[Jewelry making - Article 00034] - Re: [Orchid] Use Copper in Jewelry...

[James Binnion]

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    Galvanic corrosion is the culprit. When you pair two metals and an
    electrolyte (sweat, tap water, pool water sea water, etc) you in
    effect create a battery the cathodic end (the more noble metal) is
    protected and the anodic end (the less noble metal) corrodes away.
    This is why they place zinc anodes on ships the zinc preferentially
    corrodes away rather than the iron or bronze parts. The speed of
    this corrosion is determined by a whole bunch of variables so it is
    hard to say how fast the corrosion will occur. But in my experience
    copper alloys paired with gold in rings and bracelets are very fast
    reactions. Silver is less noble than gold and is closer to copper on
    the galvanic series (http://www.corrosion-club.com/galvseries.htm)
    so it will be a slower reaction but it will occur. Bracelets are less
    subject to wet conditions than rings but I have had a couple of gold
    and shakudo bracelets that have come back in for one reason or
    another and the corrosion is evident. If the bracelet is lined with
    silver as you are describing I would guess that the corrosion would
    be limited but I would not make any rings that way. In the end it is
    up to you. If I were you I would make a bracelet for your own use and
    wear it constantly and observe how it ages. Some customers will
    probably have greater corrosion and some less but at least it will
    give you a reference point. 

    There is no reliable way to limit the effect, coatings will work for
    a while but as soon as any break occurs in the coating surface the
    corrosion will begin and will be focused on the holes in the coating
    making it even more noticeable.

Jim

James Binnion
jbin AT mokume-gane.com
James Binnion Metal Arts
http://www.mokume-gane.com
360-756-6550


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