Jewelry Design Jewelry Finishing and Surface Treatments 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is electroforming in jewelry making?
- Cutting metal with electric tools
- Building up metal thickness by electroplating onto a removable mandrel or core (Correct answer)
- Joining metal pieces using electric current
- Polishing metal with electric buffers
Correct answer: Building up metal thickness by electroplating onto a removable mandrel or core
Electroforming builds up a substantial layer of metal (typically copper or silver) through electroplating over a wax or mandrel core that is later removed, leaving a hollow metal form.
Question 2: Which metalworking surface technique involves hammering metal from the reverse side to push up a raised relief design?
- Chasing
- Engraving
- Repoussé (Correct answer)
- Etching
Correct answer: Repoussé
Repoussé is performed from the back of the metal, using hammers and punches to push the metal outward and create raised three-dimensional relief designs.
Question 3: What is the standard unit of measurement used to describe the thickness of gold plating on jewelry?
- Millimeters
- Carats
- Microns (micrometers) (Correct answer)
- Nanometers
Correct answer: Microns (micrometers)
Gold plating thickness is measured in microns (micrometers, µm), with heavy gold plating (HGP) requiring at least 2.5 microns of gold per FTC guidelines.
Question 4: Which chemical is most commonly used to etch copper and brass in jewelry making?
- Liver of sulfur
- Ferric chloride (Correct answer)
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Ammonia
Correct answer: Ferric chloride
Ferric chloride is a widely used etchant for copper and brass, dissolving exposed metal areas to create recessed designs wherever protective resist has not been applied.
Question 5: The Korean metalsmithing technique known as Kum Boo involves permanently bonding which two materials?
- Enamel to copper using heat
- Fine gold foil to fine silver using heat and pressure (Correct answer)
- Wire to sheet metal using solder
- Gemstones to metal without adhesive
Correct answer: Fine gold foil to fine silver using heat and pressure
Kum Boo uses heat and burnishing pressure to diffusion-bond fine gold (24k) foil to fine silver, creating a permanent decorative gold surface without solder or adhesive.
Question 6: What role does polishing rouge play in the sequence of jewelry finishing steps?
- It removes heavy scratches and tool marks
- It is a very fine abrasive compound used in the final stage for a high mirror polish (Correct answer)
- It adds a reddish color tint to metal
- It is applied before soldering to flux the joint
Correct answer: It is a very fine abrasive compound used in the final stage for a high mirror polish
Rouge (iron oxide) is an ultra-fine abrasive used as the last polishing step after coarser compounds like tripoli, bringing metal to a brilliant mirror-like shine.
Question 7: What is a 'Florentine finish' on jewelry?
- A high-gloss mirror polish originating from Florence
- A matte textured surface created by engraving fine cross-hatched lines (Correct answer)
- A style of stone setting developed in Renaissance Italy
- A type of gold alloy formulated in Florence
Correct answer: A matte textured surface created by engraving fine cross-hatched lines
A Florentine finish is created by engraving two or more sets of fine parallel lines across the metal surface with a Florentine graver, producing a distinctive matte, subtly lined texture.
Jewelry Design Jewelry Finishing and Surface Treatments 2
What is electroforming in jewelry making?