Metal Guide

Gold

Gold is a very durable and timeless metal that will not rust, corrode, or tarnish. Jewelers throughout the ages have preferred gold to all other metals for its beauty and ease of workmanship.

Pure gold (24K) is too soft to withstand the stresses of every-day wear, so it is usually alloyed with a mixture of metals of other metals like silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to increase its strength and durability. Alloying it with other metals can also produce a variety of colors. The most common colors for gold are yellow, white, and rose.

Gold content and purity is measured in karats. Karats is not the same as the diamond's unit of weight measurement, carat. The higher the karat, the greater its gold content and price. The K number specifies how many parts, by weight, of pure gold is contained in 24 parts of the alloy. 24 karat gold is 100 percent (an intense yellow gold color), 18 karat is 75 percent, and 14 karat is 58 percent gold. 10 karat gold is the legal karat limit for real gold in the United States (but is usually unacceptable for jewelry).

Rhodium

Rhodium is the most expensive precious metal in the world, costing over ten times as much as pure gold.

Because it is so expensive, jewelry is not made from rhodium. Instead, it is used to plate white gold jewelry, because there is no such thing as real white gold. In fact, white gold actually contains a natural slight yellow tint. Unfortunately this treatment is not permanent; it should be repeated once every year or two to keep your jewelry looking lustrously white.

Advice: The decision between 14K and 18K is a matter of personal taste and preference. 14K has the important advantage of added strength, but it lacks the higher gold content and beauty of the rich color found in 18K. Additionally, if you are looking for white gold, you must take into account the natural yellowish tint that has to be dipped in rhodium.

Platinum

Platinum is considered the ultimate metal for fine jewelry. It is 35 times more rare than gold and has a naturally unique white luster. It is also the strongest precious metal used in jewelry, and is almost twice as heavy as 14K gold. Platinum is one of the most uncommon precious metals on earth. It requires 8 weeks and 10 tons of ore to produce a single ounce of platinum.

Platinum jewelry is at least 90% pure, which makes it hypoallergenic and ideal for those with sensitive skin. Because it is so pure, it requires no additives or rhodium plating, and its brilliant white luster enhances the natural beauty of diamonds.

Advice: Platinum jewelry is a perfect choice for everyday wear. As it is the strongest of jewelry metals, platinum holds precious stones firmly and securely. Although it can scratch, it does not wear away and decrease its volume or value. Over time, platinum develops a natural patina that many people prefer over the high polished appearance. This look is unique to platinum, but if one prefers the high polished look, they can simply have their platinum jewelry re-polished. We usually recommend only having it re-polished every one to two years.

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