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Jewellery Metals - Essential Guide
When it comes to buying beautiful jewellery, for most, the focus is usually on finding the perfect gemstone – but the size of your sparkling stone isn’t all you should keep in mind.
Choosing the right precious metal for your jewellery can have a huge effect on the final piece. From impacting cost to influencing the colour of your chosen gem, to affecting your jewellery’s longevity, the metal you select is a crucial part of the final item, and is definitely worth some careful consideration.
Read our essential guide to precious metals...
Metal Terminology – What does it all mean?
Learning the terminology is an important part of jewellery buying. Use our dictionary to build your knowledge of the key terms you should be aware of when it comes to selecting your perfect metal…
Alloyed
Metal is mixed with other metals, often to strengthen the final product. Most golds and silvers are alloyed to make them stronger. Alloys can be a base metal which is often cheaper, or a precious metal that is more expensive.
Elements
Some metals are elements, which means that they are in their purest form. Pure gold is an element, but it is too soft to wear in such a way so is often alloyed with other metals, which is why it is available to buy in different ‘carats’
Gold or Silver Fill
A fill is a cover of a metal that has been wrapped and bonded around a second metal. It is hundreds of times thicker than plating.
Assay Assured
If an item is ‘Assay Assured’ this means it carries a hallmark indicating an independent third party has assessed the metal, and guaranteed its quality and fineness.
Ethical/Green Metals
Metals that have been refined, reused and repurposed from old metallic products, rather than newly mined metals.
Base Metals
These metals are often used in costume jewellery and alloys, and are cheaper than precious metals. To make cheaper jewellery, base metals are sometimes plated with a very thin layer of precious metals such as gold or silver. Examples of base metals are aluminium, brass, copper and nickel.
Noble or Precious Metals
Metals that are found as naturally occurring elements, and so are rare and very valuable. Some examples are gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Patina
Oxidisation or corrosion on a metal surface, such as tarnish on silver or rust on iron.
Malleable
A moldable metal, great for shaping.
Plating
A thin cover of metal that is applied to the surface of another metal base, usually to strengthen, improve appearance or colour it.
Understanding Gold - Carats
Gold is a very soft metal in its natural form and usually needs to be mixed with other metals to make an alloy, so it is strong enough to wear. Usual alloy materials are copper or silver, which can affect the colour of the gold – popular options include yellow gold, white gold and rose gold.
Because of this requirement to be mixed with other metals, gold items are available in different levels of purity, known as ‘Carats’ or ‘CT’.
- 24 Carat gold is the purest form of gold and contains the highest % of it as a natural element
- 9 Carat gold and 18 Carat gold items are most commonly available in the UK
- The higher the Carat number, the more pure gold is in the jewellery
- Lower Carat numbers have a slightly different colour to higher Carat numbers as they contain more alloy metals. 9 Carat gold therefore looks slightly less yellow than 18 Carat gold which is purer
Metal Finishes
After you’ve selected your ideal metal, you can choose to have a finish applied. Here's a selection of the most popular metal finishes:
- High polish – Reflective and shiny, most popular finish for fine jewellery.
- Satin/Matt – Smooth to the touch, not shiny. Often used for wedding rings.
- Brushed – Textured, has a distinct look and shows little wear. Often used for men’s wedding bands.
- Hammered – Hammered first then given a satin finish. Often used for men’s wedding bands or ladies bands who may not want diamonds.
- Blasted – Textured, available via several different methods (such as bead, glass or sand) to get the desired effect. Sometimes has a dimpled appearance.
Metal benefits and detriments
Use this simple comparison chart to find the metal that ticks all your boxes
Name | Pros | Cons | Price Comparison | Most Suitable For |
---|---|---|---|---|
Platinum Precious Metal | Never fades or dulls in colour Accentuates sparkle of diamonds Lasts forever and doesn’t scratch easily Harder than silver and gold, and more pure Doesn’t expand in heat One of the rarest metals | Most expensive choice Can make lower colour grade diamonds look more yellow Heaviest metal to wear which some people dislike Can develop a patina over time | £££ | Engagement rings, wedding rings & jewellery required to be durable |
Yellow Gold Precious Metal | Historically the most valued type of gold and the only type found naturally in the earth When alloyed it is resistant to rust, corrosion and tarnish Makes yellow-tint diamonds look more expensive Strong yet malleable Available in a range of carat options, most typically 9ct or 18ct in the UK | More expensive than base metal options Can vary a lot in price from affordable to very pricey Can cause some minor skin irritations. If this occurs, white gold or platinum may be a better choice for you Can sometimes tarnish | £££/££ | 18ct gold is most suitable for engagement rings 9ct gold is often used for wedding bands |
White Gold Precious Metal | Doesn’t scratch easily Silvery look, but more hard wearing and durable than silver Makes higher colour grade diamonds look more sparkly and expensive Can be plated with rhodium to make it look even more white | Can be more expensive than yellow gold and other base metals Older white gold pieces can sometimes contain Nickel, which some people are allergic to Plating can wear off over time | £££/££ | Engagement and wedding rings, those that prefer cooler jewellery colours
