 Johnson Matthey, Hatton Garden, London. |
Jewellery-Related Properties of Platinum
LOW THERMAL DIFFUSIVITY PERMITS USE OF LASER WELDING FOR JEWELLERY MANUFACTURE
Platinum Metals Review
Article Synopsis
The performance of precious metal alloys can be usefully compared by the application of engineering design theory and heat flow properties on the small scale that is required for jewellery production. Some of the physical and mechanical properties of platinum jewellery alloys differ sufficiently from typical gold and silver alloys to require modifications in the processing techniques, but these properties may allow for stronger slender designs. The thermal diffusivity of platinum jewellery alloys is significantly lower than that of other precious metal jewellery alloys. This explains why laser welding is so efficient when used in making platinum jewellery and why it also allows most of the cold work hardening to be retained in components.