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Q&As since 1989


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VACUUM COATING TO GOLD FILL JEWELRY

1999

DEAR SIR,

WE WANT TO DO GOLD FILLING ON THE JEWELRY MADE UP OF BRASS AND COPPER IN WHICH THE FILLING MUST PROLONG FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR.

INSTEAD OF ELECTROPLATING IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THROUGH VACCUM DEPOSITED THIN FILM COATINGS CAN THE LIFETIME OF COATING INCREASES WITH LESSER EXPENSE.

FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED THINGS WE REQUEST YOU TO SEND US CLARIFICATION ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS.

1. WHICH TYPE OF MACHINES ARE REQUIRED FOR VACCUM DEPOSITED THIN FILM COATINGS ON JEWELRY.

2. IN WHICH ALL CAPACITIES IS IT AVAILABLE.

3. WHAT ARE THE PRICES.

4. WHAT ARE THE EXPENSES INDULGED IN THE PROCESS.

5. WHO MAKES THESE TYPE OF PLANTS.

IF YOU NEED ANY further CLARIFICATIONS ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED POINTS THEN PLEASE LET US KNOW.

THANKING YOU,

YOURS FAITHFULLY,

NALIN H. VASA

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Copper and brass jewelry, for many years, was plated with bright nickel, then with the thinnest of gold plating, just enough to color.

Nowadays, with the problem with nickel dermatitis, other base coats are probably being used, such as copper and tin alloys. Tell us what you mean by "the coatings must last one year". Under what conditions? e.g., against the skin, some kind of abrasion/wear test, loss of the gold color?

The usual way to get more out of the gold deposit is to put more into it (thickness). There are beautiful gold coatings being applied to plumbing hardware, but from reading other letters on that subject, the capital expense is quite high.

  
Tom Pullizzi
Falls Township, Pennsylvania
1999