FAQ
| Metal | Cost Friendly | Pure Metal | Hypoallergenic | Scratch Resistant | Lightweight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | Yes | Yes | Somewhat | No | Yes |
| Gold | Somewhat | Somewhat | No | No | Yes |
| Platinum | No | Yes | Yes | Somewhat | No |
| Palladium | No | Yes | Yes | Somewhat | Yes |
| Titanium | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tungsten Carbide | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Somewhat |
| Cobalt | Yes | Somewhat | Yes | Yes | Somewhat |
| Meteorite | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Stainless Steel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Gold Plated
Manufacturers use a process called electroplating to place a thin layer of gold onto a base of copper, silver, or other metals. The gold will eventually face over time and can even scratch off, but it is the least expensive alternative to standard gold.
Gold Vermeil
Pronounced “ver-MAY”, this process includes adding a thin layer of gold onto sterling silver. Stronger than plated jewelry but with a thinner gold layer than filled pieces, vermeil offers a middle of the road alternative to both.
Gold Filled
Manufacturers bond or press 2 to 3 layers of gold over silver, brass, or other base metals. More expensive than both plated and vermeil pieces, gold filled jewelry will last decades before fading. Gold Filled jewelry is also the most hypoallergenic option.
Colored Gold
The color of gold changes when alloyed. For example, mixing copper with gold creates a darker yellow color. Adding nickel plus zinc, copper, platinum, or manganese produces white gold. Typically, white gold doesn’t contain silver, which softens gold and gives it a green tint. Other gold alloy colors include green, red, and blue.
| Gold Color | Alloys |
| White | 10% to 20% nickel, plus copper, tin, and sometimes platinum or manganese |
| Green | Silver, sometimes cadmium and zinc |
| Red or Pink | Copper |
| Yellow | Silver and copper |
| Blue | Iron |
Silver Alloys
Like gold, pure silver is soft and easily damaged. Therefore, jewelry makers often alloy silver with harder metals to improve its durability. With silver alloys, they can make beautiful, strong pieces suitable for daily wear.
Sterling Silver
The most common silver alloy is sterling silver. Sterling silver consists of 92.5% silver. One or more metals comprise the other 7.5%. Often, copper makes up a substantial portion of that 7.5%, because it increases the alloy’s hardness.