Photo for a tombstone with a gold stripe

Durability of grave photos

OPAL Photoceramics give a lifetime warranty for color durability. Modern techniques of producing and burning photos on porcelain and crystal, combined with the use of professional materials and semi-finished products, allow for full resistance against abrasion and fading of the photo onto the monument. However, it should be noted that the warranty does not cover gold and platinum bands. Why? Technological limitations stand in the way here.

Color gamut of photography on the monument

Let's start with how it happens that colorful tombstone photos do not fade even despite prolonged exposure to the sun. Ceramic paints used in the production of tombstone photoceramics are inorganic ceramic paints that do not discolor in the correct production process. Unfortunately, we have a limitation here in the form of a color gamut. The range of colors that can be obtained using ceramic toners does not allow for perfect reproduction of bright or reflective colors. The same goes for gold and platinum. It is impossible to obtain the color and gloss of real gold without using the actual ore, replacing it only with ceramic paint. This is why the stripes are applied using products other than photography.

Gold and platinum are not perfectly abrasion resistant. Real ore can be destroyed by mechanical rubbing of the surface. Among other things, that is why it is so important to properly care for the tombstone photoceramics for the monument. If a photo with a gold or platinum band is not visibly dirty, do not polish or rub it. Manufacturers of photoceramics do not give a lifetime guarantee for the durability of the strip, because it is not possible with current technological limitations.

What to do if the strip on the photoceramic has worn off?

So what can be done if the belt has worn off? First of all, it is worth considering replacing the photoceramics with a new one. It will be a good time to match all the tombstones on one monument. By locating the output photos, you can now get better quality and color than a few years ago. Making new porcelain from old gravestones is also possible, even if the tiles crack during disassembly.

Another solution is to use plastic frames that will hide the worn strip. Plastic frames can be found in our offer. Their format is usually consistent with the size of tombstone porcelain, so when looking for a frame for 8x11 porcelain, you should order a frame with the parameters of 8x11.

When placing an order for new porcelain for a monument, it is worth considering a photograph without a belt and decorating the monument in a different way, for example using stainless steel or bronze letters, or using colorful ceramic ornaments. However, when deciding on a gold or platinum strap, you should pay attention to the fact that the durability guarantee applies only to the colors of the photograph.