The Goldsmith's Art
Goldsmithing is the artistic production or decoration of objects made of gold , silver or platinum .
Casting processes are commonly used in goldsmithing, in which precious metals are heated to such an extreme that they liquefy. In this liquid and thus malleable state, they are molded into the desired shape, in which they later cool and remain.
The Casting Techniques of Goldsmithing
In goldsmithing, there are various casting techniques with the help of which the liquid precious metal is shaped.
In permanent mold casting, the molten precious metal is poured into a permanent metal mold (called a permanent mold). The liquid metal remains in this mold and solidifies as it cools. Once it has cooled, the solidified precious metal can be removed from the mold.
In sand casting, the desired model is reshaped from sand and then removed. The remaining cavity of the model is filled with the liquid precious metal, with so-called outlet channels facilitating the escape of gases. Once the cast body has cooled and solidified, the finished precious metal model is freed from the sand.
Centrifugal casting is characterized by its special form of casting: a mold that rotates quickly around its own central axis. The liquid precious metal is filled into the mold while it is still rotating and is pressed against the walls of the mold by gravity and centrifugal force. The high centrifugal force not only distributes the liquid precious metal evenly, but also leaves only a few holes and pores, so that its purity and strength are higher than with many other casting processes.
The processing techniques of goldsmithing
The various, individually crafted pieces of precious metal are joined together by soldering, riveting, and welding. The goldsmith then enhances the surface of the precious metal by grinding. The precious metal can then be polished or matte, depending on whether a shiny or matte appearance is preferred.
Different techniques can be used in goldsmithing to artistically design gold objects:
granulation
One of these techniques is granulation , which was used primarily in ancient Greece and Rome. Granulation involves attaching very small gold balls in a special arrangement to a gold background.
deception
In goldsmithing , daubing is a process in which an ornamental motif, the color of which differs from the precious metal underneath, is applied to a piece of precious metal. The name is based on the Arabic term tauschija (English: colors).
Hallmarking
Hallmarking is also frequently used in goldsmithing. This process involves imprinting a mark or pattern into the precious metal using a hallmarking iron.
Niello process
Not so widespread today, however, is the Niello process , in which the precious metal is decorated with patterns and symbols in black paint.
