An alloy is a mixture of metals, and almost all gold jewelry is produced from alloys. Pure gold (also known as 24 karat) is a very soft and malleable metal, too soft to be practical for most jewelry purposes. The addition of other metals such as silver, copper, and zinc increase the hardness. The mixture of metals also changes the color and other qualities.The karat number (e.g. 14 karat or 18 karat) indicates how much of the alloy is made of gold, and how much comes from other metals.
The formulas for fine metal alloys are typically a closely guarded secret. Although the percentage of gold relative to the other materials remains constant, the exact amount of the other components is part of each metallurgist's proprietary formula. Minute changes in the proportions can drastically change the properties.
Dave’s fascination with casting and metallurgy led him to begin studying metal alloys on his own. During his apprenticeship with master jeweler Thaddeus Hutten, he honed his technique and developed a better understanding of the different properties of various alloys.
The alloys that we use in our jewelry are the result of years of experimentation. The 14K is designed to look like a higher karat metal. Our white gold is alloyed with palladium so that it is hypo-allergenic and doesn’t require rhodium plating. We love the alloys we’re working with now but Dave continues to experiment with new formulations to see what he can achieve.
Our overarching goal for alloys is to create material that is versatile enough to be used successfully in casting, fabrication, and forging - all techniques that we make use of in house.
Dave tries to bring out the best aesthetically in all of the metals. Every one of our alloys is a result of trial and error to achieve the best aesthetics, versatility, and to make the alloys appear as high in gold content as possible.
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