Jewelry Metal Comparison

Gold

Gold is the most popular jewelry metal for men's and women's wedding and engagement rings, and is also customarily used in the crafting of earrings, pendants, brooches, necklaces and bracelets. Gold is a highly valuable metal, and is one of the most coveted metals in all of history. Gold symbolizes riches, wealth, and good standing, and in its purest form, is impossible to tarnish. Gold jewelry is sophisticated and refined, and is a divine and precious metal that is perfect for all occasions.

Pure (24-karat) gold can sometimes be too soft and malleable for everyday wear. Therefore, gold jewelry is usually complemented by a mixture of other alloyed metals (such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc) to help it retain more resistance and strength. While purer gold's are rarer and more exotic, they are oftentimes prone to being bent or twisted. Since other alloying metals are employed to build gold jewelry's resistance, gold then becomes more likely to stain or to tarnish. Pure gold can never tarnish, but in gold pieces that are mixed with components of nickel, slight discoloration may occur over time, and it is possible for the gold compound to leave a dark residue on the skin. When purchasing gold jewelry, it is best to stick to the higher karat gold. If the gold jewelry is to be worn everyday, make sure it is between 14-18 karat gold. (The karat measurement denotes what percentage of the gold jewelry is made of pure gold. For example, 18k gold is 18/24 real gold, or 75% pure gold.)

Silver

Silver is perhaps one of the most popular jewelry metals because it is much more abundant in nature and therefore more affordable than its competitor metals. Sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver, is the best quality of silver metal for setting precious stones and adorning fancy jewelry.

Silver can tarnish rather easily and is less durable than other jewelry metals such as gold and platinum. Silver in its purest form is even softer than pure gold, so finer quality silvers are not always appropriate for everyday wear. Silver can also be prone to oxidation, sometimes causing slight discoloration and blackening of the metal. Luckily, it is easy to make silver jewelry look brand new again by simply purchasing a silver jewelry cleaning solution at little cost (which can be found in most department stores).

White Gold

White Gold a greater percentage of nickel in a gold metal alloy mixture gives white gold its color, while a higher percentage of copper will turn gold a more reddish hue, resulting in 'rose gold.' White gold is simply gold that has been chemically treated and then coated with another white medal called Rhodium. Rhodium metal has similar properties to platinum and gives white gold its pristine color and shine.

While white gold is a very hard metal thanks in part to its Rhodium coating, it does wear eventually. To keep a white gold ring from fading and loosing its luster, you should get your white gold jewelry re-Rhodium-plated approximately once a year or at least every 18 months. Most local jewelers can re-coat white gold jewelry at a cost effective price.

Platinum

Platinum is a clean, sharp- looking jewelry metal, and is second to none in terms of durability. Platinum is so strong that it is impossible to tarnish and it has the highest melting point of the popular jewelry metals. Platinum jewelry is generally composed of 90% platinum and 10% iridium. The innate strength of this metal makes platinum the ideal choice for setting precious stones.

While platinum is the best in terms of toughness and can outlive its rival jewelry metals in terms of appearance and strength, it is important to consider its price. Platinum is rarer, more durable, and therefore, more expensive, than gold. With all other things being equal, a platinum ring will cost approximately twice the price of a white gold ring of 18 karats. It is, however, a prime material for the careful crafting of wedding rings.

Palladium

Palladium is harder, lighter, and less expensive than platinum. It is a close substitute in look and feel, and palladium jewelry can endure the perils of everyday wear and tear and come out spotless.

While Palladium aims to imitate platinum, it cannot truly fool anyone. Palladium metal lacks the prestigious 'platinum' insignia; marked on the inside rim of every platinum jewelry piece will be a small stamped engraving bearing the word: 'plat.' So if you are looking to trick someone into thinking you have purchased 'the real thing', it might be more difficult to do so than you had previously imagined.

Titanium

Titanium is the hardest naturally-occurring metal in the world. This makes titanium the perfect metal for fine jewelry, especially rings. Titanium is three times as strong as steel, yet maintains a light and comfortable weight. Titanium jewelry will not bend, scratch or dent. Most importantly, pure titanium jewelry is 100% hypoallergenic, meaning that it will not cause allergic reactions and is safe for anyone to wear.

