Background: In 2002, I was asked about the use of contemporary metals in fine jewelry in the future. My answer was simple: They will have a staying power in fine jewelry if we visualize the materials as vehicles to carry precious commodities suchs as diamonds, gold and silver. With generations X and Y seeking contemporary metals, why not add these options to designs?
Gold and Silver Applications
Yes, you can combine precious materials with stainless steel, cobalt and tungsten. However, it's not so successful to combine with titanium, ceramic or white tungsten.
Why? Essentially you can take a precious metal emblem, trim that has been cast or sheet strip of precious metal and apply it using a soft torch flame and easy grade of sterling silver solder. These can be carefully applied directly onto stainless steel, cobalt and tungsten jewelry. Be mindful not to hold the torch flame too close or burn spots may appear on the metal and require excessive finishing. This process cannot successfully be executed with titanium, ceramic and white tungsten due to the melting points of these particular materials.
Pressure Inlaid Gold and Silver
(with special tension, squeezing machinery of titanium or ceramic precious inlay)
High technology machinery can pressure-inlay precious metals strips into titanium and weld a seamless closure of the precious band.
In the case of ceramic inlay of a precious strip, the metal can be hammered into a preformed cavity and traditionally polished with any finishing wheel. This won't disturb the metal because ceramic can only be polished with a diamond studded wheel and diamond paste.
Diamond Applications
Yes, you can enhance stainless steel, titanium, or cobalt with diamonds. Although you probably won't have much luck adding diamonds to tungsten, white tungsten or ceramic.
Why? You can drill into stainless steel, titanium and cobalt creating a cavity for a diamond inset. Either pressure-set the diamonds into the materials, or implant a bezel with some solder to hold it in place. Or, employ a preset diamond in a bezel of softer metal into a harder metal by pressure setting, no solder necessary. If you solder, be sure to use a small amount of silver solder and go light on the heating. We offer special polishing paste and wheels, which will help with polishing titanium and cobalt.
You shouldn't attempt to drill or laser into tungsten or ceramic. the time consumption and use of diamond drill bits will be cost prohibitive with no guarantee of success.
However, diamond enhancements are applied successfully in tungsten and ceramic material at factory level. In these particular materials, the diamond cavity must be formed at the same time as the band with exact tolerances to .01mm. This allows a bezel of softer metal, whether it's gold, silver or steel with a preset diamond, to be pressure set into the harder metal. No solder is necessary.
