Platinum
View:
This metal is naturally white in color and has a shiny appearance.
Advantages:
Platinum's rarity, purity and strength make it popular for jewelry. It symbolizes pure and constant love. Platinum does not expand when heated, never tarnishes, and is hypoallergenic, making it an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin or nickel allergies.
Flaws:
Although durable, platinum rings will develop tarnish over time, although a trip to a jeweler for polishing will help restore the piece to its original shine. It is a dense, heavy metal, which is why it is most popular for women's rings, small pendants and earrings.
Silver
Not susceptible to oxidation even at elevated temperatures. It is worth noting that a thin film can appear during oxidation by oxygen plasma or ozone under the influence of UV rays. At high humidity with the presence of sulfur in the air, a dark coating can form. That is, the darkening of silver products is natural.
It is impossible to prevent blackening. You just need to constantly take care of your silver product and follow the tips for storing it. For example, silver items should not be placed next to an egg. Such proximity will turn silver black.
How to clean silver-plated jewelry fittings
To clean silver-plated components, do not use abrasives. Only 925 sterling silver can be rubbed with force. But silver-plated fittings require more careful handling. Under mechanical stress, the silver plating layer can wear away and expose the base alloy.
To make silver-plated components shine again, there are several ways:
- Blackened silver-plated fittings should be rubbed with a cloth designed for polishing jewelry. You can use flannel or cloth.
- To clean the patina on antique silver fittings, you can use a mild soap solution, followed by rubbing dry with a soft cotton cloth.
- You should not soak all the elements or the product with the solution at once. Try it first on a small area on an inconspicuous side, in case the product is not suitable.
Keep an eye on your jewelry and try to keep it in order!
Gold
Yellow
View:
Has a natural yellow color. In its pure form (24 carats or 999 fine) it is too soft for everyday use in precious jewelry, so it is doped with other elements that increase its strength and change its color. Gold is available in 750, 585 and 375 karat grades, respectively 18, 14 and 10 karat grades, with higher numbers indicating higher pure gold content and fewer additives. Yellow gold used in jewelry is typically pure, mixed with silver and copper.
Advantages:
Resistant to tarnish and corrosion, durable yet malleable enough to be used in intricate jewelry designs.
Flaws:
Gold can be scratched (scratches can be buffed out, but with each polish a small amount of metal will be lost). Its volatile valuation in the commodity market means frequent and significant changes in value, which affects retail prices and the amount you insure gold jewelry for.
White
View:
Bright, shiny, white. White gold is mixed with palladium and silver or nickel, copper and zinc to achieve its color. It is usually plated with rhodium, making it safe for people with nickel allergies.
Advantages:
Tarnish resistant, hard but flexible enough to be used in jewelry pieces and designs.
Flaws:
Rhodium plating may wear off over time. However, precious items can be replated.
Pink and green
View:
Not surprisingly, rose gold is a warm pink while green gold is a soft chartreuse color. Rose gold is a mixture of yellow gold with copper and silver; green - yellow gold mixed with silver.
Advantages:
As with other colors, rose and green gold do not tarnish and can be made into beautiful jewelry.
Flaws:
It may get scratched, but the scratches can be buffed out.
Types of Metals for Jewelry
Traditionally, among all metals for jewelry, platinum is singled out as the most expensive precious metal. However, is this really so? Undoubtedly, the best and most useful classification of precious metals for jewelry will be one based on the criterion of the value of one gram of the precious metal. Let's find out what a rating list of jewelry metals might look like.
Kinds
The rating list of jewelry precious metals, depending on the pricing policy for them, should look like this:
- Rhodium.
- Platinum.
- Gold.
- Iridium.
- Ruthenium.
- Palladium.
- Silver.
- Titanium.
- Tungsten.
- Cupronickel.
The cost of one gram of rhodium is approximately 225 US dollars. Rhodium is a precious platinum group metal that has a unique composition.
Rhodium is a chemical element, a precious metal with unique properties
The distinctive characteristics of rhodium are the following:
- silvery white color;
- primarily used as a finishing material.
It is important! Rhodium is not used directly in the production of jewelry. This precious metal acts exclusively as a finishing material. Jewelry made of silver and (or) white gold can be coated with a thin layer of rhodium.
Applying a thin layer of rhodium to jewelry makes it more wear-resistant, protects it from scratches, and also adds a bright shine. Meanwhile, rhodium has a hypoallergenic property, due to which many people who have increased skin sensitivity to silver or gold purchase rhodium-plated jewelry.
Rhodium is a rare metal that is not radioactive.
The cost of one gram of platinum is approximately $70. Initially, platinum belonged to a separate group of precious metals and was considered white gold.
Mined platinum
Did you know that counterfeiters were the first to use this precious metal, replacing more expensive gold and silver with platinum?
