Jewelry Terms
When buying jewelry, pay attention to silver and gold content. Different alloys of these precious metals have different strength and durablilty characteristics. Sterling silver jewelry and silver plated jewelry will have the same initial appearance. This is also true of gold-filled and gold plated jewelry. However with silver plate and gold plate, the precious metal layer is very thin. Over time, it can wear off, revealing the base metal.
Each of our jewelry items has a descirption stating the materials used in that particular piece. The jewelry we make uses high quality materials such as sterling silver, gold-filled, Vermeil. We also use copper, Artistic Wire™, and other specialty materials. With proper care, our jewelry items will be attractive and wearable for many years.
Metals used in Jewelry
Alloys
Base Metals
Copper
Gold Alloys
Silver and Silver Alloys
Specialty Materials
Artistic Wire™
Bali Beads
Craft Wire
Memory Wire
Soft-Touch Wire
Semi-Precious Stone
Metals used in Jewelry
Alloys
Alloys are a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten; "brass is an alloy of zinc and copper". In jewelry, alloys are combinations of precious metals (gold, silver, or platinum) with base metals. Alloys provide the qualities of beauty, strength, and durability. They are also more affordable than their pure metal counterparts.
Base Metals
Examples of base metals include iron, steel, copper, brass (an alloy of copper and other metals), nickel, lead, and tin. Copper, zinc and nickel silver are often used as base metals in costume jewelry.
Copper
Copper
Copper is a reddish-orange metal and is considered a base metal because it is more readily available. and therefore costs less than precious metals such as gold and silver. Copper, when polished, takes on a bright, even luster. In the jewelry market, it is sold as "bright" or "antique", based on the surface color when sold. Bright copper is simply well polished copper. It will, over time develop a patina, making it darker. "Antique" copper usually is newly manufactured copper that has been treated during the manufacturing process to "pre-darken" the copper surface. Because copper is soft, it is a nice metal to use for wire wrapping.
Copper Plate
Copper plate is useful for copper colored charms. The plating makes it less soft and more durable than pure copper. The plating is usually applied via electroplating and the base material underneath can vary. Thickness of the copper plating varies, depending on the manufacturer.
Gold Alloys
22kt Gold and 14kt Gold
Pure gold is 24kt, meaning 24 parts out of 24 are gold. 24kt is too soft to be functional, so it is alloyed with other metals for durability, cost, and color. Gold alloys come in different colors (yellow gold, rose gold, green gold or white gold). Other metals in the alloy (copper, silver, nickel, zinc, tin, palladium, and/or manganese) determine it's color. 22kt gold is 22 parts gold with 2 parts consisting of other metals. 14kt gold is 14 parts gold with 10 parts consisting of other metals.
Gold-Filled or Gold Overlay
Gold-Filled (also named Gold Overlay) wire and sheet have the look of more expensive forms of 24kt and 22kt gold but has an advantage of greater strength and durability. The gold alloy plate on base metal is at least 10kt fineness, and must constitute at lest 1/20th of the weight of the metal in the entire article. Gold-filled is 50 to 100,000 times thicker than regular gold plating, and about 17 to 25,000 times thicker than heavy gold electroplate.
Vermeil
Vermeil (pronounced verr-MEEL) is Sterling Silver heavily electroplated with 22kt Gold. Heavy gold electroplate might be 2 or 3/1000s of an inch thick (2 or 3 mils).
Gold Plate
Gold plate is a very thin deposit of gold, electroplated or electrochemically applied to the piece. It is a very small fraction of an inch thick (about 1/1,000-1/1,000,000 of an inch thick).
Silver and Silver Alloys
Fine Silver
Fine silver is an alloy of silver made of 99.9% pure silver with the remainder being trace impurities. Fine silver is softer than sterling silver, making it less strong. Jewelry items created with Precious Metal Clay (PMC) come under the category of fine silver. PMC is soft and maleable like clay before it is fired in a kiln, hot pot, etc. During firing, organic binders and water burn away, leaving silver that is 99.9% pure.
Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing least 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. The millesimal fineness is 925. Sterling is strong and durable making it the best choice for jewelry findings such as jump rings, clasps, head pins, etc.
Argentium ® Silver or "Anti-Tarnish" Silver
Argentium Sterling ® Silver alloy maintains the sterling standard of 92.5% pure silver but has replaced some of the alloy's copper with the element metal Germanium (Ge). This makes the Argentium ® Silver resist tarnish. It stays bright, whereas sterling silver needs occasional polishing to maintain it's shine.
Silver Plate
Silver plate is a very thin deposit of silver, electroplated or electrochemically applied to the piece. Thickness of the silver layer in silver plated jewelry and findings vary by manufacturer. Note that the term "sterling silver plated jewelry" is silver plated jewelry that is labeled in a misleading manner.
Specialty Materials
Artistic Wire™
Artistic Wire™ is the highest quality, permanently colored, copper wire available from the wire industry to date. No other wire offers the same level of resistance to scratching, peeling and marring. A special enameling process is used to coat the wire colors. After the enamel is applied, the wire is clear coated to prevent tarnishing.
Bali Beads
Handcrafted, sterling silver beads from Bali, Indonesian in particular, (or similar bali-style and related-style beads made in Southeast Asia - India, Thailand, Turkey, and other countries, in general) are some of the finest, handcrafted metal beads. They use techniques of granulation (applying tiny beads to the surface), applique, incision, etching and wire-wrapping.
All beads are handmade by craftsmen in Indonesia or Southeast Asia. Each style features its own unique design. Size and appearance may vary slightly.
Craft Wire
AMACO Fun Wire is durable plastic-coated wire available in 18 colors.
Memory Wire
Tempered stainless steel memory that wire snaps back to its formed shape when expanded and released. This makes a flexible bracelet with an adjustable size.
Soft Touch™ Wire
Soft Touch™ Wire is constructed of micro woven, coated stainless steel wires. It has great durabiltiy and does not fray like other stringing materials. This stringing material has excellent drapability.
