Metals are as old as human civilization and their history in jewelry making can be traced back thousands of years. Dating back to the ancient people of Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. 

 

Common Metals Used today and what you should know.

 

COSTUME JEWELRY

 

Be aware and stay healthy!  Most "Costume Jewelry" is considered a discrete category of "Fashion Jewelry."  Costume Jewelry manufacturers are located throughout the world, with a large concentration in China & India.  There is a lot of controversy here in the US & abroad about the lack of regulations in the manufacture of such "costume" jewelry.  (Note High End Fashion Jewelry, using natural stones, silver and gold are set apart from the "Costume Jewelry" industry.)  The various controversies range from the use of manufacturing processes in which small, but harmful amounts of toxic metals are added to the jewelry during production, and human rights surrounding the treatment of labor. These metals are toxic, even to the labor forces!  In a recent 2010 AP investigation, they noted that lead and cadmium were found not only in "costume jewelry" but "children's jewelry" as well.  These jewelry pieces were found to contain more than 80% of the toxic metal cadmium.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified cadmium and cadmium compounds as carcinogenic to humans. Usually used as an electroplating metal to help with corrosion in a lot of jewelry.

 

The US allows the Fashion or Costume Jewelry to be imported using a guideline of "Lead Compliancy."  However, if you solely wear "Lead Compliant" jewelry, or jewelry that may contain cadmium, or at least think you are wearing lead compliant jewelry, you could be absorbing these heavy metals slowly everytime you wear the piece(s).  Most costume jewelry or now known better as "Fashion Jewelry" will say that it is NOT intended for ages 13 and under. There is a reason!  These heavy metals are dangerous for the human body. Any amount of these two widely used metals, can eventually lead to a number of health problems according to the CDC.  Due to the adverse effects on human health, the use of cadmium is restricted in Europe under the REACH Regulations.

 

At Audrée Grace we are aware of these dangers and will do our part to stay away from these pieces of jewelry.  We can't guarantee 100% we won't have a piece here or there that may have been made using a metal that contains small traces of these heavy metals. But we can safely say that at least 95% of our collections will be as natural.  Read before on how you can determine if your jewelry is High End Fashion Jewelry or Costume Jewelry.

 

We want you to be aware of these Fashion/Costume Jewelry possibilities so you can make an informed decision on what you choose to buy.  Sterling Silver or Gold Pieces falls in the High End Fashion Jewelry pieces to be worn and admired, but will cost more.  However, they are the healthier choices as are natural stones.  (Learn more about how stones have been used for centuries for healing purposes.)  

 

We also want to remind all the moms out there....don't let your babies or young children chew or suck on your fashion/costume jewelry.  It is known that the fastest way these heavy metals enter our bodies is by ingesting it!  

 

GOLD JEWELRY

 

Perhaps no other substance has captured our hearts more than gold.  Popular because of its luster and rarity, gold quickly became a method of payment and a key component used to create jewelry when it became fashionable during the reign of Alexander the Great. 

 

Gold is still popular today and in many cultures is collected as an investment, even when it has been made into a chic piece of jewelry.  Generally gold is too soft to be used in its pure form, so is mixed usually with either zinc or copper alloys to give the metal strength.  The stamping is a three-digit number, which tells us how pure the gold is.  Authentic gold jewelry should always have a stamp to indicate the purity of the gold in the piece.

 

Here are the breakdowns:

 

24 Karat - 99% pure and is usually marked with... 999

22 Karat - 91.7% pure and is marked... 916 or 917

18 Karat - 75% pure and marked... 750

14 Karat - 58.3% pure and marked... 585, 583, or 575

 

Other forms of gold in jewelry include:

 

Gold-Filled - Employs a process in which gold is bonded to a base metal alloy such as nickel or brass.  Commonly, the amount of gold used must be at least 5% of the total weight and all exterior portions are solid gold.  Most gold-filled jewelry tends to be 18 Kt, but every piece should be labeled with its karatage. 

 

Gold Plated - Employs a base metal which is then electroplated with gold.  Usually a steel or brass item dipped into a bath of electroplating solution that deposits a thin layer of gold on the jewelry.  The gold layer is less than gold-filled and will wear off faster.

 

White Gold - Combines pure gold with other white metals, such as zinc, nickel, platinum and silver.  Durable and tarnish resistaant, white gold jewelry is brittle and requires platinum or rhodium plating.  Generally produced to be more cost effective than platinum, white gold can cause allergic reactions once the plating wears off.

