Introduction to Precious Metals
For many people at the craft end of the jewellery industry goldsmiths, silversmiths, designer-makers and the like with little scientific background, the manufacture of jewellery in the precious metals is not always easy, especially when problems arise such as cracking, porosity and other defects. For many, Mark Grimwade s classic text, Introduction to the Precious Metals , published over 20 years ago in 1985 was groundbreaking in making the metallurgy of the precious metals easy to understand and accessible for the non-scientifically inclined and is still highly valued in the jewellery industry. Unfortunately, it has long been out of print and second-hand copies are much sought after.  At last, Mark has written a new edition of his book, much expanded, refined and including the new jewellery metal, palladium as well as gold silver and platinum. This was one book that I opened and simply read to the end, absorbed and fascinated. Mark has a gift of being an excellent communicator and educator. He presents the complex metallurgy of the precious metals in a way that goldsmiths can easily comprehend and find easy to apply in the practical situation. As Eddie Bell, goldsmith and co-founder of the Santa Fe Symposium remarks in his preface to the book, If you re like me, you ll turn to it for the answer to a specific problem and soon find yourself reading further than you intended. I endorse that comment wholeheartedly! The book is 240 pages long and comprises 17 chapters. The first 3 take us through the basic properties of the precious metals physical, mechanical and chemical, whilst the 4th summarises their occurrence, extraction and refining. The author then launches into a basic understanding of alloying behaviour, followed by chapters on the principles of solidification and working & annealing. Then follow chapters on silver, gold and the platinum group metals and their alloys, which are full of useful information. Practical chapters on melting, alloying and casting, working & annealing practice, joining techniques, electroplating and allied processes follow and the book finishes with chapters on the use of powder metallurgy in jewellery manufacture, surface decoration techniques and, finally, one on assaying and hallmarking. All are eminently readable and informative.  As readers of this review may note from the title, the book is presented in American English spelling, but that should not distract us from the strength of this excellent 2nd edition. I would commend it to all. At $35, it is affordable for individuals and will be well used, I m certain. It is also serves as a useful training aid for students, technicians and others in the jewellery business, including retailers. Christopher Corti --Goldsmiths Technical Bulletin, The Goldsmiths Company, London