Faith Jewellery

GOLD
Pure (carat) gold is too soft to be appropriate for everyday wear; therefore, gold jewellery is made of a mixture of gold and other metals (such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc). The C (carat) number tells us what fraction of 24 parts of the alloy are pure gold; ie., 14 carat is 14/24, or 58.33%, pure gold. The metals used in the alloy also determine the colour of the gold; a greater percentage of nickel gives white gold its colour, while a high percentage of copper lends a reddish tone to rose gold. While gold itself does not tarnish, these alloying metals can sometimes cause a piece to darken with time, or leave a dark residue on the skin. In Europe, gold is marked with a number indicating the gold content as parts per thousand; ie., 18 carat gold, which is 75% pure gold, is stamped 750.

PLATINUM
Platinum is rarer, and therefore more expensive, than gold. It is grayish-white in colour, non-tarnishing, and very strong.Very high temperatures are necessary to melt platinum; therefore, it did not become a viable jewellery metal until advancements in jewellers' tools were made in the late 1800s. It became the most popular jewellery metal in America in the 1920s; its durability made it the ideal choice for the lacy filigree styles of the period. Jewellery platinum is an alloy, usually 90% platinum and 10% iridium. Platinum jewellery is typically stamped "Plat."

SILVER
Because silver tarnishes easily and is less durable than gold or platinum, it is not considered an ideal metal for setting precious stones. However, until the introduction of platinum and white gold alloys in the late 1800s and early 1900s, silver was the only white precious metal available. It remains popular as a jewellery metal because it is more plentiful, and therefore much less expensive, than gold and platinum. Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver; such pieces are often marked "SS," "Sterling," or "925." Coin silver is 90% silver and is sometimes marked "900." German silver and nickel silver are misnomers for alloys of other metals that contain no silver at all.

PALLADIUM
Palladium is a member of the platinum metals group. It is harder, lighter and less expensive than platinum. It was used in jewellery manufacturing during WWII as a substitute for platinum (which was restricted, being considered a strategic metal).

VERMEIL
Popular in eighteenth century France, vermeil pieces were made of sterling silver and coated with gold ("silver gilt"). Production was banned in the early 1800s, however, when it was discovered that the mercury used in the process caused the craftsmen to go blind.

PINCHBECK
Pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc, discovered by Christopher Pinchbeck (1670-1732). It was popular in the eighteenth century as a gold look-alike; ladies often had their favorite gold pieces reproduced in pinchbeck to take with them on their travels. Its popularity waned in the mid-1800s with the legalization of 9 carat gold and the invention of the electrogilding process. Pinchbeck is rarely seen today.