What is gilding and how quickly does it wear out?

Gold jewelry in the interior and jewelry to the taste of many, but not everyone can purchase them. In order to save, gold products are often used instead of gold. The technique of gilding arose several decades ago and remains in demand until modern days.

Gilding is the surface coating with the thinnest layer of pure gold. The thickness can be 1-25 microns, the thing at the same time acquires a flawless resemblance to gold. The art of gilding originated in ancient Egypt. It was in this country for the first time that the extraction of precious metal reached the level of industrial production. When the pharaoh owned all the mines, the household items of the ruling family were golden, first of all.

According to another version, the practice of gilding comes from China. But with a correlation of historical facts, the primacy in the implementation of gilding still belongs to Egypt. The discovered gilded sarcophagi are more than 5 thousand years old, and in the Chinese provincial city of Lao Tang (the birthplace of the technique of gilding), the thinnest layers of gold have been produced for about 2 millennia.

In Ancient Russia, the art of gilding received a strong impetus in development, stepping far forward. Gold gave prestige status and was revered as a divine symbol of believers. The popularity of gilding entailed the creation of a school of gilding with the introduction of unique methods and subtleties of mastery of application. Masters taught boys from an early age all the intricacies of their work. Only a few managed to reach the heights of excellence.

The next jump in the development of the original art of gilding was facilitated by architects, primarily Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The famous architect was the founder of the Baroque style with its characteristic gilded furniture and stucco molding. His contribution means a lot in the history of gilding. In the 19th century, the Jacobi galvanic method was discovered, which facilitated gilding and made it much safer and more affordable.

The main difference between gilding and gold is the composition. Visually, they are not always distinguishable even by a professional. The main advantage of gold jewelry is their durability, and the gold-plated layer is quickly erased. Moreover, gilded products are much cheaper. They are not designed for everyday wear and need careful handling. The first differences are easy to notice already in the store.

First of all, you need to carefully read the information on the product tag. On gold-plated products should be the inscription gold with the prefix: filled, soldered or plated. They denote the way that was applied to the subject of gilding. For example, gold filled means coating using galvanization, a 1 micron thick gold layer using 999 gold.

Besides, specialists in pawnshops determine the value of products with less traumatic needles. The sharp end is a neat puncture on the inside of the jewelry. The needle is immersed to a thickness of 0.6 microns, which is invisible to the eye. After that, the jeweler can accurately assess the composition and value of the item.

When buying non-certified gilt jewelry, it is important to check for authenticity first. The cost of the product depends on what percentage of gold is contained in it. You can acquire special reagents and independently examine the purchase for authenticity at home. In the absence of reagents, some simple manipulations will help in this matter.

This is a completely free version of the test, but how effective is unknown. The decoration must be brought to the candle flame for 20 seconds. If dark spots and stains appear on the surface - the thing is covered with gilding.

The indisputable advantages of gilding can be considered:

• affordable cost of products in comparison with analogues of gold;
• presentable and unique look that looks identical to gold;
• ability to emphasize status.

Gilding not only ennobles the look of the product, but also serves to protect the surface from oxidation and biocorrosion. Of course, the coating properties are primarily affected by the thickness of the coating and the quality of the noble metal. The thickness of the gilding application determines how much the product will remain shiny. Gold is a soft and pliable metal that is quickly worn off the surface.

Therefore, it is not customary for designers of famous jewelry houses to make an extremely thin layer of gilding. Traditionally, modern products are covered with a gilding layer of 0.04-0.1 mm.

Modern masters of the jewelry sphere work with different gilding, creating unusual colors by incorporating other metals into the gold alloy. To get the white color, you need to combine ordinary yellow gold with silver (less often, nickel or palladium is used instead of silver). For a pinkish tint, a small percentage of copper is introduced into the alloy. The sample also affects the shade of gilding.

In Europe, the traditional use of the 750th test to give yellowness to the product, and in Russia, the 585th test with a slight pinkish tint in priority. All jewelry, including gilt, must have a stamped mark. In the Russian jewelry industry, it is customary to stamp with the marking of the sample of metal from which the product is made. On imported products, they put a sample of specifically gold coating in carats, with the addition of a letter designation. She indicates the method of covering the decoration.

The development of technology has led to the emergence of other methods of gilding. That allowed to apply a thicker layer of gilding. The service life of such jewelry is much longer, but the cost is higher than with conventional gilding. The first appeared leaf method of gilding - gold leaf. The technique is now used in interior decoration, food and cosmetic fields. The next method was mercury. Heating amalgams of gold and mercury negatively affected the body of the masters. Therefore, this technology is currently practically not used.

