Your Guide To Jewelry Metals

When it comes to picking out jewelry, it can be difficult to decide on which metal is right for you. Typically, fine jewelry is created in yellow, white, and rose gold as well as platinum. Knowing the differences between these choices can make the decision process easier.

Gold

If you know you love gold, your decision has been made a little easier. In this case, color will be your primary determining factor. From there you simply need to decide between 14k or 18k. While both options are similar, 14k gold is 58.3% pure gold while 18k is 75% pure gold. You may ask, “Why not use 24k (or pure) gold?” Typically, fine jewelry is not created in pure gold because it is very soft; mixing in other alloys to create 14k and 18k gold allows for a harder metal. This is important for jewelry because the harder the metal, the more resistant to wear it will be.

Yellow

Yellow gold maintains the natural color of gold and is often loved for its’ warmth and luster. At Mark Broumand, we offer both our signature champagne and sunshine gold. Both of these yellow tones are gorgeous, the champagne being a softer, slightly rosy yellow; where as the sunshine is a brighter more classic yellow.

Rose

Rose gold has become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s warm tone and romantic connotation makes it a favorite for fine jewelry buyers. Rose gold utilizes copper as its alloy, giving it its’ signature pink color. 

White

Despite its’ name, white gold naturally has a slightly yellow hue to it. The bright white color actually comes from rhodium plating. This plating, while durable, does wear over time. We recommend refinishing your ring about every two years to get it looking bright and new again.

Platinum

If you know you are interested in a white metal, platinum is a beautiful option. It naturally has a bright white color to it, which does not require rhodium plating, so the color will not fade over time. Platinum used for jewelry is 95% pure, which makes it a perfect option for those who are very sensitive metals. Platinum is also a slightly heavier metal, so if you want your jewelry to feel a little heftier, platinum is the way to go.