The properties of platinum are ambiguous. Chemists consider this precious metal to be the most stable due to the fact that it does not change its color under the influence of high and low temperatures, and is also not affected by acids.
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Platinum is distinguished by its high weight and density, making it durable. At the same time, platinum is considered the best support for precious stones, and therefore the most precious stones (for example, diamonds) are set in platinum.
Gold is a precious metal that costs approximately $30 per gram. The uniqueness of gold is due, in particular, to the fact that it is one of the few precious metals that is found in nature in its pure form.
Golden Nugget
Gold is the most malleable precious metal. But, at the same time, in terms of chemical strength, gold is significantly inferior to some precious metals of the platinum group, namely rhodium and platinum.
The cost of one gram of iridium is just over 15 US dollars.
Surprisingly, iridium is also a precious metal used in the jewelry industry.
Iridium is a chemical element, a precious metal with unique properties
The scope of application of iridium in jewelry is almost identical to that of rhodium. Iridium is not used in jewelry production, but it is added to platinum to give it the final hardness.
We recommend reading: How much does a kilogram of 999 silver cost - average price
The cost of one gram of another precious metal - ruthenium , is about 15 US dollars. This metal is rarely used in the jewelry industry, but is sometimes added to platinum.
Ruthenium is a chemical element, a precious metal with unique properties
Palladium is a precious metal whose cost is approximately $14-15 per gram.
Palladium is shiny
Recently, palladium has literally conquered the jewelry industry, the reason for which is the following properties:
- plastic;
- ease;
- flexibility;
- fusibility.
Silver is one of the most popular “jewelry” precious metals. The cost of one gram of this precious metal does not even reach 1 US dollar. This is the cheapest precious metal that is found in nature in its pure form.
Silver is one of the cheapest precious metals
Silver is superior in quality to platinum. This precious metal has a noble shine and has qualities that allow it to retain its color for a long time.
Titanium, tungsten and cupronickel are base metals that are also actively used in the jewelry industry. Their cost ranges from 1-2 US dollars per gram.
Titan Tungsten Melchior
Branding
Jewelry, as a rule, is marked in accordance with the regulations of the Russian Federation by the Russian State Assay Office under the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation.
Branding is a special assay-technological operation, which consists of applying a special imprint of an established sample (stamp) to jewelry and (or) household items made of precious metals.
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The hallmarks provided for different precious metals differ in shape, but all of them have in common the identification mark in the form of a profile of a female head in a kokoshnik, turned to the right, as well as a digital designation of the sample of the precious metal alloy and the code of the state inspection of assay supervision, which is a letter , dot or slash.
General technical conditions
General technical conditions that apply to jewelry made of precious metals were introduced in the Russian Federation in 1996.
The main characteristics here include the following:
- jewelry must necessarily comply with the requirements established at the legislative level;
- serially produced products must not have deviations from the presented technical description;
- Products of a single production must necessarily correspond to the author's sample or drawing of such a product;
- products must be made of materials that fully comply with current standards and specifications;
- branding of products must be carried out in accordance with legal requirements;
- products may include parts made from non-precious materials and others.
There are requirements for jewelry here that relate to weight, packaging, labeling and other aspects of the manufacture, production and sale of jewelry made from precious metals.
In general, various materials are used in jewelry production: precious and base metals; precious, semi-precious and non-precious stones, as well as other materials. Depending on their main characteristics and properties, the actual cost of jewelry may vary.
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Types of precious metals and stones
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Pure silver
View:
This white metal has a slightly grayer hue than platinum, but is still very beautiful.
Advantages:
Pure silver is too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with copper or other elements to add strength. Fine silver jewelry is typically 92.5% silver and is often about 925 parts per thousand silver. This is a fairly affordable jewelry metal.
Flaws:
Silver scratches and tarnishes easily, which is why some hard-to-reach areas are often deliberately darkened in jewelry designs. However, sterling silver jewelry should be stored in a lined jewelry box to prevent tarnishing.
Metals in jewelry alloys
TIN
If there is a lot of tin in the alloy, then the output is matte shades of gray. Such alloys are light, but not strong and brittle. Products of Chinese origin demonstrate similar quality.
COPPER
When copper predominates in the alloy, the color turns out to be more brown, and the metal has an antique effect. A large presence of copper is typical for Czech jewelry. When buying jewelry, do not forget that for copper compounds, oxidation in air is a natural process. Copper products darken over time, so they need to be cleaned regularly. Methods for cleaning copper products include rubbing the surface with a soft cloth until polished. Never use solutions containing cleaning agents.
BRASS
Similarly, brass is used, which is essentially a copper-based alloy. Products made of brass have yellowish-green shades with an admixture of gray. The color is somewhat similar to bronze, but may vary due to other components. Brass has found application in the manufacture of decorative elements in the antique style by Czech manufacturers.
