US1584352A - White gold - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,584,352 PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID BELAIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO DAVID BELAIS, INCORPORATED,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

WHITE GOLD.

N0 Drawing. Application filed April 30, 1921, Serial No. 465,776. Renewed September 30, 1925.

My invention relates to the production of an improved substitute for platinum. The object of my invention is to produce a composition of matter known as white gold that will have the appearance .of platinum and that may be used as a substitute for it, especially in the jewelry trade, and to produce a white gold for this purpose that will have more nearlythe appearance of platinum, and that will be more malleable and ductile than any white gold previously used for this general purpose. It consists of the novel product hereinafter described and claimed. 1

As is well known, platinum has always been a rare metal and an expensive one, and in recent times it has become'more and more so, until now the supply is Wholly insuiiieient to meet the demand and the expense has become practically prohibitive. As is well known, platinum is peculiarly well adapted for certain uses, especially in the jewelry art, such as the setting of diamonds, the ornamentation of watch cases, and similar uses. Attempts have been made to produce a white gold that has more or less the appearance of platinum and more or less of the characteristics of platinum, among them the white gold disclosed in the patent granted to applicant, No. 1,330,231, February 10, 1920. While the article dis closed in my said patent is well adapted for such use, I have discovered a new and improved alloy which is still better adapted for the purpose, which is of a still white;

color and one more nearly corresponding with that of platinum,-and that is still more malleable and ductile, and therefore. better suited for the purpose, My improved alloy herein described and claimed is better adapted for use as a substitute for platinum for. jewelry purposes than any heretofore known, not only becauseof its whiter color but because it is so much more malleable and ductile than any white gold heretofore known or used, that it can be fashioned into certain forms of jewelry not heretofore possible with any other white gold of which I am aware, for example, the fashioning into watch cases. The'cost of its ingredients and the process of producing it is relatively very small compared to the cost of the platinum.

in preparing my improved alloy, 1 take gold, especially or preferably fine gold, nickel, preferably pure nickel, and zinc, preferably pure zinc, and a' small proportion ofmanganese, preferably pure manganese, and fuse them together in a suitable crucible, thoroughly mixing them together while they are thus fused. The resulting composition has the extremely white appearance of platinum and is especially adapted to be used as a substitute for it, as already stated. The composition is then prepared for the market by being rolled or hammered into plates, wires, or other forms ofcommercial use, when it is ready for the trade. I use a major part of fine gold, lesser parts of nickel and zinc, and a still less proportion of manganese. I have found that satisfactory results can be obtained when the gold is used in the proportion of about seventy-five (75) percent to eighty-five (85) percent, the nickel in the proportion of about ten (10) percent to eighteen percent, zinc in about the proportion of two (2) to nine (9) percent, and manganese in the roportion of about onehalf totwo 2) percent.

What I claim as new and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is:

. 1. As a composition of matter, a white gold alloy composed of' a major part of gold, lesser proportions of nickel'and zinc, and a very small proportion of manganese. 2. As a composition of matter, a white gold alloy composed'of a major part of old, a'lesser proportion of nickel, a still esser-proportion of zinc, and a still less proportion of manganese,

3. As a composition of matter, a. white gold alloy composed of gold, nickel, zinc, and manganese, the proportion of gold ranging from seventy-five (75) to eightyfive (85) percent, the nickel from ten 10 to eighteen (18) percent, the zinc from two (2) to nine ('9) percent, and the manganese from one-half to two (2) percent.v

4. A white gold alloy containing a preponderating amount of gold, together with relatively low percentages of nickel and zinc and a still less percentage of manga. nese.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.