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Looking for a jeweler to make custom shade gold alloy

notmyhalo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
4
Has anyone ever had a jeweler create a custom alloy to make a specific shade not typically found in stores? I am trying to find a jeweler to do this, and I would love to get a recommendation if anyone has and was pleased with the results.

I've fallen in love with the idea of rose gold for my wedding set, but the typical 14k is too dark on my skin tone. I would love the colour to be a pale pink, something between white gold and 10k/14k rose. Naturally, I've been able to find examples of this colour in abundance in various mystery metals, but not in a proper 14k alloy. I'm thinking it should be possible to achieve a pale rose colour at >= 14k, since 18k white gold exists. Anything wrong with this line of reasoning? Is there anything to be wary of/ask the jeweler? I realize it would make future repairs difficult, maybe it's possible to buy an extra little bit of the alloy just in case?
 

distracts

Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Oct 11, 2011
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6,131
Most jewelers don't alloy their own golds (as I'm sure you've found out) so it's going to be hard to find one a) who does, and b) is willing to take on the risk of an uncommon alloy. The issue with uncommon alloys is that they might react, well, in unusual ways. Usually rose gold is gold, copper, and maybe silver (which when alloyed with gold alone makes green gold). I've not heard of anything else being used. So they'd have to find a metal that works well with both the gold and the copper to produce the color you want, and which will be structurally sound enough to work (whether casting or handforging), polish, and endure wear - which could require some trial and error, and definitely isn't as straightforward as just mixing a white gold alloy 50/50 with a rose gold one. I imagine this process would greatly increase the cost of your ring as you'd have to pay for the research and trials that went into it.

Niessing has a bunch of gold colors, maybe one of them appeals ("Rosewood" looks to be a light pink):
http://niessing.com/en/uber-uns/niessing-colors/
 

notmyhalo

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
4
Thanks, I was more or less afraid of that answer :) I have browsed Niessing's website before. Rosewood looks promising, but I couldn't get past their unusual designs - I'm really after the most classic tiffany solitaire. I believe they have a showroom in NY, I will still stop by next time I'm in the city.
 

AdaBeta27

Brilliant_Rock
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Joined
Sep 7, 2004
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1,077
Karl_K|1483106387|4110689 said:
18k light pink casting alloy
You could contact them and see if they can tell you of someone who has worked with it.
http://www.carreracasting.com/services/castingsselection.aspx?ids=2431,1248,1250,2432,1251#tabs-4

That's a really interesting analyzer they show in their video. I had to laugh at @ "looking for nickel" while they show the person pointing at everything except the nickel result, and landing on the the silver (Ag) component, though. :lol:
 

rocks

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 13, 2003
Messages
863
Reinstein ross peach gold....they do custom work, but I don't think they do tiffany style solitaires.
 

Victor Canera

Shiny_Rock
Trade
Joined
Oct 8, 2010
Messages
261
denverappraiser|1483215053|4111145 said:
PM West has a lot of cool alloys and a service to jewelers for custom blending. They only work through jewelers, and it's a little pricey, but they can make pretty much any recipe that you and your jeweler can agree on.

https://www.preciousmetalswest.com/gold-casting-grains/

I would second DevnerAppraiser's recommendation.
PM West offers a ton of different alloys and mixtures a jeweler could use. Plus, they're cool guys. We used them the other day to purchase rose gold solder and they couldn't be any friendlier.
 
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