Precious Metals

Chrome Plate

Chrome plate is electro-plated chrome over a base metal. It is a low cost alternative to sterling silver.

Copper

Copper is a bright shiny reddish-gold metal that is soft and easily malleable. Ancient civilizations used copper as decorative body wear and jewelry. Today, copper is still widely used and desired for its color and versatility.

Gold

In the United States, the karat mark has become the standard for gold purity in a piece of jewelry. Only jewelry with enough gold to merit a karat stamp can be considered real gold. Measuring karats in gold is based on a scale of 24, with 100% equaling 24 karats. 24k gold is not often used in jewelry making because it is very soft. 18k gold is 75% pure gold. Most gold will have alloys (other metals, usually copper or silver) added to it to strengthen and harden the metal. The minimum standard in the United States is 10k.

As the karat weight drops, the metal becomes more durable but less yellow. Sometimes gold that is a lower karat weight will be plated in high-karat gold to enhance the color. This is perfectly acceptable as long as you pay a fair price. Also keep in mind that gold plating will wear off with time and your jewelry may need to be re-plated.

Gold Tone

Gold tone is jewelry that is plated with gold or another yellow metal and has no measurable karat weight. The process gives the item a yellow metal color and provides an expensive look with a fraction of the cost of real gold.

Palladium

Palladium is a soft, white metal that is similar to platinum. Its natural white color allows it to be used without the need to be rhodium plated, unlike white gold which requires the rhodium plating.

Pewter

Pewter is a soft metal and easily malleable by hand tools for carving, engraving, or presses, which makes it an excellent choice for detailed jewelry or keepsake pieces. Like sterling silver, pewter is shiny and bright, but it needs regular cleaning to maintain its luster.

Platinum

Like gold, platinum is rare and heavy, but it is more durable than gold and is sold in purer form. Most platinum is 90 - 95% pure platinum, compared to 18k gold, which is only 75% pure. It is sometimes mixed with a little bit of iridium and ruthenium, which are similar to platinum but much rarer, for added strength.

Platinum is much heavier than gold. 90% pure platinum weighs 60% more than 14k gold. A six inch cube of platinum will weigh 160lbs.

Platinum is very strong. It is one of the strongest and most enduring metals. Its strength holds gemstones very securely in their settings.

Platinum is not sold according to karat weights. It is stamped Pt or PLAT in the United States to indicate that it is platinum.

Because of its purity, platinum is hypoallergenic so it will not cause an allergic reaction like alloys in other metals sometimes do. Its light color also makes it popular. Like white gold, it makes very white diamonds appear bright.

Siladium

Siladium is a metal similar to fine jewelers' stainless steel. It polishes to a bright white luster and is strong and durable. It is a stainless steel alloy particularly used in class rings.

Silver Select

Silver Select is an ArtCarved® invention (patent pending). It is more precious than sterling silver and harder than many tarnish-resistant metals. Like sterling silver, it has a brilliant white shine, but has added platinum that makes it stronger.

Silver Tone

Silver tone is jewelry that is plated with silver or another white metal and has no measurable karat weight. The process gives the item a white metal color and provides an expensive look with a fraction of the cost of sterling silver or white gold.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a silvery-white color with a mirror finish that retains its shine and color very well and resists tarnishing. The most popular uses for stainless steel in jewelry are watches, bracelets, rings, earring posts and body jewelry because it is easy to clean, keeps a mirror shine and is strong enough for daily wear. Stainless steel jewelry does not rust, and it will not discolor some skin types like other traditional alloys.

Sterling Silver

Sterling silver is the most lustrous, most plentiful and least expensive precious metal. The standard for sterling silver has remained unchanged since 1300 when Edward I of England established an early trade practice rule for silversmiths, decreeing that sterling must consist of 92.5 percent pure silver alloyed with 7.6 percent copper. The copper is added for hardness. The term "sterling" refers to the composition of the metal, never to the weight of a finished item.

Silver is much more plentiful than gold; however, silver tends to tarnish, making it less popular in some forms of jewelry. Like gold, silver is too soft for use in its pure state and must be combined with other metals for durability. Jewelry made of silver parts and gold parts must carry dual designations such as "Sterling and 10K". There are three approved markings to indicate sterling:

Sterling Silver
.925
STR

Since silver will discolor or tarnish over time from being exposed to air, many of our pieces will feature a "tarnish free" tag. This indicates that a protective coating of either rhodium plate, platinum plate, or a poly-coating provides a barrier from oxidation. Over time these finishes will wear off, but they do provide an extended time before oxidation occurs.

Titanium

Titanium is a very plentiful element that is valued for its unique strength, durability and light weight. The labor-intensive cutting and shaping process necessary to create titanium jewelry explains the scarcity (compared to other metals), value and somewhat recent introduction into the jewelry industry.

Titanium's color is most often a matte gray, sometimes considered a sportier look. Polishing titanium creates a metallic look similar to platinum. Colorful finishes may be created, which produce a rainbow luminescence comparable to a peacock's feather.

Titanium is porous but highly resistant to dents and bending, helping to maintain its shape and making it ideal for daily wear. This metal is as strong as steel but is 45% lighter in weight, and is similar to platinum in its resistance to tarnishing. Its scratch resistance is best displayed in the polished and high polish finish. Although scratching may occur after long use, titanium is easily polished.

Titanium is hypoallergenic. Most titanium is 98.825% pure.

Tungsten

Tungsten is very heavy with a steel gray to tin-white color and a lustrous finish. Due to the hardness of this metal, the shine is not apt to fade as with other metals that must be polished.

This metal requires very little care. Any soft cloth will bring out the original bright finish. Avoid cleaning tungsten with harsh chemicals, and do not leave in ultrasonic cleaners for more than two minutes. Tungsten also has natural hypoallergenic properties that make it perfect for use in jewelry making.

White Gold

White gold has the same properties as yellow gold, but it has been mixed with different metals to give it a white color. Instead of the copper and silver used in yellow gold, white gold contains such metals as nickel, zinc, or even platinum. However, white gold should not be confused with platinum, which is much rarer than gold and hence more valuable.

The karat weight system used in white gold is the same as that used in yellow gold. 18K yellow gold and 18K white gold contain the same proportion of gold; only the remaining 25% of the alloy is different. Sometimes, white gold is plated with a white metal, such as rhodium (a very rare member of the platinum family), to enhance its appearance.

White gold was developed to give a different look to jewelry. The white color is an excellent setting for very white diamonds, and when used side by side with yellow gold, it creates a striking effect. Jewelry using both white and yellow gold is called "two-tone".