When you go to purchase a special piece of jewelry, sometimes it can be overwhelming deciding what type of metal to get.
Words like 24 karat, yellow gold, white gold, platinum, vermeil and silver might jump at to you. Isn’t a white metal just… a white metal? What’s the difference between 14k gold and 24k gold?
It can be a bit overwhelming to navigate the world of metals in jewelry, so I’m going to help break it down for you.
Warm, or cool?
Whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else, the first aesthetic item you should decide on is the metal color. Do you typically wear silver, or gold? If you are shopping for yourself and don’t know which you want, I recommend trying some on and seeing which looks best with your skin tone. Many people who are cool toned like the look of silver, and warm-tones in gold. The thing to remember is that it's all about personal preference. (I look better in silver, but I love to switch it up!) If you’re shopping for someone else, take a note of what color of jewelry they seem to wear. Some people mix metals, but a lot of times, people prefer either one over the other.
Metal Content: Solid Gold or Plated?
No matter which color you select, the next thing you should look at is the metal content, and whether it is solid gold or not. Some stores, typically online, can be a bit sneaky about this, so it's important to take a look at the specs of the piece. Legally, each jeweler needs to disclose the metal content of their jewelry when selling. Sometimes the color selection may be listed as gold or white, but be sure to look into the details to see if you see any of these - 14/18k gf, gold-filled, goldfill, gold/silver plated, or vermeil. Now, please note that none of these things are necessarily bad.
If you are looking for a pair of trendy gold toned earrings and are on a slim budget, goldfill can be a good option. However, if you are looking for fine, high-end jewelry, and you’re willing to invest in it, you’ll want to make sure you are buying a solid metal. At B Detke jewelry, we only utilize solid metals.
So if it’s not solid gold, what IS it?
Gold-fill
Gold-fill - also known as vermeil, rolled gold, gold-filled, 14k gf, 18k gf, etc. Gold-fill is made by taking one type of base metal (typically brass,) and bonding it with a thick layer of gold. In order for something to be considered gold-fill, it needs to only have 5% of its mass made with the precious material. The best thing about this material is that it lasts a pretty long time, and it is less expensive than solid gold. The con is that it can be limiting in making. Jewelers cannot solder much with it before burning away that layer of gold, exposing the base metal. With everyday wear, the gold will not last generations like a solid precious metal will. So, it can be great for accessories, but not something meant to be passed down and worn daily.
Plated
Plated jewelry is similar to the above, but it is made with a very, very small amount of precious metal applied (think less than 05%!). Plated jewelry is often made with a cheap metal, and the outside precious material will wear away rather quickly, exposing the base. Plated jewelry can be handy for more trendy items, things you might not want to keep around for a long time. If you see a “gold” item that is really inexpensive, or from a fast-fashion shop, you can almost guarantee that it is plated.
Some fine metals, especially white gold, are often plated with rhodium to make it look extra white.
Solid Metal
Solid gold (or platinum, silver, etc.,) is exactly what it sounds like. It is made all the way through with one material. This is the most expensive option, but the longest lasting. There is very little maintenance, and is the highest quality material. If you are wanting to have jewelry made that will last multiple lifetimes, this would be the choice to make. Because B Detke jewelry only utilizes solid fine metals, this is what we will focus on.
Gold
Now if you are looking for a fine jewelry piece that is yellow, you will only find that with gold. Gold is naturally yellow, and has a beautiful, buttery richness to it.
High karat gold clasp.
When we talk about 24 karat gold (24k), it means it is 24 out of 24 parts gold. This is the most yellow that you will find. There are no other metals mixed into it. Although it isn’t seen much in the United States, It is quite common as jewelry in some Asian countries, like Thailand, and China. Oftentimes the clasps on 24k gold necklaces are pinched together with your fingers to secure the necklace. As you can imagine, if you can pinch 24k together with your fingers, it isn’t very durable for everyday wear. It also can quickly become very expensive. This is a big reason why we karat gold.
Karat Gold
So, what do gold karats mean?
In order to make gold more attainable to the masses, pure (24k) gold is mixed with other metals to make it into a stable, more economical, but still precious metal that can be used in jewelry.
Because we know that 24k means that it is 24 out of 24 parts gold, we can use the same knowledge for other gold karats. 10k gold is 10 out of 24 parts gold, 14k is 14 out of 24, and so on. So the higher that first number is, the more gold content is in the metal.
Gold Colors
So now that we know about the buttery, 24k gold, how do we end up with white gold, or even rose gold?
The color of the karat gold is determined by which metals are added to it. If we are making 18k yellow gold, we are taking 18 parts of gold, and adding 6 parts of silver, copper, and a touch of zinc. If we wanted white gold, we would take that same 18 parts of gold, and add in silver, nickel or palladium, and zinc. Basically, the color comes from that mixture of metals we are adding to the gold.
A note on White Gold
In the United States, most jewelers karat their white gold with nickel. Nickel is very cool toned, and an inexpensive addition, however, a fairly large portion of the population is allergic to it.
An alternative is to find palladium white gold, which substitutes nickel for palladium, a hypoallergenic, but more expensive option. Palladium white gold has a darker gray tone to it than white gold made with nickel.
White gold is not naturally completely white. Alone, it does have a bit of a yellow glow to it. Hey, it is made with gold! Some people like how it looks, and others prefer a more cool tone. Almost all white gold jewelry you see in your typically jewelry store has a plating of rhodium over it to produce that shiny, cool toned “white” color. Rhodium plating can be a great, although temporary solution to make white gold look more white, and to protect the wearer from nickel sensitivity. As we learned before, plating will eventually wear off. Most people who wear rhodium-plated jewelry should expect to have it re-plated by their jeweler every year or so.
Platinum
Platinum in the past has been price restrictive due to its rarity. It used to be extremely expensive, however, in more recent years, the base cost of the metal has actually been less expensive than gold, making it more attainable in fine jewelry. The reason why it sometimes costs more than white gold is due to its density, and its the labor costs. For us jewelers, platinum requires another full set of tools to work with. It also “moves” differently than gold in the metal forming process, so there is a bit of a learning curve when working with this fine material.
For the consumer, however, platinum can be a wonderful choice. It is completely hypoallergenic, and naturally has a white color to it. It is a bit softer than gold, but it is still overall a very durable metal.
Silver
Silver is the least expensive metal of the bunch. It can be used to create beautiful pieces of jewelry that can last generations with the right care. It is typically used for “bridge” jewelry, which lives in the place between fast fashion and fine jewelry. This is because it is a wonderful material to work with (it is malleable, and can take on different finishes well), and it is not price prohibitive. Silver is not often used with fine jewelry (like engagement rings) because it is such a soft material. It can scratch and dent fairly easily, which means it can take a beating over the years. This also means it isn’t the best, most stable option to house fine gemstones. After purchasing an expensive gemstone, you want to ensure it is held in place well for a long amount of time. This typically means opting for white gold or platinum.