TANTALUM

 

"And they sell exotic, even black metal; said fellow goldsmith Hanno van der Meulen. It's 1981, and jewelry designers start a little wake up for materials other than gold and silver. Inside it is rather messy sales of Mr Van Belle. He hides behind stacks of paper and strange metal. There is titanium, molybdenum, indium, and also that promised black metal; tantalum. Magic material, dark, heavy with a very high melting point.  The name tantalum is derived from the mythological Greek god Tantalus. For his mistakes must pay Tantalus forever. His lips standing in the water he was unable to get the tempting food and drink; The Tantalizing.  

The operation of tantalum is similar to that torment. It demands the utmost from us. Tools will quickly dull or breaks, polishing brushes do not impress and hardly deliver gloss. Impossible operation makes John indeed impressed. In combination with white gold and diamond, the tantalum delivers a prize-winning ring; 1st prize plus an honorable mention in the National Competition Diamant 1981. 
The die is cast and there are more tantaalsieraden. The Pauline Barendse cooperation from 1995 shows the tantaalvonk skip.Were the editing limited in the beginning, later used laser processing. Laser Experiments lead to combinations and embellishments with gold. The dark tantalum contrast fantastic with the warm gold color.
Tantalum as well as titanium is especially suited for jewelry. Both of these metals are non-toxic and biologically inert, the human body emits it does not print.