What is keum-boo?
Keum-boo (pronounced “koem-boe”) is an ancient Korean technique in which pure gold(24 karat gold leaf or foil) is permanently bonded to silver. This is done by heat and pressure. The result is a beautiful contrast: the warm luster of gold on the cool silver surface.
How does it work?
The secret lies in the properties of precious metals. When silver is heated to about 500 °C, the surface becomes “active” and gold can fuse with it, so to speak. By gently rubbing or pressing with a smooth tool(for example, an agate pen ), the gold permanently adheres to the silver. Thus, no glue or solder is involved!
Application to silver clay
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Preparation: Make your ornament out of silver clay and bake it completely according to the instructions.
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Polishing: Make sure the surface is clean and smooth (if necessary, polish to a high gloss first).
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Heating: Bring the finished ornament to temperature, such as with a hotplate or hotplate.
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Applying gold: Place a piece of 24k gold leaf or foil on the silver and rub gently until it adheres.
Because silver clay consists of pure silver (99.9%) after firing, it is ideally suited for Keum-boo.
Application to plate silver
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Preparation: Preferably use fine silver (99.9%). Sterling silver (925) can also be used, but this requires first removing the copper layer on the surface by depletion annealing (heating and pickling several times).
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Heating and application: The process is otherwise the same as for silver clay: heating, positioning gold, pressing and rubbing until the gold adheres.
Why use Keum-boo?
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Gives a luxurious look without having to make an all-gold piece of jewelry.
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Enables unique designs by adding patterns, accents or large areas of gold.
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It is durable: the gold is really fixed and does not just wear away.
