Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Coloured gold alloys

  • Published:
Gold Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

From ancient times, gold has been used mostly in decorative items, and the colour of gold plays an important role in this application field. Different methods have been developed to objectively characterize the colour. This paper describes the CIELAB system, which has gained acceptance as an effective way to assess colour. The different coloured gold alloys known today are also described, with emphasis on the relationship between their metallurgy and their colour.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. Watanabe, in ‘Precious Metals Science and Technology’, eds. L.S. Benner, T. Suzuki, K. Meguro and S. Tanaka, International Precious Metals Institute, Allentown, 1991, 1

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Gold Council, Gold Jewellery in the 1990s, Internet, http://www.gold.org/ Ginfos/Gi5jew.htm, 1999

  3. World Gold Council, The New World — Pizzaro and Atahualpa, Internet, http://www.gold.org/Ginfos/Gi1anc.htm

  4. K. Nassau,Colour Res. and Appl., 1987,12, 4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. K. Yonemitsu, in ‘Precious Metals Science and Technology’, eds. L.S. Benner, T. Suzuki, K. Meguro and S. Tanaka, International Precious Metals Institute, Allentown, 1991, p.13

    Google Scholar 

  6. K.E. Saeger and J. Rodies,Gold Bull., 1977,10, 10

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. D.P. Agarwal and G. Raykhtsaum, in ‘The Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology 1988’, ed. D. Schneller, Santa Fe, 1988, p. 229

  8. M. Plotnick, American Jewelry Manufacturer., Jan. 1991, 20

  9. G. Raykhtsaum and D.P. Agarwal,Gold Technol., 1997, No. 22, p. 26

    Google Scholar 

  10. R.D. Overheim and D.L. Wagner, in ‘Light and Color’, John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York, 1982,63, 253

    Google Scholar 

  11. G. Raykhtsaum and D.P. Agarwal, American Jewelry Manufacturer, February 1990, 116

  12. J. Leuser,Metall., 1949,3, 105

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Prince, G.V. Raynor and D.S. Evans, in ‘Phase Diagrams of Ternary Gold Alloys’, The Institute of Metals, London, 1990, p. 7

    Google Scholar 

  14. W.S. Rapson,Gold Bull., 1990,23, 125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. W.S. Rapson, in ‘Intermetallic Compounds. Principles and Practice’, eds. J.H. Westbrook and R.L. Fleischer, John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 1994,2, 559

    Google Scholar 

  16. K. Yasuda,Gold Bull., 1987,20, 90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. A.S. McDonald, and G.H. Sistare,Gold Bull., 1978,11, 66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. D. Ott,Gold Technol., 1997, No. 22, p. 31

    Google Scholar 

  19. D.P. Agarval and G. Raykhtsaum, in ‘Precious Metals 1993, Proceedings of the 17th International Precious Metals Conference, Newport, Rhode Island’, ed. R.K. Mishra, International Precious Metals Institute, Newport, Rhode Island, 1993, p. 153

    Google Scholar 

  20. O. Untracht, in ‘Jewelry Concepts and Technology’, ed. R. Hale, Doubleday & Company, London, 1982, pp. 391, 718

    Google Scholar 

  21. M. Dabalà, M. Magrini and M. Poliero,Gold Technol., 1998, No. 24, p. 6

    Google Scholar 

  22. C.S. Freeman and C.J. Jones, in ‘The Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology 1988’, ed. D. Schneller, Santa Fe, 1989, p. 131

  23. G. Normandeau, in ‘The Santa Fe Symposium on Jewelry Manufacturing Technology 1988’, ed. D. Schneller, Santa Fe, 1989, p. 179

  24. W.S. Rapson and T. Groenewald, in ‘Gold Usage’, Academic Press Inc. Ltd., London, 1978, p. 9

    Google Scholar 

  25. A.S. McDonald and G.H. Sistare,Gold Bull., 1978,11, 128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. M.R. Pinasco and E. Stagno,Gold Bull., 1979,12, 53

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. P. Bagnoud, S. Nicoud, P. Ramoni,Gold Technol., 1996, No. 18, p. 11

