The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-30
Making Cheap Jewelry.

"Plated jewelry is far more service
able than rolled gold jewelry," said
Mr. Charles Faas. "Rolled plate is
made by sweating down the gold on
the metal. In process of that kind
about the thickness of very thin tissue
paper is used. This process was used
because the name was newer and more
taking than plated but it is not
much practiced nowadays.
Red gold, as you call it, is simply
an alloy of gold and copper; the parts
can be Just the same as in an alloy of
gold and silver-just so much as is nee
essary to harden gold to a given point.
"Alloy is combination of metals
with each other, except when mercury is
aconstituent, in which case the combina-
ton is called an amalgam; thus, bronze
is an alloy of copper and tin, brass
an alloy of copper and zinc, etc. An
amalgam is the combination OF mer-
curry with some other metal. Anal
cams are used to render metal fit to
be spread out, as in gliding, or else to
reduce it to powder. Two methods are
generally employed in making ANAL
gains. The first is merely trituration
in mortar, and without heat; the Sec
ond is fssing the metal to be amalgs-
mated, and adding to it. when fused.
the intended quantity of mercury An
amalgam of tin and mercury is used for
looking glasses. Gold amalgamates
the most readily of all the metals with
quicksilver. When in a state of fusion
it very easily and very intimately COM
bines with silver, and when mixed with
that metal will also run into a mass
with iron. No metal destroys the
malleability of gold so completely as
lead; one two thousandth part renders
it too brittle for rolling, and its very
fumes produce a serious effect upon it.
Gold is almost universally alleged with
copper or with silver, in order to in
creaseits hardness. In speaking of the
tineness of an alloy of gold, the mass
is supposed to be divided into twenty.
four parts, and the same is called car
ats An ounce of gold is divided into
tweaty-four carats. and gold of TWEEN
ty-two carats fine is gold of which
twenty-five parts out Of the twenty.
four ore pure, the other two parts be-
ing silver, copper, or of other metals.
Gold alleged with silver is the yellow
gold of the old market. To-day gold
is freely alleged with copper, and pro-
duces an alloy that is Of rich red col
OF, and that is what you call red gold
In little room as closely shut of
from the rest of the factory as is usu-
ally the working-room of photogrs-
pher from the rest of his establishment
was Smead battery in full operation
In several of the jars were small
thin pieces of yellowish red metal, at
tached to small wire hanging from
the highest of two rods running from
the battery. THAT metal" sale
Charles Faas, Jr., the operator anG
head member of the firm, is the alloy pre-
pared by us. The gold is purchased
in square blocks 2 inches long, /!
inches wide and ] inches thick. 1t il
rolled down, and then alleged for 10
! II, IA, is or Is carats From 10 tC
| is carats is the most common, and l.
is the preferable. as it combines the
hardest and brightest and most lasting
qualities.
"The brass comes to US in straight
hollow rods. 1t is then twisted in COLL
to fft an ordinary wrist, and then cut il
single rings. The article is first put il
I've to be thoroughly cleansed. 1t i:
then hung in the jars on the lower rod
the gold sheet in the upper rod, because
if their positions were transposed the
brass would be washed on the gold
The bracelet is taken out and occasion
ally tried with nitric acid. When il
resists the action of the acid, or, In
other words, does not turn black, it i!
taken ont of the jar and put in saw
dust to dry, after which it is FURNISHED
and passed up to the finishers, who add
some neat-looking tritle to the ring tt
finish it of, such as small gold pad
lock or a pretty little bird in Roman
geld or silver"
.'How much gold is used in one jar?'
about three grains minute; bu
sometimes the battery will work quick
er and plate twice as much as it will a
other times"
"How many bracelets will one ounc
of gold plate?'
lone hundred and fifty pairs"
The casting of the ornaments used o.
jewelry, such as birds, flowers, leaves
etc, is very important branch of
factory. Everything is done by steam
The Furnishing is done exclusively b,
women. The joints for bracelets ar
the most delicate The eating of tn
smallest hook or tiniest trimming
done ON what is known as a watch
makers wheel, costly tool--S700 low
est price which can be used to cut J,
large bar of metal or to turn out tn,