Another method is galvanic. It is popular today and happens as follows: an item is immersed in a chemical solution and gold is applied to it with the help of a current. The gold-plated layer is uniform, it is easy to determine the thickness of the coating. Modern scientists have not yet learned to spray gold with an aerosol. Therefore, in this way do not gilding anything. And in cans you can buy exclusively paint a golden hue. The object covered by it will not be considered gilded and will not be marked. In recent years, among the circle of decorators, the Potal gold-plating technique has been in demand as a more affordable and cheaper method.

This is the name of a thin sheet of metal marking 960th sample. In Russia, gold leaf was traditionally used to cover domes in temples. In Russia, it is sold in the form of a book with a binding and 60 sheets each with an area of ​​10 cm2. There is no regulation for thickness, but the most popular sheets are 10 times thinner than human hair. They are used to decorate objects of art and in the design of interior decoration. In the outdoor decoration (fountains, statues), thicker sheets are used.

Potala replaces the famous gold leaf. It looks like gold layers or strips of an alloy of copper and zinc, and sometimes with the addition of aluminum. Potal imitates gold, silver or bronze. Layers can be with any pattern. The peculiarity of potal lies in the fact that precious metal is not included in it. This has a positive effect on its price tag.

The main advantage is the relatively affordable cost of poured when it is spectacular. In addition, gilding protects the metal from erosion, since gold does not oxidize. Gilding of decorative elements does not darken over time and retains visual appeal. The lack of gilding is only in its fragility.

The choice of method primarily determines the quality of the surface and the level of professionalism of the performer.

• Fire or mercury. One of the first techniques used for gilding the domes of temples. Its essence was that a non-harmless mixture based on mercury was used that evaporates during the work. Because of the threat to the body and even the life of the performer, the method is a thing of the past.
• Oil based. This method is also known as gilding with glue Mordan. It is used equally successfully in internal and external works. Mordan is available for purchase in online stores by specialization.
• On a clay basis. Gilding on the polymer is suitable exclusively for coating wood and is unsuitable for use in exterior decoration. This method is considered ancient and one of the most difficult and time consuming, since rare and expensive components are required, for example, adding natural whale fat diluted in raw chicken egg protein to the composition. Now there is no need to search for rare ingredients. On sale are many ready-made formulations.
• Garlic. The old way of applying gilding with freshly squeezed garlic juice. The dried surface was polished, then it was wetted and covered with a thin layer of gold sheets. Jewelers note a special brilliance with this method of gilding.
• Water-synthetic. Method using a mixture of water. The advantage is quick surface preparation.

In modern days, copper and steel are gilded, gilding is used in jewelry, in art (decorating antique stucco work, frames for painting, directly on the canvases of paintings), in interior design, sculptures, in the manufacture of dishes (along the edges of wine glasses), automotive, dentistry and cosmetology, in the field of electronics (as conductors). The use of gilding in cosmetology is a moot point.

Someone considers this method a cunning marketing ploy of Russian cosmetologists. Despite this, Japanese experts are busy finalizing the latest face gilding techniques. The metal has the ability to enrich the epidermis with oxygen, retain collagen in it and relieve irritation. In alternative medicine, there is also a separate anti-inflammatory direction using gilding - chrysotherapy.

Gilding is erased quite quickly. Therefore, it is preferable to apply it to objects that are intended for beauty and are rarely used. Gilded jewelry is not very popular, because even if such a thing is worn neatly, it will eventually be erased. In this case, the top layer needs constant care. Over time, scratches and other traces of mechanical damage will inevitably appear on the surface. The product will have to be re-golded over time.

So that the gilding on the jewelry does not darken soon, it is necessary to follow some rules for caring for the product.

• Wearing. Mandatory gilded jewelry must be removed before a shower, pool, before washing dishes, etc. Avoid contact of gilding with sweat and cosmetic compounds. Remember that with daily wear of products, their service life is reduced. Transparent varnish can be applied to the surface to protect it from darkening and corrosion.
• Storage. Gilded jewelry should be stored in a separate compartment in a casket or in cloth bags, avoiding contact with other products.
• Cleaning. Only soft material is suitable for this purpose, chemicals and abrasives are excluded. You can remove dark spots by rubbing with ordinary vinegar, ammonia or beer. After such manipulation, the thing must be washed in water.

In the next video, you will find gilding on a silver chain.