Pinchbeck (alloy) it came to mean a cheap and tawdry imitation of gold. Pinchbeck is typically composed of copper and zinc in ratios of 89% copper to 11% zinc; or 93% copper to 7% zinc. Pinchbeck (alloy) Pinchbeck is a form of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, mixed in proportions so that it closely resembles gold in appearance. It was invented in the 18th century by Christopher Pinchbeck, a London clockmaker. Since gold was only sold in 18-carat quality at that time, the development of pinchbeck allowed ordinary people to buy gold 'effect' jewellery on a budget. The inventor allegedly
Alloy "binary alloy." If there are three types of atoms forming the mixture, such as iron, nickel and chromium, then it is called a "ternary alloy." An alloy with four constituents is a "quaternary alloy," while a five-part alloy is termed a "quinary alloy." Because the percentage of each constituent can be varied, with any mixture the entire range of possible variations is called a "system". In this respect, all of the various forms of an alloy containing only two constituents, like iron and carbon, is called a "binary system," while all of the alloy combinations possible with a ternary alloy,