Metal Education
Gold, Platinum, Silver
Majestic Diamonds, Inc. offers fine jewelry that contains precious metals of the highest quality. We know that for the lovers of fine jewelry, there’s a lot to consider when deciding on which type of metal to buy. It’s important to take in account the metal’s characteristics, durability, and care routine.
Gold
Gold is rustproof. It won’t tarnish or corrode. Jewelers enjoy working with gold because of its pliability. They like the fact that they can mold gold into a variety of designs. In many cases though, pure 100% gold (which is 24 karat gold) is too soft for jewelers to use for manufacturing jewelry. The addition of certain metals and compounds make gold stronger.
Some mixtures when added to gold create an alloy that produces an assortment of colors. Yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold are common color variations. Majestic Diamonds, Inc. manufactures jewelry in different colors so you’ll be able to select from a wider range of colorful gold jewelry. We make white and yellow gold jewelry in 14k, 18k, and 19k. Rose gold comes in 14k and 18k weights.
The Characteristics and Terms for Gold:
A karat is the weight measurement for determining how much gold a piece of jewelry contains. (Note that this differs from carats used to measure the weight of diamonds.) Genuine gold jewelry has the karat mark somewhere on the piece. For rings, the interior of the shank is where you’ll find either 14k, 18k, or 19k stamped. You may even find a number such as 585 or another three-digit number located somewhere on a piece of jewelry. The three-digit number, 585 indicates an estimate of pure gold. It means that the jewelry contains 58.5% of pure gold content. This is same as 14k gold. (See the table below. Look for 14k under “Karat” and then look all the way to the right of the row under “Percentage of Pure Gold Content.)
The “k” number stands for karats and represents the amount of pure gold content by weight in an alloy (or mixture of metals. So, the term 24k means that there’s 24 parts of pure gold by weight in the jewelry.
Various karat sizes are:
Karat Parts of Pure Gold Content Percentage of Pure Gold Content
10k = 10/24 = 41.7% pure gold
14k = 14/24 = 58.5% pure gold
18k = 18/24 = 75.0% pure gold
24k = 24/24 = 100% pure gold
Any decision you make is the right one when it comes to choosing a karat size. Although 14k gold karat weight is stronger, 18k and 19k have more gold content. It depends on what you prefer.
About White Gold:
Nickel, palladium, or silver is added to gold to make white gold. Majestic Diamonds, Inc. offers white gold in 14k, 18k, and 19k. White gold understandably has a yellowish tint when it’s made initially. This is where rhodium comes in. Rhodium is a metal that’s both shiny and durable. To give white gold a stunning white sheen, it’s rhodium plated during the final stage of the manufacturing process.
Caring for Gold:
In order to help preserve the value and beauty of your gold jewelry, it’s important to care for it properly. You can conveniently purchase our professional grade cleaner in our Majestic Diamonds, Inc. store. This will help you maintain it’s luster in between professional cleanings.
Avoid using an ultrasonic cleaning device or professional grade cleaners without having a professional to assist you; otherwise, you may cause irreversible damage to your gold jewelry.
Keep your jewelry safe from surfaces that scratch. Make it a habit of storing your jewelry in a lined box or pouch that’s fabric-lined.
Inspect jewelry settings on a regular basis. Stop by our store and see one of our professional jewelers if you notice any loose prongs or settings that look out of place.
Platinum
Majestic Diamonds, Inc.’s platinum jewelry is the made of the highest 950 grade of unsurpassed quality platinum. Platinum is harder to find than gold and 35 times more rare. It also weighs close to two times more than 14k gold, and is considered the strongest precious metal used for jewelry. Out of all of the metals used for jewelry making, platinum is the preferred one for those with sensitive skin because it’s hypoallergenic. The precious metal has a purity level of between 90-95%, which is higher than pure 24k gold.
The Characteristics and Terms for Platinum:
Platinum’s white or bright color is all natural. It doesn’t need extra rhodium treatments to maintain its luster. Unlike other metals, as time passes, a beautiful patina will form over the platinum creating a timeless look that never goes out of style. This is a preference for many people because of platinum’s unique look; however, the metal can easily be re-polished for those who want the high polish appearance.
Platinum is so uncommon that for every 10 gold mines, there’s only one platinum mine. To produce one ounce of platinum, it takes a lot of ore—10 tons—as well as 8 weeks. The radiant sheen of platinum complements diamonds and brings out their splendor. Although platinum can get scratched, unlike other metals, it doesn’t reduce its volume.
Caring for Platinum:
To maintain your platinum jewelry’s value and eternal beauty, it’s vital to proper care of it. When not in use, store it in its original box or pouch that is lined with fabric. Majestic Diamonds, Inc. carries a variety of jewelry boxes and pouches that are fabric-lined. You can use any one of our pouches as a polishing cloth as well to maintain your platinum jewelry’s luster.
We also carry foaming cleaner especially made for cleaning jewelry in between professional cleanings. Avoid using ultrasonic cleaning devices or professional grade cleaners without a professional to assist you.
Watch for diamond setting prongs that aren’t aligned or look loose in any way. Keep jewelry away from rough surfaces. If you notice any damage, visit Majestic Diamonds, Inc. for assistance.
Silver
Silver:
Majestic Diamonds, Inc. has a collection of beautiful sterling silver jewelry designed by some of the most brilliant silver craftsman. At over 90% pure silver, sterling silver is regarded as the highest quality. It beats silver plating in durability and value. Sterling silver won’t decrease in volume over time like silver plating.
The Characteristics and Terms of Sterling Silver:
In its natural form, fine silver or pure silver is a soft metal. Therefore, like gold, silver must be combined with another metal of a mix of compounds to increase its strength and durability. Pure silver in its soft form may be used in handcrafted jewelry in intricate designs such as weaving. Sterling silver is commonly used for making jewelry and items for the home.
Sterling silver contains only 7.5% copper and 92.5% silver. This equates to a very high ratio of pure silver to other alloys. Copper makes silver metal tougher while not affecting its value or color. The craftsman’s skill, design detail, and labor are all factors in the pricing of sterling silver jewelry.
Quality Stamps:
A “quality” mark showing the content of precious metal is stamped on most silver pieces that are high quality. Sometimes, instead of a quality mark, a “fineness” stamp is on the piece. Federal law requires that a registered trademark or maker’s mark is stamped along with the quality or fineness content indicator. Look for the quality stamp on the underside of sterling silver jewelry before you buy.
Quality marks for sterling sliver are:
sterling
sterling silver
.925
Caring for Sterling Silver:
Fine quality silver lasts forever when it’s cared for properly. Place your silver jewelry separate from other jewelry, such as in a different drawer of your jewelry box or in a cloth pouch. Remove sterling silver jewelry when you’re cleaning or swimming since ammonia, bleach, and chlorinated water damage silver.
Silver tarnishes naturally over time due to the metal’s reaction to hydrogen sulfide and sulfur in the air, but this can easily be resolved. Wear your sterling silver jewelry regularly to prevent a fast accumulation of tarnish buildup. As soon as tarnish becomes visible, take action. Use the special silver polishes at Majestic Diamonds, Inc. for the most favorable results.