 

Rose Gold - An alloy that combines gold with copper to create a golden metal with a reddish hue.  While it generally uses a gold to copper ratio of 3 to 1, rose gold can be found with varying percentages of each.  Based on the addition of copper, the intensity of rose gold will be lighter or darker and will patina over time.

 

SILVER JEWELRY

 

Silver has been used by man in jewelry nearly as long as gold.  Mentioned in the Christian Bible's book of Genesis, silver is also one of the only jewelry metals permitted to be worn by men of the Islamic faith, since the Prophet Mohammad wore a silver ring.  Mention of silver also appears in Greek mythology, where both Apollo  and his twin sister Artemis carried silver bowls given to them at birth.  CLearly, the creation and use of silver has an ancient tradition.

 

Like gold, pure silver is soft and easily damaged, so it's commonly miixed with other metals to improve durabillity.  Silver is normally mixed with copper and there are several levels of purity that indicate the quantity of pure silver conatined in the metal.  Those interested in silver jewelry should be able to determine the quality of the silver used by looking for a stamp that indicates the purity level.  Here a few examples of the different types of silver:

 

Fine Silver has a .999 level of purity, so it's also known as pure silver, but is normally not appropriate for jewery, as it's not durable and bends easily.

 

Sterling Silver is an alloy that contains a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper.  Sterling silver must contain at least 92.5% pure silver, but other components can vary.  It is considered the standard among silver grades and provides strength and should be stamped with a 925.

 

Silver Plate is a thin layer of fine silver placed over a base metal and often considered the most cost-effective alternative to the more expensive forms of solid silver jewelry.  That said, this form of silver is very thin, wears off easily and degrades in appearance quickly.

 

Nickel Silver is actually NOT silver at all!  Despite its name, it is an alloy that combines copper, nickel and zinc, and contains NO silver.

 

PLATINUM JEWELRY

 

Is a silvery white metal that's extremely rare and considered more precious than gold.  Platinum is among the heavier metals used in jewely and has become increasingly popular - especially in engagement & wedding rings.  

 

Platinum also has an interesting history.  Naturally occuring platinum and platinum-rich alloys were first used by ancient Egyptians, however, it was not identified as an element until the 18th century.  Spanish silver miners named the metal "platina" or "little silver" when they first encountered it in Colombia, South America.  Eventually the Spaniards dismissed platinum as an "undesirable impurity" in their mined silver, and often discarded it as a worthless by-product.  Needless to say, that has changed!

 

As with other materials, platinum is commonly mixed with other metals, but to be labeled as "platinum", it must contain at least 95% pure platinum.  If less than that, it must be identified as platinum alloy.  Platinum jewelry can be identified by the stamp "PLAT", and platinum alloy with "IRIDPLAT".

 

STAINLESS STEEL JEWELRY

 

Stainless steel jewelry has become increasingly popular in recent years due to changing tastes and style trends toward a more industrial look. Commonly used in a variety of industrial applications, stainless steel has found its way to fashion jewelry.  Invented by Harry  Brearly of the Bown & Firth Research Laboratories in 1913, stainless steel was developed to be impervious to staining or corrosion and was adopted by heavy industry.

 

Today, stainless steel jewelry is a favorite of both men and women and can be found in the use of machined pendants, dog tags and more experimental pieces of jewelry.

 

LESS COMMON METALS USED IN JEWELRY

 

There is a diversity of metals that continue to be used to create some truly unique pieces of jewelry.  Here's a brief look at several:

 

Palladium is a rare silver-white metal of the platinum family.

 

Rhodium is also a rare silver-white metal of the platinum family - this metal is particularly hard and is the most expensive precious metal.

 

Titanium is a natural element which has a silver-white color and is the hardest metal in the world.  It is 3 times the strength of steel and much stronger than gold, silver and platinum, yet is very light weight. Pure titanium is also 100% hypoallergenic, which means it is safe for anyone to wear.

 

Tungsten is a steel-gray metal whose strength and high melting point makes it a favorite of the arms industry.  Metallic tungsten is harder than gold alloy and hypoallergenic, making it useful for rings that resist scratching, especially in designs with a brushed finish.

 

Copper is a reddish gold metal that patinas to a warm brown, but can also take on a green patina with oxidation.  The oldest known metal, it was associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite and her Roman counterpart, Venus.  Copper jewelry is often considered to have healing properties.

 

Brass is a copper and zinc alloy that's gold in color.  It will tarnish and turn brown over time.

 

Nickel is a white metal that looks like silver, but can cause allergic reactions in some people.