[Jewelry making - Article 00838] - Re: [Orchid] Using bi-metal

[Beth Rosengard]

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Hi Noel,  

>       This doesn't make sense to me. Gold fill is on base metal. With
>     bimetal, there is no brass, only silver and gold. 

    Gold fill is defined by specific percentages of gold to whatever
    other metal is present; it doesn't have to be brass although, since
    it customarily is, we tend to make that assumption.  The stamp for
    gold fill is expressed as a percentage such as 14/20GF.  I wish I
    could remember the correct expression for 22k/silver bimetal, aka
    gold fill, but it escapes me (weight and/or volume are involved and I
    can't remember how it works).  A call to Reactive Metals about this
    would probably clear it up. 

>     Vermeil, as far as I know, is not stamped as gold fill--is it? 

    No, because it isn't.  In the old days, vermeil used to denote a
    particular percentage of gold to silver which I believe was higher
    than with gold fill. Nowadays, the term is loosely used to describe
    any coating of silver with gold and it's usually more akin to gold
    plate than gold fill. 

>     In any case, logically, my fused gold-to-silver pieces would then
>     also have to be stamped gold fill. 

    Not unless the gold completely masks the silver and in the proper
    percentages.  If you're talking about keum boo or some other kind of
    overlay design, it's a different situation. 

>     As long as there is no hidden base metal, it is accurate (even if
>     not legal) to stamp bimetal for its gold and its silver content. 

    Well now...if you're talking about accuracy rather than legality,
    you can stamp it as you see fit.  I too used to stamp my bimetal
    pieces both 22k and SS, but I also knew it wasn't legal. 

>     The purpose of the law is to force disclosure of what is actually
>     there, and stamping with both metals does that. 

    Not if the piece is 95% silver and 5% gold, it doesn't! 

>     Are we sure about this? 

    Reasonably so :-). 

Beth              

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