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Jewelry Metals Guides
Gold is the most common precious metal used in high quality jewelry. Gold has a wonderful reflective property and can be polished to brilliant shine.
Gold Jewelry looks great with white gold, silver, and platinum.
Gold Jewelry can be easily cleaned in warm water with a soft brush and a touch of liquid dish soap.
Gold Jewelry looks great with white gold, silver, and platinum.
Gold Jewelry can be easily cleaned in warm water with a soft brush and a touch of liquid dish soap.
Two features are important to understand, when talking about gold quality:
1. Karat, the measurement of the purity of the true gold content.
2. Alloys, the process of mixing gold with other metals to create varying gold characteristics.
Gold Karat
24 karat gold is the purest form of gold available, that is, it is 99.99% pure.
Around the world, it has become common practice, and in some countries it is legally mandated, to indicate the purity of gold in jewelry by stamping a tiny mark on the jewelry (if space allows):
1. Karat, the measurement of the purity of the true gold content.
2. Alloys, the process of mixing gold with other metals to create varying gold characteristics.
Gold Karat
24 karat gold is the purest form of gold available, that is, it is 99.99% pure.
Around the world, it has become common practice, and in some countries it is legally mandated, to indicate the purity of gold in jewelry by stamping a tiny mark on the jewelry (if space allows):
Gold Content | Alloy (mix) content | Percentage marking | Karat marking |
99.99% | 0.01% | 999 | 24K |
91.66% | 8.34% | 925 | 22K |
87.50% | 12.50% | 875 | 21K |
75.00% | 25.00% | 750 | 18K |
58.33% | 41.67% | 585 | 14K |
41.67% | 58.33% | 416 | 10K |
33.33% | 66.67% | 333 | 8 |
24K (999) Gold:
It is purest form of gold but it is too soft for everyday jewelry. The gold can be dented, bent and scratched very easily. The color of pure gold is a warm rich yellow.
21K (875) Gold:
If the alloy contains 50/50 silver and copper, then it gives the metal sufficient stability and hardness to serve for gold jewelry purposes.
18K (750) Gold:
White gold also usually has a maximum 18K purity.
14K (585) Gold:
In the West, this is the most common level of purity, while in Asia this is considered the lowest grade of gold. Non-gold alloys, however, may cause allergic reactions to the skin, in which case an 'upgrade’ to 18K is suggested.
12K (500), 11K, 10K (416), 9K (375), 8K (333) Gold
This low level of gold content is primarily used to reduce the price of gold jewelry. Due to a high non-gold alloy content, brilliant white gold can be made from this gold. This type of gold is only used in the West.
In some cases, this gold purity is not the cheapest or mere low grade gold. If the gold is mixed with platinum or palladium to make white gold, this grade of gold can be very expensive. It may also have the effect of producing a hard platinum like metal, while being less expensive than platinum. In such case, gold is the alloy which is added to platinum to reduce the price of platinum.
White Gold Jewelry
White Gold Jewelry is the perfect alternative for those who want the luxury of gold with a cool silvery tone.
Gold Alloys
Pure gold (24k or 999) is too soft to be used in everyday jewelry. Hence, gold jewelry usually uses an alloy metal to increase the gold’s hardness and change its color. Palladium, platinum, rhodium, copper, zinc, nickel and silver are metals commonly mixed with gold for use in jewelry.
Alloys are a mixture of metals, which are added to the gold, to give it different characteristics:
1.To increase the gold’s hardness and improve wear ability.
2.To enhance the gold’s color – by adding a metal alloy the color of gold can be changed from yellow to white, red, blue and even green gold. The most commonly used metals to alloy with gold are: Nickel, Copper and Silver.
Less commonly used are the Platinum metals, Rhodium and Palladium.
Nickel: - increases hardness and act as 'bleach' to give the gold a white color.
Copper: - reduces price, and gives gold a warmer and sometimes even a greener
color.
