When choosing a beautiful piece of jewelry, most people tend to focus on finding the perfect gemstone, but the sparkling stone is not all you should consider. Choosing the right precious metal for your chosen piece of jewelry can have a huge impact. The precious metal you choose is a very important part of the final piece of jewelry - from the price to the color of the gemstone you choose to the durability of the jewelry. Therefore, it is definitely worth considering very carefully.
Gold and karats
Gold is a very soft natural metal, so it usually needs to be alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough. The alloys usually use copper or silver, which can affect the color of the gold. The most popular options are often yellow, white, and rose gold. Because gold needs to be mixed with other metals, gold jewelry can come in different purity levels, called karats.
24-karat gold is the purest form of gold, as it contains the highest percentage of natural gold. In Lithuania and many other countries around the world, 9-karat and 18-karat gold products are most commonly available. The higher the karat number, the more pure gold is in the jewelry. Jewelry with lower karats will have a slightly different color than jewelry with higher karats because they contain more alloy metals. So, 9-karat gold appears slightly less yellow than 18-karat gold.
Precious metal finishing
When choosing a precious metal, you can also choose a finish. Some options include reflective and shiny, satin/matte, which is smooth to the touch but not shiny (often used for wedding rings), brushed - textured, which has a distinctive look and wears little (a common choice for men's wedding rings), etc.
How to care for jewelry made of different metals
Non-worn jewelry should be stored in airtight containers to protect the jewelry and to avoid having to clean it more often than necessary. For most metals, a very mild soap should be used. It is recommended to soak the jewelry in soapy water for a few minutes, then gently rinse and scrub, then rinse with warm water and allow to dry. Resin can be removed from metals such as copper by soaking it in vinegar for 5-10 seconds and then rinsing gently. When cleaning silver, copper or brass jewelry that tarnishes easily, only cold water should be used, as hot water can react with the air and re-tarnish it.
Jewelry made of multiple metals should be cleaned using cleaning methods appropriate for the most fragile metal. Precious metals such as gold and silver should be gently buffed with a soft cloth to maintain their shine. Gold can be washed gently in warm water, but bleach or harsh cleaners should never be used on precious metals. Silver, on the other hand, reacts poorly to moisture, so always wash silver jewelry very sparingly in cold water. Platinum should always be washed separately from other jewelry, as it can easily be scratched by close contact with other metals.
If you have a lot of important and expensive jewelry, you should consider investing in a proper polishing machine. You can also take your jewelry to a professional jeweler. In this case, you will be sure that your jewelry will be properly cared for and will last a long time. Also, remember that you should not store silver jewelry on wooden surfaces, as they may contain acids that damage their finish. Finally, keep all jewelry away from direct sunlight and avoid moisture as much as possible, which has a significant negative effect on jewelry.