[Jewelry making - Article 00320] - Re: [Orchid] Article: Minimal Metalsmithing

[Ian W. Wright]

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    While the subject of metal clay is getting such a good airing I
    wonder if I can ask a question of the experts on the list. Would it
    be possible to use the 24 carat gold metal clay to reproduce fire
    gilding (mercurial gilding)? As you know, I do a lot of restoration
    work on 17th and 18th century pocket watches in which the brass parts
    were almost always gold plated by the mercurial process - a process
    which is very much frowned on nowadays. I have tried many times to
    get a realistic appearance on new parts by pre-texturing the metal
    and carefully masking off parts of the brass before electro gilding (
    the mercurial gilding was only ever applied to the visible parts of
    the various components and usually 'runs over' onto the underside in
    a characteristic way ). However, apart from not getting a convincing
    coverage pattern, the colout and texture of the gold are always just
    a bit wrong - the original gold seems to be a much richer yellow than
    I can achieve and, even though I texture the metal to try to simulate
    the 'surface roughness' and thickness of the original gold plating,
    the finish I get is always too even to be realistic. So, is it
    possible to apply a very thin layer to a piece of brass sheet and
    fuse it on without either the brass melting or the gold pulling away
    as it cools? 

Best wishes,
Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK
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