Recasting scrap white gold for a custom jewellery piece

[lilaoc]

I do not know all that much about technicalities of gold jewellery making. Recently I decided to have a custom piece done using some gemstones I had.
The jeweller is a true artist, his creations are very inspiring and I am excited to get everything going. However, the cost of 14k white gold he quoted seemed a little high to me, and after looking up some scrap that is selling on ebay, I see that I could get that much for about a third of what he quoted. When I asked him about reusing my own gold pieces, he said that in general, this has a 50/50 chance of either looking just as good as new gold or looking like porous Swiss cheese, because it is unknown if that gold was recast before. He also mentioned that during casting he would need 10g more of that gold, because of the way that casting is done, but that I would get those 10g back. This would effectively double the amount I need to spend up front, but would still cost less than agreeing to his gold prices. I realize that if I buy estate pieces on ebay to make up that total weight I need (~20g) the gold alloys are going to be a bit different, but I do not know of that is a bad thing.
Do not want to sound cheap, but saving $400 on a $1500 project looks very tempting.

Can anyone comment on this? Are these valid concerns?

Thanks in advance.

 

[eac]

I think you want to read this thread here for more information.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/melting-down-old-jewellery.63721/

Also, 20g is a lot of gold!

Why don''t you ask about 10k white gold to save some money?

 

[lilaoc]

Thanks for link. They mention in that thread that white gold is "whole other and very complicated story" but nothing more specific.

20g is quite a bit, but I will get 10g back anyway. Not that I have any particular use for it, but still.

I do not want to use 10k, as the piece will have diamonds in it and I am reluctant to have them set in below 14k.

If anybody had any experiences melting down white gold for new pieces, please share!

 

[neatfreak]

White gold has so much other "stuff" in it besides gold I would be really worried about it. But maybe one of the appraisers will chime in. They''d be your best bet for real knowledge.

 

[eac]

I have to ask: what is this piece of jewelry? I am curious, and the answer may also impact whether remelt/recycled gold is a good idea.

 

[lilaoc]

Date: 1/15/2008 8:16:47 PM
Author: eac
I have to ask: what is this piece of jewelry? I am curious, and the answer may also impact whether remelt/recycled gold is a good idea.

It will be a pendant with a large interesting (I really cannot express in words the look of that crystal) quartz and diamonds - one relatively big one and mellee. Gold will be for the setting for all of it and some decorative things using his own technique of working on metals. When I get it done, will certainly post it !

 

[somethingshiny]

My grandma has pieces cast all the time. They do ask for a bit more gold than necessary, but I''m not sure how much. She always used YELLOW gold for casting, and then has them rhodium plate it after it''s complete. They''ve told her they won''t melt down white gold because of the many alloys it contains.

 

[sparklegrrl]

I''ve never seen the result of anything made with recycled gold, but at my work, we don''t use customer''s gold for actually making their piece (unless of course they insist for sentimental reasons). We use it for solder & customer is given a voucher for the gold that they bring in (money towards custom-make or anything in the store), if they want to try to save money. We don''t want to take the chance that the product will look awful & then have the customer yell at us - which would then result in having to remake it from scratch anyways. I know people get it done all the time with yellow, but with white, i dunno.... not sure if I would take the chance either way myself.