Early N.S. Meyer Naval Aviator Wings and versions

[5thwingmarty]

I have seen a couple of Meyer Metal wings recently on ebay and became curious about them.  As they are gold in color I had assumed they were at least gold "plated" but in reading this thread that does not appear to be the case.  Does anyone (besides Meyer) know the metal make-up of these insignia?  I know there have been posts in the past by guys who have access to XRF machines.  Are there any current forum members with access to an XRF and a Meyer Metal wing?

[rathbonemuseum.com]

I found this series of simple definitions helpful. In terms of technology and application, "rolled gold" is a an earlier form than "gold fill" and all were replaced later by "gold plated"

 

Gold-filled describes a gold "sandwich" that has been produced by mechanically bonding a thin layer of gold to both sides of a thick base metal (usually brass) core. The sandwich of gold/brass/gold is rolled under very high pressure until bonded and to the desired thickness. Law requires that the gold content be no less than 1/20th (by weight) of the total metal content in order to be called gold-filled. Roughly 80-120 microns thick on watch cases.

Rolled Gold Plate (R.G.P.) is similar to gold-filled, but with a thinner layer of gold required. Gold sandwiches less than 1/20th gold by weight that are produced by mechanical (pressing) means will generally be called rolled gold-plate. Generally 20-40 microns thick gold layer.

Gold plated (plaque) items contain the least amount of gold. It differs from rolled gold plate because of the means of depositing or bonding the gold to the core base metal. Gold plate tends to refer to a thin layer of gold (usually less than 10-20 microns thick) applied through electrical/chemical deposition.

[rathbonemuseum.com]

Another helpful description

 

Rolled gold is a hybrid material, consisting of a thin layer of gold that's mechanically bonded or heat-fused to one or both sides of a base metal (often brass or copper), then rolled out into sheets to create jewelry. The thickness of the gold layer can vary but is generally at least five percent of the total metal weight. Unlike other costume jewelry metals, rolled gold is hypoallergenic and should not cause a problem for anyone with skin sensitivities to other or mixed metals.

Rolled Gold History

 

This type of layered gold was patented in England in 1817 and it became a prime source for semi-precious and better-quality costume jewelry in the Victorian era. Using rolled gold allowed jewelry designers to create and sell intricate pieces without the high cost of solid gold. Rolled gold saw a renewed surge of popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, especially in utilitarian objects such as watches and fountain pens.

How to Identify Rolled Gold Jewelry

 

Earlier English and American 19th-century rolled gold articles might be stamped with the word "Gilt." Designations such as "1/20 12K G.F." or "1/20 12K RG" indicate a later, 20th-century piece of jewelry or accessory. If a piece of gold jewelry has a mark like that, it means the item is made of 1/20 rolled gold and is made of 12 karat gold. Modern rolled gold jewelry should always have a stamp that indicates how much gold is used and its level of purity. Often times the letters "RG" indicate that the metal used is rolled gold. Sometimes pieces have "RGP" instead, meaning "rolled gold plate."

[5thwingmarty]

Based on the old Meyer box, it sounds like the Meyer Metal were made from some kind of gold-colored metal alloy and had no real gold outer finish applied.  I am curious if there is any actual gold or other precious metals in the Meyer Metal.

[Josh B.]

This is a great thread worth revisiting.  Anyone have a "Meyer Plate" Naval Aviator to share?