Buyer's Guide | Gold  Sterling Silver

Gold

Gold, element Au, was one of the first known metals. The most important of metals, it has been the foundation of kingdoms and conquests for millennia. Until recently, the gold standard defined the world's currency system, whereby money represented a value in gold. Gold won't tarnish, rust, or corrode, and though it's very strong, it is also the most malleable of all metals.

Purity

Pure gold is too soft to withstand the stresses of every-day wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability. Karatage, noted by a number followed by "k" indicates purity, or how much of the metal in a piece of jewelry is gold. Karatage is expressed in 24ths, making 24k gold 100% gold.

Color

The color of gold is determined by two factors:

• The type of metal alloys included in it
• The percentage of each metal alloy

Yellow Gold
At Heartsmith, you'll find both 18k and 14k yellow gold jewelry. 18k gold contains more precious metal than 14k gold. It is composed of 75% gold, which is alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough to withstand every-day wear. Because 14k gold is composed of only 58.3% gold, and 41.7% other metals that give it strength, its gold color is not as rich as 18k gold. 14k gold is most commonly found in cases where strength is most important, like in earring backs and bracelet clasps.

White Gold
Because 18k white gold is 75% gold, and 14k white gold is 58.3% gold, jewelry made from these metals has a slight yellow color. To enhance the whiteness, almost all white gold is plated with rhodium, a shiny, white metal which is extremely hard. Depending on the amount of wear to a piece of jewelry, over time this rhodium plating may wear off, revealing the original metal color. Re-plating is a simple process that can be done to restore your jewelry's whiteness if needed.

Rose Gold
Rose gold gets its color from a larger proportion of copper in the metal alloy. This gives the gold a beautiful pink color.

Pricing

The price of gold jewelry is dependent upon the purity of the gold used or karat weight, as well as the design and construction of the piece of jewelry.

Care

Keep your gold jewelry away from harsh chemicals such as chlorine and cleaning fluids. This will reduce daily abrasions and prolong gold's luster. To clean gold jewelry, use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap and wash gold gently with a soft-bristled brush (a dull tooth brush works well). Store gold pieces separately in soft cloth bags or original boxes to protect them from the exposure to harsh daily elements.

Sterling Silver

The polished surface of silver reflects nearly 95% of the light that falls on it! It sparkles and glows with any available light. Its reflective properties have made silver long sought after for the creation of personal adornments and ritual vessels.

Destined for Greatness

Silver is one of the softest metals - second only to gold. One of silver's most desirable properties is that it can be worked into almost any shape - then melted, cooled and reshaped again. It can be hammered into thin sheets. So thin that 100,000 of them could stack one inch high. It can be drawn into a wire thinner than a human hair!

Another highly esteemed quality of silver is that it can be mixed, or alloyed, with other metals. This mixture is called an alloy. Mixing silver with copper creates an alloy known as Sterling.

Sterling Silver

Silver in its pure state is too soft to be useful for items such as jewelry or silverware. Sterling, being .925 pure silver is nearly all silver but strong enough to withstand daily use. Thus mixed with copper, it is strong yet still beautiful and easily worked. Sterling is highly regarded for its lasting beauty and workability.

Stamps of Quality

Most high quality silver items are stamped with a "fineness" or "quality" mark. This mark designates the precious metal content of the jewelry, and under federal law, must be accompanied by a maker's mark or registered trademark.

Items made of Sterling are marked with a lion or leopard in the United Kingdom. In the USA they are stamped "Sterling". Sterling from Mexico and some other countries is marked ".925" or "Sterling".

Look for the fineness mark and the maker's mark on the underside of the silver item you are considering to ensure the quality.

Care

With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.

Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible.

Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleaning of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling.

Learn About: History of the Heart • 18K Gold Lockets • Anniversary Gifts • Children's Jewelry • Christian Jewelry • Family Lockets • Gold Heart Lockets • Gold Lockets • Heart Locket • Locket Bracelets • Locket Necklace • Men's Jewelry • Mother's Day • Mother's Gifts • Picture Locket • Platinum Jewelry • Platinum Locket • Silver Heart Locket • Silver Locket • Valentine Gift Idea • White Gold Locket • Women's Jewelry