There is so much we could tell you about metals, but here is a bit of a run down so that you can make a more considered decision. Remember, we are only too happy to offer our advice, so if you need any more information, give us a call.
Platinum
The king of metals! Naturally white in colour so there is no re-plating considerations. It is dense, so very strong and heavy. It is expensive BUT it will always hold its value so you could view it as a good investment.
Palladium
Not that many people seem to know about palladium. It has long been used in the jewellery industry, but has mainly been used to help create white gold by mixing yellow gold and palladium together rather than as a metal in its own right. However, it is part of the Platinum family and therefore has the same characteristics: white, hard, but not as dense.
Its biggest plus is its price. As platinum has soared, palladium has generally been up to half the price of platinum.
We use 950 Palladium (95% pure palladium) as this gives it its hardness with 950 you can mix it with platinum and 18ct white gold.
We think that Palladium is a good investment metal, we think that it hasn’t hit its peak in the metal market yet, buying now whilst it is still relatively inexpensive could prove worthwhile.
24ct gold is pure gold
Anything less means that the gold has been mixed. It is expensive and in recent years the price of gold has soared. Occasionally, we do get asked to use it in womens rings, often it might be a piece of inherited jewellery that a customer wants us to reuse as part of a new ring. One thing to be aware of is that pure gold is a very soft metal and in reality it is too soft to wear and almost wears away in front of your eyes.
18ct yellow gold
This is 18 parts yellow gold mixed with 6 parts other metals. A traditional gold that has been slightly out of favour in recent times however, we are starting to see its popularity rise once again, particularly in Europe.
Perhaps consider mixing matt and polished gold for a contemporary take ‚ we think that this looks really stylish!
18ct white gold
This is the metal that we get asked about the most, generally because people have not been given the correct information in the past! There is no such thing as white gold! Gold is naturally yellow, and 18 ct gold is a mix of gold and mainly palladium. It therefore naturally has a pale yellow colour. To make it ‘white’, it is rhodium plated. This does wear off over time and depending on the wearer, type of job they do, lifestyle etc this could be as early as two months and to keep it looking white, it will have to be re-plated time and time again.
Perhaps consider looking at it in its natural form (not rhodium plating it) – it is quite a nice colour and very unique. It lends itself better to gents jewellery rather than ladies.
9ct gold
We are the only country that use 9ct gold – everyone else starts at 14ct. It essentially is less pure and becomes a much softer metal and therefore wears more easily. You shouldn’t really put 9ct gold up against any other higher carat gold as it will wear very quickly.
Rose Gold
This is a mix of gold and a copper alloy and is rather fashionable at the moment. It works really well in inlays for jewellery and offers a warmer look against skin tone. If you’re wanting something a bit different, this is the metal to go for.
Titanium
Not a precious metal but it is the strongest metal of the bunch and incredibly light. We use it a lot in jewellery for sportspeople and people with manual jobs. This metal is used a lot in Formula 1 because of its strength and lightness.
It is a white metal and when polished it is of a similar appearance to palladium, although when it is matted it has a slightly darker grey shade.
There are lots of design options with this metal and prices are very keen because it is not a precious metal.