Many types of metals are perfect for custom or fashion accessories. For example, copper, brass, nickel, and bronze are inexpensive materials that have been used for hundreds of years to make ornaments and decorative jewelry pieces. But even if those metals are beautiful and durable, they’re not rare and cannot be considered precious metals.
For a metal to be considered precious, it must be rare, malleable, and have a lustrous appearance. Moreover, precious metals are less reactive and have a higher melting point in comparison to other metals. If you want quality jewelry made from precious metals, you don’t need to learn how to melt or shape them. For a hassle-free way of acquiring jewelry, you can always visit reputable shops like Mimi’s Jewelry to ensure you’ll get excellent value for your money.
But even if you don’t need to know how to make your own jewelry, it still pays to have a good understanding of the various types of rare and expensive metals out there. Below are the top precious metals used in jewelry.
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Platinum
Platinum is one of the highest-priced metals used in jewelry. This precious metal gained popularity because of its natural white radiance that doesn’t fade, oxidize, or change color. So if money’s no object and design and quality are your main considerations when buying jewelry, consider picking platinum for wedding bands or engagement rings. Many people consider this element a symbol of eternal and unchanging love because it maintains its white sheen with very little maintenance.
Aside from platinum’s durability, its malleability makes it an ideal material for jewelry. Top jewelers claim that platinum prongs, which are used to hold precious stones like diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds, are stronger compared to other types of metals. Due to the rarity of platinum, it’s often mixed with other similar elements such as rhodium and palladium. But for your jewelry to be considered platinum, it must contain at least 90% pure platinum.
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Gold
Gold is a valuable element that’s popular not only in making jewelry but also as an investment. Since currencies are volatile and the price of gold continues to increase, many business-savvy individuals put their money in physical gold such as jewelry, coins, and bullions. Some even invest in digital gold, which refers to stocks in companies that mine or produce gold or gold products. However, if you want to be an investor, you need to consider five factors before buying gold to boost your return on investment (ROI).
For people who buy jewelry for personal use or gifting purposes, the gold’s luster and versatility make it the most preferred precious metal for jewelry. Aside from being rare, gold is valuable because it doesn’t rust or tarnish quickly. Most importantly, it’s easy to ply and mold to form different shapes and designs.
The typical kinds of gold used in jewelry are:
- Yellow – Since yellow is the natural hue of this precious metal, jewelry using yellow gold maintains its brightness and radiance over time. But because gold is soft and can be easily deformed, it’s rare to find pure gold jewelry. Thus, the yellow gold metal typically contains a small number of base metals like zinc and copper so it can retain its shape.
- White – If you want durability, you should pick jewelry made of white gold. The base metals used to create the whitish hue are palladium, nickel, silver, or, in rare circumstances, zinc. However, the white color may fade a little over time, so you need to have it cleaned and maintained regularly to keep its beautiful white sheen.
- Rose – The richness of this type of gold depends on the amount of copper used and mixed with pure yellow gold. The higher the copper content of the gold alloy, the richer the rose gold will look. This type of gold hue is considered romantic, so it’s often used in wedding or engagement rings.
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Silver
Another precious metal that has withstood the test of time is silver. For centuries, this material is preferred in making décor, ornaments, and jewelry. Like other precious metals, silver is sought after in jewelry making because of its rarity, sheen, and beauty. Since this is also considered a soft metal, it’s not common to find modern jewelry made of 100% pure silver. It’s often mixed with copper to make it less prone to deformity and scratching.
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Palladium
Palladium is considered part of the platinum group of metals. This material is becoming more popular in jewelry making because it’s easy to maintain, comfortable to wear, durable, hypoallergenic, and lighter than other precious metals. If you want a scratch-resistant wedding or engagement ring that’s more affordable than platinum and gold, then you should consider buying jewelry made of palladium.
Final Thoughts
The top four precious metals used in jewelry making are gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. They’re considered precious due to their rarity and beauty. If you want quality jewelry made of any of them, see to it that you buy from a reputable jewelry maker or store.
