Welcome to Jewelry Tips

Compounds & Effects - Mercury

Sometimes used to gild silver or used in the refining of gold and silver. Mercury is a cumulative poison affecting the nervous system, kidneys, and brain.

Sterling Alloy

925 parts fine silver, 75 parts copper

Electrum Alloy

50 parts fine silver, 50 parts gold

Compounds & Effects - Beryllium

Chronic ulcers may result from skin contact. Berylliosis, a severe pneumonia-like disease, is caused by exposure to small amounts and can be fatal. Inhalation may cause bronchogenic cancer.

Compounds & Effects - Britannia Metal

Skin contact may cause lesions and ulcers. Inhalation can cause respiratory irritation, possible pneumonia, liver, and kidney damage, and possible heart damage.

Stone Alignment

When setting colored stones, it is extremely important to place the stone in the mounting in exactly the same position each time you test fit the stone while cutting the seat. This is due to the fact that most colored stones are cut irregularly. To assist you in
this placement, draw a line on the crown of the stone with a fine tip marker. Then line-up this mark with a distinctive design element of the mounting, a similar mark with a felt tip marker on the mounting, or a mark made on the holder holding the mounting (such as a deep file mark filed into your ring clamp). When finished setting, any remaining ink can be removed with alcohol.

Renewing Burrs

If you´re sick of throwing your worn burrs away, try this: First, clean your worn burrs thoroughly.I use a 20% sodium hydroxide solution warmed on a hot plate followed by steam cleaning. Dip the cleaned burrs in concentrated nitric acid and let the acid work for a half minute or less, then steam clean again. Your burrs should be sharpened. Nitric acid doesn´t work on high speed steel and some other metals. The burrs will be slightly smaller each time you repeat the process. The results are just short of miraculous.

Shibuichi Alloy

Copper - 51-68%
Silver - 32-49%
Gold - 1-10% or less

Compounds & Effects - Casting Investment

Manufacturers use a variety of fine particled materials, some of which may be hazardous. Some investment components deteriorate at high kiln temperatures and give off toxic fumes.

Hard Soldering Flux Recipe

50 grams boric acid crytals
32 grams sodium phosphate
34 grams powdered borax
1 pint distilled water.

Mix and bring to a boil.

Compounds & Effects - Sulfuric Acid

A highly toxic acid used to clean metal. It is corrosive to the skin, eyes, respiratory system, and stomach. Ingestion may be fatal. The heated acid releases toxic sulfur oxide gases.

Compounds & Effects - Asbestos

Human carcinogen. Inhalation can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, intestinal, and stomach cancer. Ingestion may be fatal.

18K Yellow Gold Alloy

75% fine gold
12.5% fine silver
12.5% copper

Compounds & Effects - Alcohol, Ethyl

Ingestion causes intoxication. Chronic ingestion can result in liver damage. Denatured ethyl alcohol contains methyl alcohol, making it poisonous.

Compounds & Effects - Shell, Gem, and Wood Dust

Dust produced by cutting, grinding, or polishing these materials can always be a potential eye hazard. Free silica in some stones can cause silicosis. Some contain asbestos and toxic metallic oxides. Some wood dust can result in skin irritation, allergies, and over long periods, nasal and nasal sinus cancer.

Compounds & Effects - Alcohol, Methyl

Inhalation and skin absorption causes stupor and unconsciousness, nervous system damage and possibly liver and kidney damage. Ingestion can result in blindness or death.

Channel Setting Helper

When channel setting stones, to help keep the gems in place while hammering or burnishing, sticky wax can become your helper. After putting stones in place, drag a bit of sticky wax across the stone toward the channel wall. This will allow a little build-up of wax that will hold the gem in place. Continue setting procedures as usual, and after the stone feels tightly in place, use a steamer to blast the wax out of the channel. The channel may need some additional tightening at this point, as small bits of wax residue have been removed and will leave a minor void. This is a great way to keep your stones from going into orbit during the setting process!

Compounds & Effects - Alcohol, Isoamyl

Absorbed through the skin, it can cause digestive and nervous system damage. Acute inhalation or ingestion can be fatal.

Compounds & Effects - Ammonia

Ingestion is intensely painful and injurious to the mouth and esophagus, and can be fatal. Inhalation of vapors can cause respiratory irritation and pulmonary edema. Vapors may also damage the eyes. Skin contact should be avoided.