SHOW: Necklaces 57
Title: Necklace.
General: This Sterling Silver necklace is Cast and Fire Gilt with 24K
Gold. The stone is hand carved Cooper Pedy white Opal. The
pendant is titled "Anima".
Material: Sterling Silver, 24K Gold.
Gem: White Opal
Method: Constructed, Cast, Fire Gilt.
Finish: Polished.
Mechanics:
Designer: W.van Heeckeren.
Craftsman: W.van Heeckeren.
This item was a one off, as the colour in the Opal determined how it was cut.
Price: AUS $ 10000.00.
STERLING SILVER is a binary Silver alloy consisting of:
925 parts/1000 Pure Silver and
75 parts/1000 Pure Copper.
Annealing temperature: 750 degrees Celsius.
Melting Temperature: 950 degrees Celsius.
Wal.
24 K GOLD is a pure precious metal:
1000 parts/1000 Pure GOLD.
Annealing temperature: 800 degrees Celsius.
Melting Temperature: 1062 degrees Celsius.
Wal.
CASTING is a method by which moulten metal is poured into a mold
in order to achieve the desired shape. In the "Lost
Wax" method, an accurate wax model is made. The wax
model is invested (put in a chrystobalite plaster),
after the investment has set, the wax is burned out in
a Kiln. This leaves a negative cavity into which the
moulten metal may be poured.
Wal.
Fire gilding is a method of applying Gold to the
surface of an object. 24K Gold is dissolved in
mercury, and the resulting amalgam is rubbed onto
the surface where the Gold is to be applied. The
mercury takes the gold into the surface of the
silver and the mercury is then driven off with
heat. This creates a permanent bond between the
Gold and the Silver. The gold is then polished with
a burnisher.
Mercury vapour is poisonous, and should be handled
in a fume cupboard. The fumes must not be inhaled.
Wal.
Burnishing is an old method of polishing metal. By rubbing
the surface of the metal to be polished with a
highly polished piece of steel called a burnisher,
the surface itself becomes polished.
Wal.