If you want to learn more, please visit our website SUIN.
Does platinum scratch?
Like all precious metals, platinum and white gold do scratch.
If a platinum or gold piece has a high-polish finish, scratches are actually easier to spot, because of the high contrast between the polish and the scratch.
Platinum is a softer and more flexible metal than white gold. Over time, because it is easier to scratch, platinum develops a natural patina (grayish-white dull color) that many people prefer to the polished finish.
Platinum is a much denser metal. Its chemical composition has a more compact concentration of material per unit than gold. This means your platinum jewelry is heavier and will wear longer than white gold. Ninety percent platinum weighs sixty percent more than 14-karat gold.
These two properties - being denser and softer than gold, mean that when platinum is scratched, no metal is lost. The metal is merely adjusted to allow room for the scratch. This means that platinum does not lose the minuscule amount of metal that disappears when other precious metals are scratched. This explains why design work and engravings last much longer on platinum jewelry.
White gold is a harder metal than Platinum. This means that its surface is more resistant to scratches than platinum.
Also, white gold is less malleable. White gold needs more pressure to bend than what is required by platinum. This means that white gold prongs holding diamonds are more resistant to bending than platinum. Most diamond jewelry now has white gold mountings and prongs.
It is important to realize that when comparing these two metals, we are talking about relative marginal differences in toughness and hardness. Both metals are strong enough to withstand normal wear and tear for your jewelry. While platinum lasts longer, it is also softer (scratches more). Platinum it is more malleable therefore is easier to hammer or press into shape without breaking or cracking.
I've heard that platinum is harder to work with than gold.
Platinum and white gold like other metals can be worked on or altered by a qualified jeweler.
Platinum is different to work on than gold, but not more difficult for a qualified and skilled craftsman. ( Some jewelry shops do not have craftsmen skilled to work with platinum ) Platinum has a much higher melting point than other precious metals and it can be easily contaminated if mishandled. Therefore, platinum requires special procedures, chemicals and equipment which make the process of creating platinum jewelry more costly.
Most jewelry craftsmen are well equipped to work with gold and all its alloys. Most jewelry shops are qualified to cast gold jewelry locally. Casting platinum jewelry requires specialized shops outside the scope of your local jewelry retailer or custom jewelry shop.
Whether it’s white, rose or yellow, gold jewelry has always been and will always be in fashion.
A piece of solid gold jewelry is an investment that will last a lifetime – as long as you do your research and make sure you’re getting what you pay for.
Before you drop your hard earned cash on that piece of flashy bling, read our fact filled gold buyer’s guide.
Gold purity is measured in parts of 24. So each karat is 1/24th gold by weight. So 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals – 75% gold. The mixture of other metals depends on what colour you are trying to make (see below re: gold colours). The higher the karat weight, the purer the gold.
For jewelry, the most common alloys are 18Karat, 14Karat and 10Karat (or 9K outside of North America). Why don’t they make jewelry in pure gold? Well it’s too soft. Mixing it with other metals increases it’s durability.
Technically gold is only one colour – yellow. However, gold alloys are available in a multitude of shades. The most popular being yellow, white and rose.
Yellow gold is a blend of gold and different quantities of copper, zinc and silver. The colour of 10k gold (less than 50%) will be much lighter than the very yellow hue of 18 or 22k.
White gold includes a mixture of white metals such as nickel, silver, zinc or palladium. If you have nickel allergies, make sure you ask if the alloy is nickel free before purchasing. As the karat weight increases, there is more gold in the mix and the colour will be slightly yellower.
Often white gold is plated with Rhodium to give it that super-white appearance we are all used to seeing in jewelry shops. One caveat – if you’re looking for low-maintenance jewelry, avoid anything with plating as you’ll need to send it to be re-plated regularly.
Rose gold is made with copper for that pinkish hue. Again, if you want the pinkest rose gold, the lower karat weights will be your go-to while 22k will have only a slightly coppery tint.
As with anything in life, exercise caution and common sense when purchasing gold alloys. If you’re buying 22k pink gold and it looks very coppery, be very wary.
There can be three different types symbols stamped into your jewelry piece. One will be a maker’s mark symbolizing the person or company who made the piece, another is a hallmark that denotes the metal quality, and the third type is an assay office mark that denotes that the metal quality has been independently tested.
In some countries, though not all, hallmarking jewelry before sale is required by law as proof of the precious metal content. In areas of the world where the laws are not as stringent, you may have only some marks or even none at all. If a gold piece does not carry a hallmark, make sure you ask why and trust the person you are buying it from. If it turns out not to be the purity you paid for, without markings it is your word against theirs.
In Canada we typically stamp our jewelry with the karat weight. So you will see 10K, 14K, 18K etc. on a discreet area of the piece. Other areas of the world (such as Europe) stamp with the gold parts per thousand. For example, 18K is 75% gold, so 750 parts per thousand. 18K gold would be stamped with a 750, 14K with a 585 and so on.
The short answer is yes… and no. Pure gold is hypoallergenic. However, jewelry is not made of pure gold and may contain metals that can cause allergic reactions (such as nickel). Europe has placed controls on the use of nickel in jewelry but gold coming from other parts of the world may not be as closely controlled.
If you have metal allergies, try to stick to higher carat golds (18K) that will have less other metals in them. Also yellow will be your safest bet to avoid nickel.
Your absolute best bet is to buy your jewelry from someone you feel comfortable with. Ask informed questions about where they source their metal and what the content is.
Solid gold will never tarnish so you can wear it all day and night without worry. You don’t have to take it off to shower or sleep, but exercise common sense during other activities.
If you are going to get dirty, come in contact with chemicals (for example the chlorine in swimming pools), or are doing something where your jewelry may be damaged (contact sports), remove your jewelry and put it in a safe spot. This is doubly true for any piece set with stones.
Although some use these two terms interchangeably, gold vermeil is specifically sterling silver that has been gold plated to a thickness of at least 1.5 microns. Gold plate can have any base metal underneath – brass, copper, nickel – and be flash plated with an extremely thin layer of gold. You may think it doesn’t matter since the base metal is underneath, but when that thin plated layer wears off, cheaper metals can darken, turn your finger green, or cause allergic reactions.
All Andrea Shelley gold plated pieces are made with solid sterling silver base. We also use palladium under plating rather than the standard nickel (to avoid allergies).
Gold plating is a great entry point for gold jewelry – especially if you are looking for a fun statement piece to wear for a season or two. However, if you want your gold jewelry to last, solid gold is the only way to go. No matter the quality of the plating, it will wear off with use.
Gold filled or rolled gold jewelry is a layer of gold that is heat or pressure bonded to a base metal (usually brass). The outer layer is gold and is much thicker than gold plating so will last much longer. To be considered gold filled, an item must have at least one fifth gold content (1/20th) by weight.
Gold filled is perfect for items that withstand a lot of wear – like rings. If solid gold doesn’t fit in your budget, gold filled is a great option.
Shop gold filled jewelry here.
I hope this guide has given you all of the details you need to make informed choices when buying gold jewelry. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to send me an email or drop it in the comments below.
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Cheap Rf Spectrum Analyzer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.