Check out your choices of precious metals used in jewelry. Learn about the traditional gold, silver, and platinum as well as some more modern metal options.

If you’re a fan of all things jewelry, then you know that certain metals are used for certain pieces of jewelry for actual reasons. In the creative world, these are referred to as precious metals for jewelry. To you and me, we just know that we’re a fan of gold, silver, or the other options that we’ll tackle soon in more depth.

Arriving here will help you learn all about the different types of metals used to make jewelry and you’re certain to have a favorite by the end.

All About Precious Metals For Jewelry

Did you know that there are actually several choices when it comes to deciding on the metal that you like in your jewelry? We’re going to go over all the vary precious metals below.

Gold

Probably one of the most common metals used in jewelry is gold. But many people don’t know that most jewelry that is gold is actually usually only 14K gold – not the full 24K. This is because when gold is at 24K, it’s actually really, really soft and isn’t tough enough to outlast the wear and tear of daily life. Gold is available in 10K and 18K. Higher numbers indicate that the metal is more pure gold and that there are fewer alloys.

There are also three different colors of gold to consider as well:

• Yellow gold (This type of gold is mixed with zinc and copper to get that bright yellow tone.)
• White gold (To get the silver/white look, the gold is mixed with silver or another type of gray/silver metal.)
• Rose gold (This look is achieved by mixing the gold with copper and silver.)

Silver

While silver can be used in jewelry, you’ll probably hear the term sterling silver more often in the jewelry world. Sterling silver is used for a wide variety of things such as rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.

The reason that it’s so popular is that it’s hard enough to last for quite some time but it’s also easy to mold and personalize as well. Many people give their partners wedding bands made of sterling silver so that they can engrave something romantic or memorable on the inside. Silver is also a more affordable metal option for jewelry. However, silver does scratch and tarnish easily.

Platinum

Platinum is a great metal that is actually really quite popular. What it’s mainly known for is that it is a strong metal that is simple to care for. A lot of wedding bands are made using platinum for this very reason. Die to its rarity and strength, platinum is one of more more expensive metals for jewelry.

Titanium

Titanium jewelry is tough. And it’s actually used in a lot of things besides just jewelry. (dental implants, anyone?!) Titanium is popular in the jewelry world because it’s actually lightweight compared to its toughness and tends to have a long life, even when worn daily. One drawback of its toughness is that it can not be resized or engraved.

Palladium

If you’re not familiar with this one, it’s because it’s one of the newest precious metals to be discovered. It’s right up there with the toughness of platinum but it’s more affordable than other metals, too.

It has a lighter color, more silver and is typically easy to shine and keep looking shiny and bright.

Tungsten Or Tungsten Carbide

Tungsten jewelry just happens to be the toughest precious metal there is. It’s become a ring of choice for people who work out in the elements or have hard, heavy-labored jobs.

The reason for this is because it’s strong, it’s hard to break, and it’s scratch-resistant as well. Due to that, it really can be worn in most situations without any type of worry of it getting banged up or scratched. It’s also hypoallergenic. Like titanium, tungsten cannot be resized or engraved.

What is the cheapest metal for jewelry?

If you’re looking for one of the cheaper metal options, titanium or tungsten is going to probably be a good price point for you to consider. Even though it’s up there on the strong scale, it’s just a lot more affordable than having gold or silver. Keep in mind that that it cannot be resized. (Don’t let it get stuck on your finger!)

Now that you’ve learned a bit about all the varying precious metals in jewelry, it’s time to stop and think about your own jewelry collections as well.

Do you find that you have more pieces of jewelry in gold? In silver? Or maybe you have some that are all of the above?

From the jewelry that you own, do you feel that there are some that might scratch easier than others? Well, know you have the knowledge for why that is! Use this information to inspect the metals and their properties to help make your jewelry last for many years to come.

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