[Jewelry making - Article 00159] - Re: [Orchid] Gesswein Colorit enameling unit

[Allan Heywood]

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>      and the word I  should have used was indeed "durable" to express
>     what I really  intended to. 
>
>     So let me restate more accurately.  Certainly COLORiT is ..... 
>     indeed much more durable than enamel. 

>     However it certainly looks like enamel and is more durable than
>     enamel. 

    g'day Elaine - if we are to start from a common base in this
    discussion it would be helpful to agree on some definitions. For
    example, how would you define "durable"? The simplest definition I
    could find was "durable. a. lasting, resisting wear. Common synonyms
    aRe: "abiding, constant, dependable, enduring, fast, firm,
    hard-wearing, persistent, reliable, resistant, sound, stable, strong,
    sturdy, substantial and tough. The same source defines "much" a. as:
    existing in quantity and "more". a. as:  greater in quantity or
    number. 

    If you accept that these are reasonable definitions I would ask you
    again to either present to the Forum the factual basis for your
    extraordinary claim or point us in the direction of the Standards
    facility that conducted the comparative tests on which you are
    basing this claim. 

    I've included for Orchidians a link to the website of the
    manufacturer of Colorit, Inovis Aktiengesellschaft , along with a few
    direct quotes from the site which are interesting as much for what
    they don't say as what they do. There are some good pictures of
    pieces embellished with Colorit in the "Fascination" section. 

    Inovis is a large, reputable company and nowhere on their excellent
    site do they even mention the word "enamel", let alone compare
    Colorit to enamel.  They, unlike over-enthusiastic salespeople
    (grins), are open to constant scrutiny and examination by their
    industry peers and regulatory bodies. 

    http://www.inovis.li/E_Willkommen.html 

    The information below was copied directly from this site, and the
    exclamation marks are theirs. The italics are mine. 

    "Colorit - The new colour system A growing number of consumers are
    very discerning and know exactly what they want. Expressing their
    individuality is important to them. Design and quality, therefore,
    play a key role in satisfying their requirements. The Colorit
    material from Inovis responds to this demand. On the basis of this
    newly developed ceramic-reinforced composite material, it is now
    possible to create colourful decorations for jewellery pieces and
    accessories in an innovative way. This new perspective offers
    additional sales opportunities for goldsmiths and jewellery
    workshops." 


    2. Fundamentals Optimum bond Mechanical and chemical bonding of
    Colorit! 

    mechanical: undercuts chemical: Colorit Link and Colorit Bond If
    surfaces are sandblasted (250 =B5), the colours are chemically bonded
    using Colorit Link If surfaces are ground or polished, the colours
    are chemically bonded using Colorit Link and Colorit Bond 

    Colorit Bond does not have to be used if the inlays are small.
    Undercuts, however, are imperative. Sandblast surface and use Colorit
    Link. 

    Undercuts are absolutely necessary for an optimum bond! Inlays must
    not be thinner than 0.8 mm! 

    5. Finishing 

    " Colorit can be ground, polished, sandblasted, or turned on a lathe
    (high rpms). Do not engrave Colorit with a hand tool! Machine
    engravings are possible at high rpms. 

    Do not heat Colorit inlays over 100 degrees centigrade! 

    Remove cured inlays by cutting or burning them out." 


    "Slight shrinkage 

    The fact that Colorit shrinks slightly must be taken into
    consideration when applying the material. Therefore, use a little
    more material than necessary and slightly overfill the cavity". 


    A wise craftsperson would think through the implications of the
    "shrinkage" and "heat" statements given that the material is a
    photoresin and unless completely cured at the time of application
    will continue to cure while exposed to actinic light. 


cheers

Al Heywood 

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