What is Gold Leaf and What are uses of Gold Leaf

What is Gold Leaf? and What are uses of Gold Leaf?

Gold leaf is the name for a high-gold alloys made ​​from thin sheets. It is used for non-metallic articles to give the appearance of real gold (gold plating). The thickness of the gold foil meets today about one fifth of the wavelength of visible light, ie about 0.1 microns or 100 nanometers, it can differ depending on the application. So for plastic surfaces rather thinner blades are used. In reflected light shines golden yellow gold leaf, backlit by a white light source appears greenish blue.


Gold leaf is made ​​from the so-called gold-beating with a hammer spring.
Gold leaf can be made thin in thicknesses of 100 to 1000 atomic layers. A gram of gold is in the normal thickness of 100 nanometers, an area of ​​about half a square meter. In Roman times the thickness was about three micrometers, in the 14th Century one micrometer.

The gold is combined with additives (platinum, silver, copper) is melted and poured into bars. Our Aurum and Argentum Company gold is combined with silver. The additives are responsible for the desired color of the gold leaf. The bars are then rolled into a gold band about the strength of newsprint and cut into squares (quarters). 400 to 500 of these quarters are placed one above the other in a crusher and more passes repeatedly beaten and cut up the large districts about 8 by 8 inches and a ten-thousandth of a millimeter thick.

Gold leaf is used mainly for gilding picture frames, books (gilt) used furniture, figures, architectural elements, stucco, icons, etc.. Gold leaf is it - depending on the purpose and desired effect - applied with special adhesives and often polished.

In Buddhism, gold leaf is used for rituals.
The consumption of gold is safe and exemplified in Danziger Goldwasser, Schwabacher Goldwasser or flavored wine-based drinks (for example: Gold Blend liqueur with gold or gold of Austria Inführ champagne) drinkable.

22-carat gold leaf is used as a food color E 175. Gold leaf is also used for gold plating of food and drinks, pastries and gourmet food.

A coming trend is using gold leaf, gold powder and gold flakes as a makeup and cosmetics additive for special effects.

Cleopatra Gold facials have become popular in mainstream culture and spa as a sign of wealth.

Salons are adding gold leaf  to nail polish and hair for glamorous look.

 

Henna gold leaf is popular with Indian newly weds.