ALUMINUM
Aluminum is also favored by jewelry manufacturers from the Czech Republic. It is close in color to steel, just as glossy and shiny. Steel added to alloys increases strength. Used in the production of fashion jewelry.
NICKEL
Nickel is an almost black metal. Easily oxidized. When contained in large proportions in the alloy, it can cause allergies. For this reason, many women refuse to wear Chinese-made jewelry.
RED BRASS
Note that the basis for the jewelry of Czech companies was the tombak jewelry alloy (90% copper and about 10% zinc).
It is characterized by a high degree of resistance to corrosion processes, as well as increased ductility. It does not contain nickel, which is dangerous to the body. Typically, earrings are made with studs made of titanium, which is a medical material that does not cause allergies. All products manufactured in the Czech Republic are tested in accordance with Czech state standards.
Cobalt
View:
This naturally white alloy is considered a modern alternative to platinum and white gold.
Advantages:
Because it is quite heavy, cobalt is often used for men's rings. It is also hypoallergenic and resistant to corrosion and wear.
Flaws:
While a fairly new jewelry metal, cobalt does not yet have a history associated with romantic relationships like platinum, gold or silver. Cobalt rings can only be resized up to ½ size.
Palladium
View:
This white, lustrous metal is part of the platinum family of precious metals.
Advantages:
Its purity and strength, similar to platinum, allow it to be made into precious items. Just like platinum, it does not expand when heated, never tarnishes and is hypoallergenic. But, it is lighter than platinum.
Flaws:
This is a fairly new jewelry metal and has not yet gained the same popularity as platinum.
Titanium
View:
Black, gray or silver, titanium in the jewelry world is used primarily for rings.
Advantages:
Titanium contains no alloys, is hypoallergenic, and has very high strength while being lightweight, making it very durable and comfortable to wear.
Flaws:
Titanium rings cannot be resized, engraved or soldered, so they cannot be set with stones. The high temperature used in the manufacturing process can damage the metal.
There is demand, but there are no competitors: how to make money on metal jewelry
Svetlana Lanovskaya talks about her dream of becoming a PR specialist, the influence of the northern capital and “smart” jewelry in an interview with Kontur.Zhurnal.
First experience
I didn’t have any difficulties with choosing a profession in life - I always dreamed of doing PR, but I didn’t manage to get a budget place at a specialized faculty. But I received the specialty “organization manager” in 2010 at the State Aerospace University named after. M. Reshetneva helped me a lot in business. Moreover, I fell in love with this field and even decided to get a second degree in project management.
During my student years, I always took an active life position and participated in the activities of the Students in Free Enterprise organization. We came up with many interesting ideas and projects, but, unfortunately, they were never realized in life. The first serious experience of launching my own business happened in 2010. It was for the wholesale sale of giant soap bubbles and Chinese lanterns, which are traditionally launched at weddings. I came across the idea for this project in St. Petersburg, where I lived for some time, and decided to launch a similar business in my native Krasnoyarsk.
The company existed for two years: as soon as the business processes became established and the work routine began, I got bored and wanted something new. In addition, I always dreamed of seeing the results of my work and receiving feedback from clients. However, the format of the wholesale company did not imply a direct dialogue with the end user: we simply sold the goods and did not even know where our bubbles and lanterns ended up. In 2014, I got a job as a PR specialist at the ROSA chain of beauty pharmacies (15 points in Krasnoyarsk), where I work to this day.
Difficult bracelets and rings
My current project, Have a metal, a custom metal jewelry company, launched in September 2021. And I again found inspiration for it in the northern capital. In St. Petersburg, many people wear various bracelets with unusual inscriptions. I decided to bring this trend to Krasnoyarsk. In the modern world, more and more people are striving to express themselves: some get tattoos, others buy clothes with different inscriptions and quotes. Custom bracelets and rings fit perfectly into this trend. They are not harmful to health, durable, easy to produce and wear and, unlike, for example, a tattoo, can be quickly replaced with new ones.
Have a metal is a team of three people. We work together, my friend Yulia Gordeeva, a graduate of the Siberian Federal University with a degree in Art Processing of Materials Technology, who is responsible for the bracelet production process, and our mutual friend Dmitry, who is involved in accounting and delivery of goods around the city.
The main specialization of our company is the production of bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces with a minimalist design from simple materials.
Our main raw material is food-grade aluminum, which is absolutely harmless to health and does not stain the skin, does not darken or cause allergies. Another advantage of aluminum is its low cost.
In addition, we make jewelry from brass, bronze and medical steel. We apply inscriptions in any language, as well as various symbols and signs, to a simple metal blank. The result is designer jewelry with meaning.
