BOOK REVIEW
INTRODUCING TO PRECIOUS METALS
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Author: Mark Grimwade
Language: English
Pages: 321
Price: DKK 245
O
ne of the classic challenges for the craftsman in the jew-
ellery industry is to be able to harmoniously combine
scientific insight into the wonderful potential offered by the
natural world with the artist’s creative skills in order to create
jewellery with structure, beauty and substance. This can’t be
done without genuine enterprise, systematic effort and ex-
ternal inspiration; a masterpiece does not appear out of thin
air. The spark that provides change and drive can be ignited
by immersing yourself in the technical possibilities and skills
that are presented so clearly and thought-provokingly in Mark
Grimwade’s standard work: Introduction to Precious Metals.
Grimwade isn’t just anybody. He received a bachelor degree
in physics, chemistry and mathematics from London Univer-
sity – and his master’s degree in quality control of metals from
Brunel University. Between 1966 and 1988, he taught silver-
smiths and jewellers in this important area. Since that time, he
has acted as expert, consultant and lecturer throughout the
world and written countless articles on the subject.
Grimwade has the rare ability to take technical information
and present it in a manner that makes it easy for ordinary peo-
ple to read and understand. In other words, you don’t need a
scientific background to be able to understand and use the
information in this book. Through his review of the physical,
mechanical and chemical properties of precious metals, he
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not only provides information about the actual values of these
fundamental properties, but provides an easy-to-understand
introduction as to what these properties actually mean and
how they’re measured.
The reader gets a deeper insight into many of the problems
that arise when working with precious metals. The book out-
lines the different techniques and processes that are used to
turn precious metals into items of jewellery. Focus is applied
to basic aspects such as smelting, annealing and casting,
along with working and annealing practice, jointing, electro-
plating, powder metallurgy, surface decoration, and finally
analysis and marking.
The book provides a general introduction to the subject of
precious metals. Of course, it isn’t possible for a single book
to cover a subject in its entirety, and this book is – as the title
suggests – an “introduction”. In each chapter Grimwade pro-
vides not only basic information and observations concern-
ing the critical aspects of the field, but also specifies relevant
references to other published articles and books for further
reading. However, the book is in itself a logical starting point
and an inspiration for greater understanding of the intrinsic
potential offered by precious metals.
Summer 2017
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