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ou say the word “gold,” and most people think, “jewelry.” Gold rings,
gold torques, a glowing array of solid gold wearable pieces. But there
are different ways to create the look of solid gold or gold accents
without the high cost, including gold plating, Korean keum boo, traditional
gold leaf, fusing, and mercury gilding. (I’ve never tried mercury gilding, and
for good reason — I want to live a few more years. It was outlawed in France
in 1830.) Aura 22, a gold metal-clay slip, is a relatively new way to add gold
to fine silver, sterling silver, and copper.
The technique of applying Aura 22 to copper is simple, uses no expensive
or exotic equipment, and is safe. If applied and fired properly, the finished
sheet can be etched, soldered, enameled, mill rolled, and fold formed.materials
■ (^) Copper: 16–24-gauge (1.3–0.5 mm),
amount determined by design
■ (^) Aura 22 with media or distilled water
tools & supplies
■ (^) Scouring pad
■ (^) Paper towel
■ (^) Rubber-tipped clay shaper
■ (^) Mug warmer
■ (^) Firebrick and broken charcoal blocks,
or a new charcoal block
■ (^) Twe e ze r s
■ (^) Candle
■ (^) Torch
■ (^) Quench bowl
■ (^) Pickle pot with pickle
■ (^) Soft brass brush
■ (^) Packing tape
■ (^) Super pickle (hydrogen peroxide,
sodium bisulfate)
Find out where to buy supplies, page 79
See Safety Basics, page 76
What is Aura 22?
Aura 22 is a mixture of 91.6% powdered
24k gold, 8.4% fine silver, and a water-
based, nontoxic binder. When it’s fired,
the alloy tests to 22k gold. One advantage
of Aura 22 over traditional keum boo is
that the gold is painted onto the metal,
rather than burnished, allowing it to reach
into recessed areas.
NOTE: Aura 22 is a PMC product. Accent
Gold for Silver is made by Jewelry Material
Innovation, Inc. Accent Gold is 24k gold
and can be torch-fired on sterling or fine
silver; if using sterling silver, you first must
raise the fine silver (see “Depletion Gilding
vs. Depletion Silvering,” page 65).
Preparation
Prepare the copper. Use a scouring pad
to clean both sides of a piece of copper
(see “Size Limitations,” page 41), then rinse
the metal in water. Water should sheet off
the surface, not bead up. If it beads up,
scrub the copper again. Use a paper towel
to pat the copper dry, and handle it only
by its edges from this point on. No greasy
fingerprints! Set the copper aside.
Prepare the Aura 22. Open a package
of Aura 22. Remove and carefully open the
plastic jar. Depending on the orientation of
the package during transport and storage,
there might be an accumulation of gold
and liquid binder in the cap. Use a rubber-
tipped tool, such as a clay shaper, to scrape
the excess material out of the cap and back
into the jar. Carefully stir the mixture to
mix the liquid binder and gold particles
into a creamy consistency. If it’s dry, use
the included media to reconstitute it. I’ve
also used distilled water for this with no
adverse effects.
Apply the Aura 22. Use the rubber-
tipped clay shaper to apply Aura 22 to
the freshly cleaned copper [1]. I like to
rub the tool back and forth to give the
gold a natural edge. One coat is enough
for sufficient coverage, but if you want a
more dimensional look, apply a second
coat after the first is dry.
Set the copper on a mug warmer until
the Aura 22 is dry [2]. Yes, the manufactur-
er’s instructions say not to, but I’ve never
noticed any difference whether it’s force-
dried or air dried.
TIP: Let any excess Aura 22 on a
rubber-tipped shaping tool dry
there. Once it’s dry, peel it off
and return it to the jar.
Prepare the firing surface. Aura 22 is
meant to be applied to fine silver because
fine silver doesn’t produce oxides when
fired in a kiln or with a torch. When using
it on copper, you must create a reducing
atmosphere to prevent the copper from
oxidizing and interfering with the gold’s
ability to bond to it.
The most commonly available surface
for this is a fresh charcoal block, but I like
to use a spongy firebrick charged with
charcoal. The center where I taught never
Y
Learn how to use pickle in “Basics,” page 75, and watch a demo video at
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/videos.