... and away we go
We spent 55,000 rubles to launch the project. own funds. This money was enough to buy all the tools we needed: a bender for rings and bracelets, stamps with the Russian and Latin alphabet, tools for embossing. We did not need to rent an office or a production workshop: everything that is required to create a bracelet fits on the space of a standard desk. The project reached self-sufficiency within three months.
The biggest challenge for us was finding raw materials. First of all, we turned to local manufacturers. But the Krasnoyarsk Aluminum Plant was ready to work only with large batches of several thousand pieces. Of course, we could not purchase such volumes from them.
As a result, we found the first 200 blanks from another contractor. Today, the cost of one of our products does not exceed 250 rubles. At retail we sell bracelets for 700 rubles, rings for 500 rubles. During the existence of the project, we have created and sold about 1000 products. The main audience is girls under 25 years old. Our jewelry went to various cities in Russia, as well as to 10 countries around the world - Israel, Turkey, Italy, Germany and others.
Today we sell our jewelry with meaning through the social networks VKontakte and Instagram. At the start, we talked about ourselves through opinion leaders - we simply gave free jewelry to famous people in Krasnoyarsk. They shared photos and reviews on their social networks and away they went. In general, word of mouth is our main advertising tool; we receive photo reviews from our clients every day. We don’t have large marketing budgets, so we additionally advertise on social networks and use targeting. Traditional PR also added to our fame: in less than a year, two magazines wrote about us and television crews visited us several times.
Since May 2021, we began working at large events in the format of a mobile workshop. In July, for example, they delighted visitors with bracelets and rings at the presentation of the new Mazda CX-5 at the Marshall MC and at the summer market of handmade goods “Kamenka Market”.
Opportunities for growth
Our plans are to scale production and launch our own workshop. We are now looking for additional funding in the amount of 1-2 million rubles. for the purchase of equipment, a laser for inscribing surgical steel, and rental of premises. Our own machines will allow us to become completely independent from contractors and increase production capacity. I wish the business would allow all three founders to leave our jobs and focus entirely on the company. Moreover, there are all the conditions for business growth - growing demand and lack of competitors (in Russia there are only two players selling similar products to ours, in Siberia we are the only ones).
Another important step in the development of Have a metal is the development and launch of our own online store in Russian and English.
The most important thing in business is to clearly understand where you are going, what you want, how much and when you expect to earn. Many people rely on their own money, have little awareness of their motives, do not set clear goals and, as a result, fail. It is important to always try to expand the range of your knowledge and skills, as well as make the most of the experience of the people around you. And, of course, do-do-do!
Wolfram carbide
View:
It is a durable metal consisting of 80% tungsten and 20% gray or white carbon.
Advantages:
In addition to its extreme strength (it's four times heavier than titanium and very dense), tungsten carbide is hypoallergenic and scratch-resistant, making it ideal for people with active lifestyles.
Flaws:
Although scratch-resistant, tungsten rings are susceptible to shock. Removing scratches requires special attention due to its durability. Rings cannot be resized or engraved as the metal may shatter under extreme pressure. And just like other newer jewelry metals, it does not yet have a sufficient history, like platinum, gold and silver.
Gold is always held in high esteem and price
Gold is a versatile precious metal for jewelry. Craftsmen love it for its “pliability”, since this material can be used to create jewelry of any shape. In addition to traditional yellow gold, there is pink, white, and red. Pure gold is hypoallergenic, resistant to corrosion, ductile, homogeneous and compact, highly reflective, and highly polishable. In addition, it is considered to be quite malleable, which creates endless possibilities for jewelry work.
Note! The sample denotes the proportions of the weight content of the main noble metal in the alloy being tested. For example, when we talk about 585-carat gold, we mean that 1 kg of gold contains 58.5% pure metal, the remaining 41.5% is alloy. If we are talking about 750 gold, it contains 75% precious metal; This is an easy-to-process sample that lends itself well to polishing. 950 gold contains 95% pure precious metal, a fairly durable metal, used for massive jewelry, popular in eastern countries.
Benefits of gold:
· has a moderately dense structure, lends itself well to forging, jewelry of all possible shapes is made from it: rings (wedding and engagement), pendants, earrings, pendants, chains, bracelets, etc.;
· yellow, white, rose gold goes well with other metals, precious and semi-precious stones, especially diamonds;
· comfortable to use: does not corrode and does not fade over time;
· personifies well-being, success, the embodiment of style and impeccable taste, and is also endowed with a sacred meaning. That is why wedding and engagement rings, crosses, etc. are made from gold.
Nuances of gold:
· in terms of its chemical strength, gold is still inferior to the platinum group, but from the point of view of the usual use of jewelry, this point does not play an important role;
· gold jewelry can be scratched, thin items are subject to deformation, but this can always be corrected with repairs.
