Information about our Metals

Jewelry and Metals:
When discussing gold and its alloys, the term karat indicates the purity of the gold. (Don't confuse karat with carat, which is a unit of measurement used to describe gemstone weight). Pure gold, which contains no other metals, is termed 24-karat gold. So, a 50/50 alloy, half pure gold, and half other metal or metals, is 12-karat gold. Alloys used in jewelry making range from 9-karat gold, approximately 37% pure gold, to 24-karat gold. They are required to be stamped and hallmarked according to purity.

Platinum
Rarer and more expensive than gold, platinum has unsurpassed holding power and durability. It doesn't tarnish. These qualities make it one of the most highly coveted, premium jewelry metals, especially for engagement and wedding rings.
Platinum also has a variety of industrial applications, such as in catalytic converters. In fact, half of the platinum mined in the U.S. and a quarter worldwide is used for this purpose. The U.S. Bureau of Standards also uses platinum for weights. Since this metal never oxidizes, these weights remain the same forever.
 
Sterling Silver
The most common silver alloy is sterling silver. Sterling silver consists of 92.5% silver. One or more metals comprise the other 7.5%. Often, copper makes up a substantial portion of that 7.5%, because it increases the alloy's hardness.