describ=
ed as
brownish or yellowish. But this isn't universal. Depending on the pa=
rticular
alloy, some are better color than others, generally in my experience, =
at the
expense of that workability. If you don't mind the darker toned color=
, some of
the palladium based white golds can be decent enough to work with. You=
still have
issues with solders being different hardness or color, and frequent pr=
oblems with
porosity in casting, depending on your casting methods, but nevertheles=
s, it can
be workable.
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Nickle based white golds are different. They vary a great deal in colo=
r, from
decidely yellowish, to very very white. The very white alloys can be a=
lmost the
same color as platinum, and get that by very high percentages of nickle=
=2E These,
unlike most other white golds, are white enough so as to not require or=
benefit
from rhodium plating. However, in general, whether they are workable o=
r not
depends on whether one is talking to a goldsmith or a metals dealer. T=
he sellers
will present them as workable, and they can indeed be cast, and with go=
od
equipment, rolled and drawn, etc. But if you talk to the goldsmiths (m=
any of us)
you'll find a degree of hate and disgust that may amaze you. The bette=
r color
white golds, especially the high nickle 18K alloys, can be actually har=
der than
your steel tools (I have hammers with distinct dents in them from the w=
hite gold),
and brittle enough and unpredictable enough as to be sometimes almost u=
nworkable.
I know at least one diamond setter who actually quit his job when his e=
mployer
switched to these alloys. He said he simply could not raise beads in t=
he stuff,
and it was ruining his hammer handpiece, his hands, and his self confid=
ence. he
quit and went somewhere else, where they were working mostly in platinu=
m. Now
he's a happy camper... And I myself have had jobs where I was supposed=
to
fabricate something in these white golds where, after multiple tries to=
get the
metal to cooperate, I've simply given up and made the thing in platinum=
=2E Platinum
is more costly, of course, but I figured the time it was going to save =
would make
up the difference. I always, by the way, tell my employer when I've do=
ne this,
making sure he understands the economics of his decision to specify whi=
te gold in
these orders, in the no doubt vain hope that someday he'll agree with m=
e and just
dump the stuff. hasn't happened yet.
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So what's the best white gold? =20
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That's easy. Platinum.

I agree with the suggesgion of Platinum. However there is a run to=20
highest purity. And especially these Platinum alloys migth be made with=20
cobalt. This one is greyish and not at all attrakive white. Very nice is =

Platinum with 12,5 % Iridium and/or a little bit copper for better=20
casting or soldering.

Last week i used a 14 karat whitegold with palladium and a little bit=20
copper and nickel. The result was a very fine white, fair to cast,=20
reasonable hard, very good to warp and perfect to polish.

So I can=B4t find that white gold is rubbish. Sometimes by melting or=20
alloying whitegold is more delicate to get brittle.

Mit freundlichem Gru=DF,
Heinrich Butschal

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