Q . 2 . WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METALS?

First, let’s explain karat. Karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. Pure gold is 24kt, or 100% gold. 18kt contains 75% gold (18/24=.75) and 14kt contains 58.5% gold. The reason alloys get added to gold is to make them strong. 24kt is very soft, making it not very ideal for every day wear. Thus, many jewelers opt to work in 14kt and 18kt which are both very strong.

14kt white gold: 14kt white gold contains 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% alloys. 14kt’s natural color is off white, so it gets rhodium plated to get a bright white color. 14k white gold is a very strong and durable metal and is the most cost effective option for someone who wants white toned jewelry.

14kt rose gold: 14kt rose gold is also referred to as pink gold or red gold. It is rosy in color and can vary from jeweller to jeweller. Some can be more orange and some can be more pink. Rose gold is alloyed with copper to get the rosy color. 14kt rose gold is a great metal for every day wear.

14kt yellow gold: 14kt yellow gold is pale yellow or golden in color. 14kt yellow gold is a great metal for every day wear.

18kt White Gold: 18kt white gold contains 75% gold and 25% alloy. Because 18kt has more gold, it is going to be slightly softer than 14kt. It will also have more of a yellow tint, making you notice when the rhodium coating begins to wear off sooner than you would with 14kt.

18kt Rose Gold: 18kt rose gold has a very rich color. It is not necessarily more pink since it actually has more gold in it, not more copper. It is best described as a brownish red.

18kt Yellow Gold: 18kt yellow gold is a very beautiful color as it is very rich and more yellow than 14kt yellow gold. We recommend 18kt yellow gold if you are going for a more saturated color for your piece.

Platinum : Platinum is a very dense metal, making it almost twice as heavy as gold. Because it is so much heavier, it is more expensive. If the price tag doesn’t get in your way, we highly recommend platinum. It is hypoallergenic, so if you are usually allergic to metals, platinum is your best route. Unlike white gold, it does not have metal memory. When a setter sets a diamond, the prongs stay put, where white gold may have the tendency to loosen around the stone. Another benefit of its malleability, platinum will more likely stay together as one piece in the unlikely event of being damaged. On the other hand, white gold’s hardness makes it more brittle and at risk of breaking.