Author: depehz

In all precious metals for jewellery application, there is a desire for stronger, harder alloys, particularly at high finesses, that better meet the demanding conditions of modern lifestyles. There have been several attempts at developing improved strength alloys over the last 30 years, particularly for high carat golds. These have included use of titanium as an alloying metal to produce the gold – 1% titanium alloy, “990 gold”, and micro-alloying gold with calcium and the rare-earth metals. Despite good technical properties, such alloys have not met with significant commercial success and...

What makes a good solder? Is it flow or how it wets, hardness or ductility, strength or melt gap that is the most important quality, or is it a combination of all of these? There are many examples of jewelers who claim solder “A” is excellent but solder “B” is not so good, while others claim exactly the opposite. Why is this? Can we quantify the physical and mechanical properties of solders to predict which will be good and which will not? Can we predict from this information which solders are best suited to specific applications, or is it like the above statement and purely a subjective...

The presentation explores innovation in the jewelry industry with a particular emphasis on digital transformation. The aim is to analyze the many contemporary contexts of jewelry, highlighting the effects of digitalization on aesthetics, materials, and the processes they influence. During the talk, we will explore the key elements of digital transformation in the jewelry industry, emphasizing its impact on artistic expression, material selection, and production techniques. We will also present and discuss case studies that illustrate scenarios of innovation, showing how digital technology...

ED-XRF analysis techniques are becoming increasingly popular in the jewelry industry. The possibility of measuring a finished object of even complex shape, without destroying or ruining it, very quickly, is a unique attraction compared to other conventional techniques (e.g., ICP or fire assay). Despite their relative popularity, however, X-ray fluorescence-based techniques were generally relegated to a marginal role, limited to checking the rough composition, due to the perception that this type of measurement is inaccurate. Calibrating the analyzer with good references, choosing specific...

The presentation continues the work previously presented at TJS in 2023 and is focused on the usage of Binder Jet technology for production of jewelry in Silver 925 and Platinum 950 alloy powders. Results from the use of 3D binder jetting systems with different precious metals based powders at our laboratories in Bressanvido, Italy will be showed; the experience so far proves Binder Jetting to be a realistic player in the world of jewelry production by additive manufacturing, although still undergoing a learning curve.

Recently, the jewelry sector has also started to consistently employ steel, which represents a more economical but high-quality alternative to the precious alloys traditionally used in jewelry production. To achieve the same finishes already available on common jewelry alloys, surface treatments are necessary, which, however, can affect the steel’s structure, introducing corrosion phenomena and nickel release. This paper describes the current state of the art in galvanic and PVD finishing processes performed on steel, from surface activation to the types of finishes commonly used. In...

Alloy development plays a crucial role in the jewelry industry, aiming to achieve desired properties such as color, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. In this study, we explore the potential benefits of adopting strategies from other industries to enhance the alloy development process in jewelry manufacturing. This interdisciplinary approach integrates thermodynamic simulations and experimental high-throughput screening methods to accelerate the discovery and optimization of alloy compositions. Thermodynamic simulations are employed to predict phase stability, solidification...

The evolution of geopolitical risks and strategic considerations, expectations on monetary policies and inflation, changes in bond yields, and the relative strength of the US dollar are some of the factors that most influence the prices of gold and precious metals. How will these variables develop over the course of 2024 and what impact will they have on the prices? Analysis of the trends in the Italian goldsmith sector with a particular focus on the results in international markets in terms of trends and competitive positioning. Furthermore, the sector analysis will be integrated with...