    Google Scholar 

  28. G. Normandeau,Gold Bull., 1992,25, 94

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. G. Normandeau and R. Roeterink,Gold Bull., 1994,27, 70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. C.P. Susz and M.H. Linker,Gold Bull., 1980,13, 15

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. I.B. MacCormack and J.E. Bowers,Gold Bull., 1981,14, 19

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. G.P. O’Connor,Gold Bull., 1981,11, 35

    Google Scholar 

  33. M. Dabala, M. Magrini, M. Poliero and R. Galvani,Gold Technol., 1999, no. 25, p. 29

    Google Scholar 

  34. W.S. Rapson,Gold Bull., 1996,29, 141

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. T. Inagaki, E.T. Arakawa and T.A. Callcott,J. Appl. Phys., 1981,52, 5597

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. R. Pretorius, T.K. Marais and C.C. Theron,Materials Science and Engineering, 1993,10, 1

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. T. Raymond,Semicond. Int., 1989,12, 152

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. R. Süss and C. Cretu, in ‘MSSA Proceedings’, eds. M. McLean, J.A.A. Engelbrecht, J.H. Neethling, C. Dennison, D. Mycock and R.H.M. Cross, Microscopy Society of Southern Africa, Johannesburg, 1998,28, 20

    Google Scholar 

  39. T. Massalski, J. Murray, B. Lawrence, B. Hugh, (eds.), ‘Binary Alloy Phase Diagram’, American Society for Metals, Metals Park, Ohio, 1986,1, 90, 260, 270

    Google Scholar 

  40. S. Hori, K. Kurokawa, T. Shimizo, M. Steel, M. Tsuboi and K. Yanagase, in ‘Precious Metals Science And Technology’, eds. L.S. Benner, T. Suzuki, K. Meguro and S. Tanaka, International Precious Metals Institute, Allentown, 1991, p. 430

    Google Scholar 

  41. H. Büchler and K.-J. Range,J. Less-Common Met., 1990,160, 143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. R. Cahn,Nature, 1998,396, 52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. S.S. Vishnubhatla and J.P. Jan,Philos. Mag., 1967,16, 45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. I.M. Wolff and M.B. Cortie,Gold Bull., 1994,27, 45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. M. Cortie, I. Wolff, F. Levey, S. Taylor, R. Watt, R. Pretorius, T. Biggs and J. Hurly,Gold Technol., 1994, No. 4, p. 30

    Google Scholar 

  46. F.C. Levey and M.B. Cortie, in ‘Solid-State Phase Transformations ‘99’, 1999, in press.

  47. C. Kremkov, Jewellery News Asia, June 1988, p. 48

  48. D.M. Lakin,Aurum, 1988,34, 34

    Google Scholar 

  49. L. Muller, United States Patent 5,059,255, 1991

  50. K. Nakama, European Patent 438980, 1991

  51. T. Takayanagi, N. Marita and C. Seki, United States Patent 5,139,793, 1992

  52. L. Van Graan and E. Van der Lingen, in ‘MSSA Proceedings’, eds. M. McLean, J.A.A. Engelbrecht, J.H. Neethling, C. Dennison, D. Mycock and R.H.M. Cross, Microscopy Society of Southern Africa, Johannesburg, 1998,28, 19

    Google Scholar 

  53. T.E. Evans, A.C. Hart and W.H. Sutton, British Patent 47048/72, 1972

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mintek, Private Bag X3015, 2125, Randburg, South Africa

    Cristian Cretu & Elma van der Lingen

Authors
  1. Cristian Cretu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elma van der Lingen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dedicated to the memory of William S Rapson

Dr Elma van der Lingen obtained a PhD degree in 1998 from the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pretoria. She has been an employee of Mintek for the past ten years and is heading the Precious Metals Group in the Physical Metallurgy Division.

Cristian Cretu obtained an MSc degree from the Materials Science and Engineering Faculty of the Politechnica University of Bucharest, Romania in 1996. He started working as an engineer for Mintek in 1997 in the Precious Metals Group. He had previously worked in the Non-Ferrous and Rare Materials Institute in Bucharest, in the Powder Metallurgy Laboratory.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cretu, C., van der Lingen, E. Coloured gold alloys. Gold Bull 32, 115–126 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03214796

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03214796

Keywords

Search

Navigation