How to Choose the Metal for Your Jewelry

Selecting the right metal is the most important part of your custom designed jewelry piece.

Gemstone and diamond jewelry can be paired with a variety of precious metals.

The metal you choose can depend on your preference in durability, look and cost. Factors that set different types of metals apart are also the luster (shine), weight and color of the metal.

By knowing information about the different metals, their benefits compared with each other and their unique qualities, you will be able to make a better and more informed decision about purchasing your jewelry. We hope you find the information that we provide below useful in making your choice.

Gold

Gold is a sturdy and durable metal that will not corrode, tarnish or rust. These qualities have made gold a preferred choice for crafting jewelry. Gold is also a malleable metal when heated, meaning that jewelers can craft and shape it in a myriad of ways.

The maximum gold content is 24K, which would make for terrible jewelry because 24K gold is soft and malleable. When being used for jewelry, gold is typically mixed with other metals to create an alloy for both strength and hue.

Yellow gold is the alloy of pure gold, silver and copper or zinc.

White gold is the alloy of pure gold and white metals, such as nickel, silver and palladium. It is actually more grayish in color and is plated with rhodium to give it a whiter look. Nickel is generally avoided today since so many people are allergic to it.

Rose gold is the alloy of pure gold and a high proportion of copper.

Green gold is exactly like yellow gold, except copper is left out of the alloy.
In any of its variations, gold is a popular choice for things like wedding bands, rings, earrings and necklaces.

Silver

When you're talking about jewelry, you're talking about sterling silver. That just means it's 92.5 % silver and 7.5 % copper and is usually stamped as 925. Sterling silver is a white-grey colored metal, which is less expensive than gold, platinum and titanium.

Sterling silver is a great option because it's durable and long-lasting, so it's good for rings, necklaces, bracelets, cuff links, belt buckles, and body jewelry. But keep in mind that silver jewelry is softer than gold, platinum and titanium, and it's likely to tarnish without proper care. With care, sterling silver looks stunning for many years.

Silver is a popular metal for use in jewelry such as earrings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces and fashion rings. It is best used for jewelry that will not be worn every day for an extended period. For that reason, it is usually not recommended to be chosen for wedding rings and is not suitable for ladies’ engagement rings.

Silver is also more prone to oxidation, sometimes causing the silver to turn black. The silver jewelry can easily be made to look like new again if you use a silver jewelry cleaner, or if you have your jewelry cleaned by a local jeweler.

Silver-filled

Silver-filled metals (a.k.a “silver overlay”) are another popular choice. The difference is that silver-filled wire is made by using heat and pressure to apply a layer of silver to a base of a cheaper metal.

This silver layer is seriously hundreds of times thicker than a standard plating.

Because it's so thick, it lets you work deeper, polish more, and even do some light engraving without exposing the base metal underneath.

Silver-filled makes sense for jewelry components like ear wire and chains. It keeps them affordable, plus they'll last forever and look spot on when paired with sterling silver pendants.

Platinum

Platinum is the rarest and most expensive of the metals. But the price is justified, since it's super durable and will never tarnish. Pure platinum melts at 3,216.2 degrees Fahrenheit, so unless you're literally spending time on the sun, it'll work great for things like wedding bands and cuffs.

Because platinum already has a beautiful silvery luster, it does not need to be rhodium plated and therefore requires less maintenance. Platinum is a malleable metal, meaning that it can be shaped into a myriad of intricate but strong jewelry designs. It is one of the densest metals, which is a contributing factor in its strength.

Platinum is also hypoallergenic, meaning that anyone with even sensitive skin or allergies can wear it with ease. It is resistant to corrosion and tarnishing, which makes it the perfect choice for daily wear.  

Titanium

It doesn't get stronger than titanium. It's the hardest natural metal known to man. Plus It's scratch-resistant, lightweight and easy to color.

Titanium is even completely hypoallergenic. Just don't use this wonder-metal for making rings — your fingers change size over time (weird, right?), and titanium isn't solderable or resizable.

Titanium is more dent, bend and scratch resistant than gold, silver, and platinum.

Also important is the exotic array of colors that titanium offers that other metals simply do not.

Titanium is popular in men's wedding bands, watches, and men's bracelets.

It is generally considered not polite to talk about money! But in this case, it is an important factor in choosing the right metal for your jewelry. We are proud to offer people a range of beautiful pieces that can be achieved on all budgets.