The Art of Gilding: Timeless Techniques in Metal Ornamentation

 

Gilding with Mercury

This traditional and intricate method involves coating the metal object with an amalgam of molten gold and mercury. The piece is then heated, causing the mercury to evaporate and leaving a golden layer behind. The surface is burnished to enhance its sheen, revealing intricate details unified by a monochromatic gold tone.

While breathtaking in its results, this process is perilously dangerous due to mercury’s toxicity. Historically, artisans risked their lives for this craft—most notably during the reign of the Sun King, when Versailles gleamed with mercury-gilded brilliance. Today, mercury gilding is strictly regulated and rarely practiced due to its health hazards.

 

Electrolytic Gilding

Revolutionized in the 19th century, this method has become a staple for industrial and fine craftsmanship. Objects are submerged in an electrolyte solution, with gold attached to the positive terminal and the object to the negative. Upon activation, gold deposits uniformly onto the object.

This cost-efficient process is perfect for jewelry, decorative hardware, and gold-plated furniture. However, the gilding’s quality depends on the thickness of the gold layer, typically between 5–15 microns. Electrolytic gilding offers a warm, reddish tone and exceptional durability.

 

Gilding with Gold Leaf

Large surfaces, such as domes and railings, require the use of delicate gold leaf sheets, typically 4–10 microns thick. These are adhered using specially prepared linseed oil that becomes tacky when exposed to air. The result is a surface of stunning brilliance, although the fragile gold leaf is susceptible to scratching and best suited for architectural applications.

 

Friction and Vacuum Gilding

Ancient methods of friction gilding involved rubbing a gold nugget onto heated metal, embedding the gold into the surface. Though rudimentary, this method achieved striking results before mercury gilding became dominant.

Modern vacuum gilding uses projection technology to apply ultrathin gold layers—less than a micron thick—onto specialized surfaces like astronaut visors or firefighting helmets, offering advanced reflectivity against heat and sunlight.

 

Varnish Gilding

This economical technique, popularized during Louis XV’s reign, uses yellow varnish on heated pewter to mimic the appearance of gold. While visually deceptive, the varnish lacks longevity, eventually cracking and revealing the oxidized metal beneath.

 

鍍金藝術：金屬裝飾的永恆技法

汞鍍金: 此傳統工藝以熔融金與汞的混合物塗覆金屬，經加熱後汞揮發，留下金層，再拋光以增強光澤。雖效果驚人，但因汞的毒性極為危險，現已受到嚴格管制。

電解鍍金: 19 世紀革新技術，物品置於電解液中，通電後金均勻沉積於表面。此法成本低，適用於珠寶與裝飾，但鍍金厚度影響品質。

金箔鍍金: 適用於圓頂、欄杆等大面積裝飾，使用 4–10 微米厚的金箔，透過亞麻油黏附，效果華麗但易刮傷，多用於建築。

摩擦鍍金與真空鍍金: 古法以金塊摩擦加熱金屬，使金附著。現代則用真空投射技術鍍上超薄金層，如太空頭盔的防熱塗層。

清漆鍍金: 流行於路易十五時代，在加熱的錫上塗黃漆模仿金色，外觀華美但易龜裂，金屬隨時間氧化顯露。