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Acid copper vs. nickel in gold plating process
October 30, 2011
Hello, I'm a jewelry designer from Israel. My jewelry are sold online (I have about 600 online sales this year)and all my customers are from United States.
Most of my jewelry are made of gold plated brass.
The current plating I have is: 18k yellow gold / 0.5 micron / nickel free.
Recently the factory which make the plating for me suggested me to change the plating to "no nickel at all" - instead of the small amount of nickel on the nickel free formula they use acid copper.
I would like to know if this change can effect my jewelry looking and quality.
And also - does a copper acid base plating stay on jewelry less or more than the nickel free plating?
Thank you so much!
Jewelry designer - Tel Aviv, Israel
If you plate gold over brass or copper, the gold will eventually diffuse into the underlying metal and you will no longer have a gold surface. A thin layer of nickel prevents this diffusion, and is essential under gold plating. Copper is not an acceptable substitute for nickel.
Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
First of two simultaneous responses -- October 31, 2011
Second of two simultaneous responses -- November 1, 2011
Ask your supplier to plate two samples with the coatings on offer and see if you like the result.
Adhesion should not be a problem.
Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
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