|
Rose Gold Precious Metal | Pure gold mixed with copper to give a unique blush colour Less expensive than white gold Very popular jewellery choice Compliments yellow-tint diamonds Warmer colour works well if you have pale skin | More expensive than other base metal options Doesn’t work as well with higher colour grade diamonds May scratch easily | ££ | Special jewellery pieces, everyday jewellery, sometimes engagement rings, people who prefer warmer toned jewellery |
Sterling Silver Precious Metal | Soft, easy to work with metal Can be more affordable than other precious metals Available in tarnish-resistant forms Long lasting Antibacterial properties | Difficult to judge quality on lighter pieces Requires a lot of care as it tarnishes with exposure to air, perfumes, hairspray and deodorants Can be scratched and bends easily | ££ | Everyday jewellery like earrings or necklaces Rings you plan to wear only rarely
|
Sterling Silver and Enamel Precious Metal | Enamel doesn’t discolour of fade When treated with care it is reasonably hard wearing | Wearing enamel rings on adjacent fingers causes abrasion which can damage the enamel Damage can be caused when knocking one enamel ring against another | ££ | Everyday jewellery, jewellery with specific colouring |
Palladium Precious Metal | Doesn’t scratch easily or tarnish over time Harder than silver and gold, and more pure Great for sensitive skin, hypoallergenic Holds polish well Less heavy than platinum | Can be very expensive Slightly less durable than platinum Fairly new metal so doesn’t have the ‘romance’ or prestige of other precious metals | £££ | Engagement rings, wedding bands, durable jewellery |
Titanium Precious Metal | Affordable Very resistant to corrosion and chemicals and easy to colour Ideal for people with nickel allergies Strong and durable, scratch resistant and lightweight | Can be expensive Not able to resize, engrave or solder Cannot be set with stones Heat during manufacturing can damage the metal | ££ | Best for body-piercing jewellery and necklaces but not suitable for rings as your fingers change size over time, and titanium isn’t resizable
|
Cobalt Precious Metal | Durable Hypoallergenic Affordable at present Ideal for those with an active lifestyle as very hard wearing | Fairly new metal so doesn’t have the ‘romance’ or prestige of other precious metals Can only be very slightly resized Prices are expected to rise with demand | ££ | Affordable wedding bands Durable wedding bands/jewellery |
Brass Base Metal | Soft, malleable metal Doesn’t rust Can be coloured Affordable Widely available | Surfaces may be imperfect and require polishing Diminishes with time Not a precious metal Often used in costume jewellery Can cause skin reactions
| £ | Costume jewellery
|
Copper Base Metal | Anti-tarnish brass can look very similar to 14ct gold Often used in steam-punk jewellery Widely available | Can darken over time and sometimes turn green Often discolours the skin Not a precious metal | £ | Costume jewellery |
Aluminium Base Metal | Affordable Very soft and malleable Easy to stretch Widely available Works as an alloy
| Can darken over time and sometimes turn green Often discolours the skin Not a precious metal | £ | Costume jewellery, alloys |
Nickel Base Metal | Affordable Widely available Works as an alloy | Can cause skin reactions, some of them major Not a precious metal | £ | Costume jewellery, alloys |
Tungsten Base Metal | Durable and long lasting, very strong Long lasting shine Scratch resistant
| Difficult to remove marks Can’t be resized or engraved Fairly new metal so doesn’t have the ‘romance’ or prestige of other metals | ££ | Wedding bands not expected to need resizing, durable jewellery |
Top Tips for Maintaining Metal Jewellery
- Keep pieces of jewellery in air tight containers when not being worn, to protect them and to avoid needing to clean them more than you have to.
- Choose a very gentle soap to clean most metals. Soak the jewellery in soapy water for a few minutes then gently lather and rub, before rinsing with warm water and leaving to air dry.
- Tarnish can be removed from metals such as copper by soaking them in vinegar for 5-10 seconds and then gently washing after.
- When cleaning copper, brass or silver pieces that tarnish easily, only use cold water as hot water can react with the air and cause them to re-tarnish.
- For pieces made of multiple metals, adjust your cleaning methods to suit the most fragile one.
- For precious metals like gold and silver, gently buff with a soft cloth to maintain shine. Gold may be washed carefully in warm water but never use bleach or strong cleaning products on precious metals. Silver does not respond well to moisture, so wash sparingly in cold water. Platinum should always be washed separately, as it can be scratched by close contact with other metals.
- Never use polishing creams or rags on anodized aluminium pieces as they will lose their colour.
- If you own a lot of important jewellery pieces, consider investing in a proper polishing machine or ‘tumbler’ as they are often called. Alternatively, you can take your items to a professional jewellery cleaner to ensure they are maintained properly and will retain their quality/longevity.
- Don’t rest sterling silver items on wood surfaces, as these can contain acids that ruin their finish.
- Keep all metals stored out of direct sunlight where possible, and avoid exposure to humidity as much as you can.
Need more help?
If you need any further assistance with jewellery metals, our jewellery experts are here to help! Visit us in store or call us to arrange an appointment so we can provide the guidance you need. You can also send a message via zendesk in the bottom right of your screen.
Libby Johnson
Director, Johnsons Jewellers