The one and only foreseeable downside to purchasing titanium jewelry is that it cannot be soldered, rendering it impossible to re-size a ring made of the substance.

Natalie Inger

Handmade jewelry

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10k Gold Ring, w/ 0.10 Carat Brilliant Cut Diamonds & 0.50 Carat May Birthstone Brilliant Cut Emerald Stones, 1/4 in. (7mm) wide

10k Gold Ring, w/ 0.10 Carat Brilliant Cut Diamonds & 0.50 Carat May Birthstone Brilliant Cut Emerald Stones, 1/4 in. (7mm) wide Review

This ring was beautiful, i was pleasantly surprised when i received it, wasnt expecting it to be of such good quality for the price! Shipping was very fast, unfortunately i had to return it, but their customer service was very nice and responsive when i emailed about sending the ring back to them. Would definately purchase from Sabrina Silver & Amazon again!

10k Gold Ring, w/ 0.10 Carat Brilliant Cut Diamonds & 0.50 Carat May Birthstone Brilliant Cut Emerald Stones, 1/4 in. (7mm) wide Feature

10k Gold Ring, w/ 0.10 Carat Brilliant Cut Diamonds & 0.50 Carat May Birthstone Brilliant Cut Emerald Stones, 1/4 in. (7mm) wide Overview

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Oct 17, 2010 13:37:07

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Religious Jewelry - Fashion and Faith Go Hand in Hand

Ancient Egyptians wore their religious symbols as jewelry. The ankh and the scarab as well as the snake and the symbol of the eye were all worn as religious jewelry. Each symbol held a specific meaning in their belief system or provided some form of protection for the wearer. From then on, religions across the globe have adopted certain symbols they like to wear as jewelry.

* Kinds Of Jewelry

Easily the most recognizable symbol of all the religions is the cross. This is the ultimate symbol of Christianity, the obvious significance being that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. Because of this, cross charms are a popular way to exhibit their faith and gratitude.

Another popular Christian symbol is the fish. This symbol dates back to the first century and became a way of identifying other Christians, particularly when they were being persecuted. But it was dangerous to speak openly about their faith. Back then, they would draw the fish symbol in the dirt to let others know. Today, Christians proudly wear their fish religious jewelry to let everyone know their faith.

Other popular Christian ornament items are the praying hands pendant, Saints medallions and the dove of peace charm. Any of these worn in gold or silver makes a great gift for a baptism, christening or confirmation.

Another well-known symbol is the Star of David. This is the equivalent of the cross for the Jewish faith. This star is a six-pointed hexagram that was supposedly emblazoned on King David's shield or his shield held that shape. Either way, it is a very important symbol in Judaism and Star of David jewelry is a common gift to teens when they transition to adulthood.

Another common symbol found in Jewish jewelry is the mezuzah. Commonly worn as a pendant, a mezuzah is a cylindrical object that is used to hold special words and scriptures on parchment scrolls. These make beautiful pendants or even a charm for a bracelet. The Chai symbol is another popular charm for necklaces and bracelets. It is the Hebrew word for "living".

* Why Wear These Symbols?

There are about as many reasons why someone wears religious jewelry as there are types of jewelry. First of all, it is a statement of faith. Wearing Christian, Jewish jewelry or any other religious item is a way to acknowledge and let others know what the wearer believes in. Aside from just displaying faith, some pieces are worn for protection.

There are many Saints who supposedly look over the person who wears a medallion with their image. The cross has long been seen as a weapon against evil (think vampires!).

However, it does not always mean a belief in something. There have been times where it has been trendy to be seen wearing a large ornate cross on a long chain. If Hollywood is wearing it, fashion jewelers get affordable pieces out to the public so they can emulate them. Whatever reason, these pieces speak volumes about faith and fashion.

Religious jewelry is the perfect way to emulate and acknowledge any faith. They also make for a great fashion trend and can also be a perfect gifting option for youngsters as well as adults. Select from an array of fancy religious jewelry here http://www.gemaffair.com.

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