Several factors contribute to the high
value of gold. Rarity; only 3.5 parts per billion of the Earth’s
crust are pure gold. Labor; because of its rarity, the labor
to extract it is very intense and tedious. Demand; its beauty
brings high desirability. The very first ounce of gold mined
is still somewhere in existence today. The value of gold reaches
beyond its beauty, gold will neither rust nor corrode. Therefore,
jewelry created with gold become timeless artifacts of our
society. Because gold is a soft metal, it must be combined,
or alloyed, with other metals in order to be used in jewelry.
Not only does alloying add strength, it also allows craftsman
to create different shades of gold. Most gold jewelry contains
at least two alloys including, silver, copper, nickel or zinc.
The fineness of gold is regulated by law and is the same in
all parts of the world.
Carats
Ratios
Percentages
24Kt
(24 parts gold, no alloy)
24/24= 99.99% (pure)
18Kt
(18 parts gold, 6 parts alloy)
18/24=75%
14Kt
(14 parts gold, 10 part alloy)
14/24=58.3%
10Kt
(10 parts gold, 14 part alloy)
10/24=41.7%
Silver:
Silver takes a higher polish than any other metal on earth,
reflecting more than 90% of visible light back to the eye.
Unlike gold, silver will tarnish when exposed to sulfur compounds
found in the air but is resistant to many substances. Sterling
silver is the most popular silver alloy in the world and contains
92.5 parts silver and 7.5 parts copper.
“Nickel silver” doesn’t describe pure silver
or its alloys at all. In fact, nickel silver contains no silver
all: It’s a combination of copper, nickel, and zinc- that
merely resemble the color of silver.
Platinum:
Platinum is the heaviest of the jewelry metals and has become
very popular over the last ten years. This weight gives the
wearer a sense of luxury. Platinum is very malleable or soft.
This means that when it is scratched, the metal is pushed
away rather than removed. A platinum piece may become deformed
but rarely ever loses any of its weight. This also means that
the prongs, which hold the stones, require less maintenance.
Platinum demands a higher price for several reasons. The first
is that it is much more rare than gold. The second is that a
jeweler must have a dedicated work surface and set of tools
due to the characteristics of the metal.
