Instructions for Using Accent Rose Gold
Accent Rose Gold is a gold-base product used to apply layers of 18k rose-colored gold accents to jewelry articles. It can be used on articles made from cast and wrought sterling silver; PMC fine, sterling, and flex clay; and Art Clay silver. It is applied as a paste, dried, fired, and then provided with the desired finish.
Tools to have ready:
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Clean artist’s paint brush with short bristles for mixing and applying Accent Rose GoldTM. Both flat and pointed brushes may be needed.
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A rubber-tipped colored clay shaper is also useful.
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Small container of distilled water, with dropper
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Various finishing tools, such as: curved burnisher, tumbler with shot, and 3M polishing brushes
1) Mixing & Application – First Coat
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The surface of the article must be clean and also have “tooth”, i.e., some roughness. Accent Rose GoldTM can be applied to recently-fired silver clay surfaces without further preparation. Polished surfaces must be prepared by abrading with abrasive paper - 70 grit 3M bristle disc works well. After using abrasion, wipe the surface clean with a dry piece of paper towel.
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After opening a new container of Accent Rose GoldTM, add 4 or 5 drops of distilled water to the entire contents in the container, and then stir with a brush. Then add additional drops as necessary (start with just one or two) and stir again to make a smooth syrupy liquid. Mix for at least three minutes to ensure the paste is smooth and free of lumps. If it is too thin, let some of the water evaporate.
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Using a clean brush or clay shaper, dip it into the container to capture some of the paste.
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Apply the first coat thick enough so that it is opaque to the silver beneath it. Cover the entire region of interest with the first coat. For broad, flat areas use a flat brush. If the texture is deep, a roundpointed brush may be needed. Smooth the coat while wet to remove any lumps or bubbles!
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Dry the first coat for at least one hour in air. Do not place the article on a hot plate to accelerate drying. After drying, the silver should be barely visible, if at all, beneath the coating.
The container with wet unused Accent Rose Gold can be covered with the plastic cap. The brush or clay shaper can be left to dry and then reused. Be sure not to lose any dried gold that may flake off. If that happens, simply return the loose gold particles to the plastic container for reuse.
2) Mixing & Application – Second Coat
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First, re-hydrate the paste in the container by moistening it with 2 or 3 drops of distilled water. Also re-hydrate the brush or shaper by using it to stir the paste into the consistency of smooth syrup, and then mix a little longer to ensure no lumps remain.
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Apply Accent Rose GoldTM onto the piece by working quickly, because the moisture can re-hydrate the first layer and pull it up, leaving bald spots. If you see bald areas start to appear, cover them
by applying additional paste. -
Be sure the final coat is smooth and free of lumps! Any lumps will remain after firing and will require heavy burnishing to remove them. Use smooth brush strokes and a creamy mixture.
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Dry the second coat the same way as the first coat – at room temperature. Drying for longer than the recommended time is permissible and will not affect the final quality. A coated and dried piece can be left over night.
3) Effect of Kiln Type
Actual kiln temperatures may run either hotter or cooler than the indicated temperature. It is advisable to check your kiln temperature accuracy with a pyrometer. You can develop the best firing schedule for your kiln by experimenting with small test pieces of silver coated with Accent Rose GoldTM before firing jewelry if you are not certain of the accuracy of the temperature. After firing, the Accent Rose GoldTM should burnish to a smooth layer. A rough layer indicates a firing temperature that could be too hot, or that there were lumps in the paste you applied.
4) Firing
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Use a stainless firing pan such as used to fire copper and bronze clay: 6 inches x 4 inches x 2 & 3/8 inches is preferred. Using a smaller pan is acceptable. To prevent under-firing, do not use a larger size pan. Fill the bottom of the pan with about one-quarter to one-half inch of coconut shell activated carbon. Then place the article on the activated carbon layer, add about one inch of activated carbon, and then place the lid on the pan. Do not fill the pan to the top with activated carbon because doing that will reduce the heating rate.
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Use kiln posts or fire brick to elevate the firing container so it is in line with the heating elements in your kiln. Do not place the pan on the bottom of the kiln. You can use stainless steel salad tongs to insert the pan into the kiln. Practice with the tongs when the kiln is cool so you can minimize heat loss when you insert the pan into the heated kiln.
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The target firing temperature is 1245 F (675 C). Preheat the kiln to this temperature, and then place the firing pan in the kiln quickly and close the door or replace the top. Wear gloves! When the temperature reaches 1200 F, program the kiln to heat for 25 minutes and allow the program to complete.
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After the program has completed, allow kiln to cool. Remove the pan whenever it is convenient after the kiln has cooled below about 500 F.
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NOTE: An alternative method of firing is to place the firing pan into a cold kiln that has been programmed for a full ramp to 1245 F and a hold of 20 minutes at this temperature. After the program has completed, allow the kiln to cool and then remove the firing pan.
5) Finishing
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The fired layer should be a cinnamon color. If it is black, oxidation occurred during firing and the coating cannot be used. Possible cause: Lid was not placed on the firing pan before firing.
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Applying the final finish must not wear through the fired layer. A recommended method of finishing is to burnish the layer by hand and then tumble in wet stainless steel shot. Burnishing followed by light polishing with 3M bristle brushes, or similar, also works well.
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Because 18k gold is harder than 24k and 22k gold, burnishing will require a bit more effort than burnishing higher-karat gold layers.
6) Cautions and Don’ts
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Use a small test piece, or pieces, to develop an acceptable method of both firing and finishing.
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Accent Rose GoldTM may be challenging for use within narrow and deep textures because of the difficulty in burnishing it after firing.
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Do not heavily abrade the fired layer with abrasive wheels to prevent wearing through the material.
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Do not use liver of sulfur on Accent Rose GoldTM because it will cause discoloration. You can carefully paint liver of sulfur on surrounding regions of exposed silver, but keep it off the layer.
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Do not pickle the piece after firing because it will remove copper from the fired layer and cause discoloration.
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Do not forget to place the lid on the firing pan before inserting it into the kiln.
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Accent Rose GoldTM is not suitable for torch firing because oxidation will occur.
