Precious Metals in Jewelry

Precious metals are ideal for creating beautifulpercentages of gold and higher proportions of
jewelry due in part to their resistance toother metals.
corrosion. Since precious metals have an-Silver: Second to gold in malleability and ductility,
unreactive and oxidation-resistant nature, they fallsilver is anther precious metal popular for use in
into the category of noble metals. Such preciousjewelry. Silver is also commonly alloyed with other
metals with which you may be familiar includemetals to create jewelry, with the popular sterling
gold, silver, and platinum, but palladium, rhodium,silver consisting of a combination of 92.5 percent
iridium, osmium and ruthenium are other precioussilver with a relatively small 7.5 percent of another
metals commonly incorporated into jewelry suchmetal, typically copper. Being a superior conductor
as diamond rings, eternity rings, promise rings andof heat and electricity, silver has numerous
right hand rings. The system of measurement forapplications beyond jewelry making, such as coins,
the weight of precious metals is troy weight, indentistry tools, silverware, film and electronics.
which one troy ounce equates to approximatelyPlatinum: Rarer than silver and gold, platinum is a
1.1 standard ounces and twelve ounces make updurable precious metal common for eternity rings,
one troy pound. Precious metals can be combinedengagement rings and wedding bands due to its
to form what are known as alloys, often for theresilience even with constant use. Iridium,
purpose of reducing cost or producing a metalpalladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium are
sturdier than any one element alone. Here weother precious metals in the Platinum Group of
examine the major precious metals used in theMetals, which occur together naturally. Palladium is
crafting of fine jewelry:the metal often mixed with yellow gold to make
-Gold: The most malleable and ductile of thewhite gold, and rodium is used extensively to
precious metals, gold can be readily flattened intoplate white gold to give it that extra white
thin sheets and stretched into thin wire, whichbrightness. The metals in the Platinum Group of
makes it a versatile and popular choice forMetals are resilient, tarnish resistant and stable,
jewelry creation. Gold is often alloyed with othermaking them popular for use not only in jewelry
metals for cost reduction and to increase thebut also in numerous industrial processes such as
strength of the final product. In pure form, gold iscrude oil refining and automobile manufacturing.
measured in troy weight, but as an alloy withThe end price of jewelry that can be attributed
other metals its weight is measured in karats. Forto precious metals depends not just on the
gold, the karat weight specifies the amount ofpureness and rarity of the metal, but also the
pure gold present, with 24 karat being pure goldcraftsperson's skill level, the intricacy of the piece
and smaller karat weights designating lowerand labor.