Wikipedia explains the term "Randole" as a technical concept from the metallurgical field. This is an aluminum billet that is used in the further production of aerosol cylinders. However, there is another explanation. Randole is one of the varieties of non-ferrous metals that is obtained artificially. In appearance, the material resembles gold, but it is not.
Aluminum tube billet
About composition and application
Randol in Wikipedia is designated as a blank for the production of tubes. But experts give this term a clearer explanation. Randol is an alloy of copper and beryllium. The gypsies use the resulting material to make beautiful jewelry, shown in the photo.
Randole jewelry
In industry, Randol is used for the manufacture of:
- Durable parts in aircraft construction.
- Indispensable elements in the design of cars.
- All kinds of products in the electrical industry.
The Randol composition, due to the inclusion of beryllium, exhibits high wear-resistant qualities. The material is not magnetic and does not spark in the event of impacts. The alloy is resistant to heat and is therefore used in pipeline construction. Gypsy gold is highly durable. It is used in drilling rigs. Randol metal passes through any deposits in the earth's crust without breaking or undergoing deformation.
Gold jewelry
It is interesting that if Randoli contains more than 3% beryllium, such an alloy loses its qualities. The metal becomes brittle and unsuitable for industrial use. Experts say that an alloy consisting of 98% copper and 2% beryllium is ideal in terms of quality and strength.
Stylish randole jewelry
Today, more than 30,000 tons of Randoli are produced annually in the world. The price of metal ranges from 500 to 1000 rubles per 500 grams. Randol is supplied to production in ingots, strips, tapes, granules, and rods. For a certain industry, magnesium, nickel or titanium is added to the alloy. In rare cases, lead is added to the Randol alloy, but in very small quantities. Lead makes metal easier to cut.
Fake gold plated ring
Why is randole called “gypsy gold”
Products made from a mixture of beryllium and copper are similar in appearance to gold, so large earrings, rings, and necklaces, traditionally worn by the gypsy people, were sold at fairs under the guise of jewelry.
Such jewelry has a right to exist, like any other jewelry, but the buyer must be warned about what he is actually buying.
Unfortunately, beryllium bronze was often sold as gold, which it has nothing to do with.
Therefore, the price of gypsy gold should be lower than the cost of the original precious metal.
Moreover, the gypsies learned to make even cheaper analogues, replacing beryllium with chromium or nickel. Such jewelry sparkled only at first, but then quickly faded and oxidized.
Randol in jewelry
Surely each of us has heard the term “gypsy gold”. What it is? This is the second name for Randoli. Considering that this alloy is very similar in appearance to gold, nomadic people make jewelry from it. They cannot be called jewelry, since the composition of these products does not include expensive materials.
But still, gold randol is used for making:
- Wide range of jewelry products.
- Watch bracelets.
- Decorative items for interior decoration.
Moreover, in prison clinics Randol is used to make crowns. And although such elements do not take root and often cause allergic reactions, prisoners have to agree to their installation.
Where else is Randol alloy used? This metal is used to make decorative coins, badges, and medals. In appearance, the mixture of copper and beryllium resembles 375 gold metal. However, according to experienced jewelers, it is more difficult to make jewelry from it than from precious material.
Using Randall
In manufacturing, randole is used to make springs, spring wires, load cells and other structural elements that must maintain their shape during periods of cyclic compression and extension. All alloys “age” and their strength decreases. But beryllium bronze, on the contrary, becomes more durable over the years. This quality of the alloy is valued by aircraft manufacturers: there are at least a thousand randoll products in a passenger airliner.
Randol is also in demand in the automotive industry, where springs, shock absorbers, bearings and much more are made from it.
The alloy's electrical conductivity allows it to be used in low-voltage battery contacts and electrical connectors.
The lack of sparking on impacts, combined with its strength, allows the randole to be used for the manufacture of bench tools that can be safely used in environments containing explosive vapors and gases, for example, on drilling rigs and in coal mines: screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, chisels, hammers and etc. Randol tools are more expensive and less wear-resistant than steel ones. But these disadvantages of the alloy are more than compensated by its safety in explosive environments.
