Platinum
About Platinum
Platinum is 30 times rarer than gold and is mainly mined in South Africa, Russia and other places. Platinum is often seen as a symbol of eternity because it does not change color or fade over time. It is a non-allergenic metal, and its shimmering silvery appearance accentuates the brilliance of a diamond, so platinum is a very popular metal for casting wedding rings.
Density and Durability
Platinum is a very dense metal, so it is relatively heavier. A ring made of 18K gold is about half lighter than a platinum ring of the same volume.
Platinum has a natural silvery white color, which is not easy to dull and resists high temperature, and remains silvery white for a very long time.
Purity
Platinum is generally 90-95% pure (abbreviated as PT900 / PT950), and the remaining 5-10% is mixed with iridium, palladium, ruthenium or other metals. Its high purity is what makes it a natural hypoallergenic metal, ideal for those with sensitive skin.
Price
Platinum is rare, durable and heavy, so it is about 50% more expensive than 18K gold.
Care
1) Soak platinum in mild soapy warm water and wipe gently with a soft towel.
2) Platinum jewelry should be stored separately in soft cloth bags or jewelry boxes.
3) If platinum becomes dull or worn over time, Diamond Culture provides cleaning and polishing service at cost.
Gold (Karat Gold)
About Karat Gold
Gold has been used to craft precious jewelry since ancient times and has a unique traditional meaning. Natural pure gold is highly malleable, making it ideal for fine jewelry. But as pure gold is rather soft with lower durability, copper, zinc, nickel or silver are often added to make alloys to increase its strength and hardness. The alloy can also be tuned into pleasing colors such as white gold, yellow gold and rose gold.
Purity
24K Gold﹙99.99% Purity﹚– Suitable for solid gold ornaments or traditional wedding goldware, but not suitable for setting jewelry because the metal is too soft.
18K Gold﹙75.0% Purity﹚ – The best choice for high-end jewelry setting, its hardness is strong enough to resist daily wear and tear.
14K Gold﹙58.3% Purity﹚ – Due to its low purity, it is rarely used for precious jewelry, but generally used for jewelry with a relatively affordable price.
The Hue of Karat Gold
White Gold – The pure white color is highly reflective of light, making jewelry look shinier, and is the most popular color of modern K gold. The white tone is added to gold by mixing a white alloy, usually nickel, copper and zinc, and then coated with rhodium on the surface. However, rhodium wears over time and needs to be re-plated to restore the sparkle of the jewelry.
Yellow Gold – Natural gold blends with color-saturated alloys for a warm tone. The most commonly used alloys include copper with red hues and silver with cyan hues.
Rose Gold – Rose gold is a popular K gold color that has emerged in recent years. Its beautiful pink hue is created by copper alloys.
Price
The price of K gold jewelry depends on the weight of gold used, the market value of gold, the level of craftsmanship and the design of each jewelry. The overall price is lower than platinum, but 70 times higher than silver.
Care
1) To clean gold jewelry, it is recommended to use a diluted soap water and gently wash with a soft brush.
2) Storing gold jewelry separately in soft cloth bags or jewelry boxes.
3) Since gold is reactive to certain chemicals such as chlorine and other cleaning products, remove jewelry before getting in touch with chemicals to reduce daily wear and tear to prolong its shininess.
4) If gold jewelry is tarnished, dulled or worn over time, Diamond Culture provides cleaning and re-plating service at cost.
Silver
Sterling Silver (925)
The price of sterling silver is affordable and the supply is abundant, so it is mostly used in daily accessories.
Durability
Sterling silver is relatively soft, high ductile and is more easily damaged. So it is generally mixed with other metals to form more durable alloy jewelry.
Purity
The most common is 925 sterling silver, which is usually 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper (sometimes 7.5% zinc or nickel).
Price
The price is about 70 times lower than gold.
Care
1) Silver needs cautious care to avoid oxidation and keep it as bright and clean as new. It should be cleaned regularly with a special silver cleaning agent.
2) Silver is easy rather soft, if not carefully used, is susceptible to wear and scratches. To minimize scratches and other damages, store silver jewelry in separate compartments in cloth bags or jewelry boxes.
3) Avoid exposing silverware to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia or swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.
Gold-plated Silver Products
The industry standard definition of gold-plating is that 925 sterling silver is plated with 10k gold at least 2.5 microns thick to improve durability. Generally, the plating is relatively thin on the surface, the plated layer will fall off quickly if it is not properly maintained. Its price has no much difference with sterling silver.
