Rolled Gold And Its Main Applications
Nowadays, there are different pieces you can find in the gold market that are made of rolled gold. Previously, we did say that “rolled gold” refers to layers of gold sheets that are added to a metal. In other words, it is the process of coating other metals with thick sheets of gold. Another name for rolled gold is laminated gold. Usually, the metals at the base can be copper, steel, brass, or any other material. It is then covered with a number of layers of gold of different karats. Depending on the maker of the gold, the layers can be made out of 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, and 24k gold.
How many layers of rolled gold can be used in coating a piece?
The number of rolled gold layers varies from one manufacturer to another. However, it is common for minters to apply between 3 and 6 layers of gold. Sometimes, the thickness of each layer varies. By law, the amount of all gold layers must be above 1/50, with 5% of 10K gold. The practice of laminating other metals with gold is one that is common in the gold jewelry market. So, you might come across gold-looking articles, sold at a cheaper price. They possess the appearance of authentic gold, yet they are sold cheaply.
Examples of gold plated articles
rolled gold is found in articles like earrings, rings, pendants, bracelets, watches, necklaces, and many other pieces. If the aforementioned articles were to be made using 24K gold (the purest gold,) they would not be accessible to all owing to their prices. It is correct to say that rolled gold is common in the jewelry market, but its application is becoming widespread nowadays. For example, you can find them in the aerospace sector, electronics, dental pieces, and coins. When gold is alloyed with other metals, it acquires the necessary consistency for any use. Below are some of the known applications of rolled gold:
Coins: from time immemorial, gold has often been used in the minting of coins, some of which are highly collectible. Most gold coins are made using 24K gold, but others can be pieces of other metals that are later covered with gold sheets in order to increase their value.
Odontology: Gold is used for the production of artificial dental pieces and crowns. Many of them are made using a base material and later coated with layers of gold. In the past, it was common for one to find dental pieces made out of the purest 24K gold.
Rolled gold in medicine: medics use gold in medicine and research. Popular examples of medical uses include its application in cell surface antigen discoveries and prosthetics. Artificial body parts such as legs and arms can be made using gold. However, this makes them quite expensive, and therefore, not as common.
Computing: In this sector, manufacturers use gold to make memory chips. In this case, they roll small gold sheets over another piece of metal or plastic. Gold is a very good conductor. However, owing to its expensiveness, it is limitedly applied in the world of computing. This explains why small quantities of gold are found in each electronic device or piece.
Aerospace industry: The helmets that astronauts use are made using small sheets of gold, this protects the wearer from radiation. In addition, gold is also used in making some parts of space telescopes. For example, the beryllium mirrors on the James Web Space Telescope are coated using rolled gold. This protects it from the loss of photons as it makes observations, and increases its reflectivity percentage (ninety-eight percent).
Gold in sports: Some Olympic medals are made from gold. In addition, crowns and trophies can also be crafted from rolled gold. Usually, a person who wins a gold medal or gold-plated trophy is deemed to have triumphed and achieved greatness. When making trophies, it is cheaper to use rolled gold as opposed to use of pure gold. However, some Olympic gold medals are pure 24k gold. As we conclude, we have a question for you: what is your view about this topic? In what other ways is rolled gold used? In case you need more information regarding buying gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda; feel free to contact us using the form below.