“Gypsy gold” is widely used in the production of costume jewelry, decorative items and accessories. The yellow metal is used to make pen bodies, cigarette cases, knife blades, and even dental crowns.
Second gold
In conditions of the economic crisis, many people purchase products from the so-called second gold. What it is? It is an alloy of Randoli and brass. Thanks to its attractive appearance, the material perfectly imitates gold, which is confirmed by the photo. Only a jeweler can distinguish an alloy from a real precious metal. Products made from this material are practically resistant to oxidation and rust.
Second gold has the following advantages:
- Attractive appearance that lasts for a long period.
- Does not require special care.
- Allows you to look fashionable and expensive without spending a lot of money.
Women really like the second gold. After all, purchasing products does not require a lot of money, and the result is amazing.
Biological moment
Often after having their ears pierced, women tend to immediately put on gold earrings. But if there are none, you can replace them with randoli earrings. Thanks to the special composition, products made from second gold are hypoallergenic. That is, when wearing earrings made of second gold, you don’t have to worry that your earlobes will swell and suppuration will appear. Gold jewelry does not cause negative side effects.
An experienced specialist will tell you more about the composition of the Randol alloy, as well as the methods of its use in the video.
Physiological action
Beryllium compounds are poisons of cumulative action, which causes certain difficulties in handling them. However, finished randol products do not pose a health hazard. However, inhalation of dust or fumes of this alloy, emitted during grinding, cutting or welding, gradually leads to serious lung damage. Beryllium compounds are known to be carcinogenic when inhaled.
Randole teeth are considered harmless, but often do not take root and cause allergic reactions.
Scope of application
Having such unique properties, randol is often used in the most unusual pieces of equipment. As already mentioned, randole is used in the electrical industry. Bronze elements of relays and contact group assemblies, springs and clamps, without all this it would be impossible to electrify and ensure the normal functioning of entire regions.
For railways, beryllium bronze is a truly strategic resource - from wheel bearings to electrical components of electric locomotives and switches, randol is needed everywhere.
Modern shipbuilding is impossible without the use of randol. At the same time, not only civilian, but also military, especially for the nuclear fleet. Many parts of power plants of surface and underwater ships are equipped with randolium pipelines, and the housings of sensors and instruments are made of metal. After all, metal is not only difficult to machine, it does not oxidize and is not subject to aging, which is very important in such conditions.
Beryllium bronze is the main material for the manufacture of drilling tools. It is the randole that is used as a head into which diamonds are inserted for drilling deep wells.
Randole is often used in medicine - dentures are made from it. And although not all artificial teeth made of bronze survive, temporary crowns are made from it.
Randol alloy price
To understand why a gram of alloy has such a price, you need to understand what the metal is intended for. Scrap metal as part of jewelry or leftover equipment will be inexpensive, usually buyers give 40-60 rubles per gram for it, it depends on the amount of metal. When purchasing metal in the form of industrial blanks, it can cost about 400-500 rubles per 1 gram of metal. For jewelry workshops, the alloy is offered in rods, ingots, plates and granules for remelting. The price of such metal is about 700 rubles per gram. It’s easy to find out how much metal for dentistry costs - the price starts from 1000 rubles.
The price of Randol is 400-500 rubles per 1 gram of metal
The most expensive is randol containing lead - this bronze not only lends itself well to machining, it is also excellent for forging. The price of such metal starts from 1,500 rubles per gram.
Unfortunately, the production of beryllium bronzes in Russia today does not meet international standards. In the country, only the Moscow Nonferrous Metal Plant produces products that meet some international standards for beryllium bronze.
How to distinguish randole from gold
There are several ways that allow you to understand that what you have in front of you is a painted alloy or gold. Of course, the most reliable way is to shop in trusted jewelry stores, where you can be sure of the quality of the jewelry.
How can you verify the authenticity of a product without special equipment?
Check the sample
First of all, find a print that shows the percentage of pure precious metal in the alloy. The most common standard is 585, the highest is 999 (this is bank metal, not jewelry). You can use a magnifying glass to examine the mark.
Inspect the joints
If you have a chain or bracelet in front of you, look at the joints. There is usually a slight difference between the color of the metal and the joint: when soldering gold, jewelers use a higher grade metal at the joint because it melts easily.