Silver: - reduces price and is used for making white gold. When using silver and copper in a 50/50 alloy, 18K gold is created, which is as hard as most 10K gold alloys. When increasing the silver content of the gold alloy, the gold will become softer and greener in shade.
Rhodium and Palladium: - increase shine, whiteness, hardness and price.
Silver Jewelry
This shimmery white metal can be worn day or night, and is a very popular in everyday jewelry. Silver jewelry is far more affordable than white gold or platinum.
Silver Jewelry be easily cleaned by polishing it with a soft cloth or in warm water with liquid dish soap and a soft brush.
Palladium Jewelry
Palladium is the newest precious metal. A platinum group metal, palladium is rare, lustrous, and naturally white. Palladium has the purity and white tone of platinum naturally bright white metal. Lighter than platinum.
And just like platinum, palladium jewelry is 95% pure, which means you get more precious metal in your jewelry: White gold is only 58.5% pure. And while white gold needs rhodium plating to keep it shiny, palladium jewelry does not. In fact, palladium is often used in white gold alloys. . If you suffer from nickel allergies, you may have found your new favorite metal; palladium jewelry is hypoallergenic.
Clean your Palladium Jewelry in warm water with a soft brush or cloth.
Platinum Jewelry
Platinum has a lot in common with gold. Both metals are rare, very precious and used in high quality jewelry. Like gold, platinum has a wonderful reflective property and can be polished to brilliant shine. Furthermore, it does not rust, corrode or tarnish, and hence the shine will not fade with time. Platinum, however, is rarer than gold and more than twice as expensive.
Platinum Jewelry so expensive, It's purity means a platinum ring is 95% platinum, while a 14k gold ring is just 58% gold. Platinum's density means a similar sized piece weighs more and platinum is priced by the ounce. In addition to the durability, purity, and rarity of the metal, working platinum into beautiful jewelry requires a higher level of skill.
Uses of Platinum Jewelry
Very elegant, precious, modern looking metal and when used with diamonds makes these look much more brilliant. Strong for holds gems securely.
Platinum and alloys of platinum, like pure gold, are hypoallergenic, meaning people having allergic reactions to nickel which is contained in white gold may prefer platinum or at least 18K (750) yellow gold jewelry. If you're looking for a worthwhile investment that will last lifetimes, platinum jewelry is right for you. Many think that the weight of platinum jewelry feels luxurious to wear.
Clean your Platinum Jewelry with mild soap and warm water, and gently wipe or brush with a soft cloth or toothbrush. Jewelry cleaning solution will also keep your platinum jewelry shining.
Platinum Jewelry
Platinum has a lot in common with gold. Both metals are rare, very precious and used in high quality jewelry. Like gold, platinum has a wonderful reflective property and can be polished to brilliant shine. Furthermore, it does not rust, corrode or tarnish, and hence the shine will not fade with time. Platinum, however, is rarer than gold and more than twice as expensive.
Platinum Jewelry so expensive, It's purity means a platinum ring is 95% platinum, while a 14k gold ring is just 58% gold. Platinum's density means a similar sized piece weighs more and platinum is priced by the ounce. In addition to the durability, purity, and rarity of the metal, working platinum into beautiful jewelry requires a higher level of skill.
Uses of Platinum Jewelry
Very elegant, precious, modern looking metal and when used with diamonds makes these look much more brilliant. Strong for holds gems securely.
Platinum and alloys of platinum, like pure gold, are hypoallergenic, meaning people having allergic reactions to nickel which is contained in white gold may prefer platinum or at least 18K (750) yellow gold jewelry. If you're looking for a worthwhile investment that will last lifetimes, platinum jewelry is right for you. Many think that the weight of platinum jewelry feels luxurious to wear.
Clean your Platinum Jewelry with mild soap and warm water, and gently wipe or brush with a soft cloth or toothbrush. Jewelry cleaning solution will also keep your platinum jewelry shining.