Precious Metals Definitions
Gold:
A heavy, malleable metal element that is unalterable by heat, moisture and most
corrosive agents. It is used in a wide variety of jewelry styles and processes.
Too soft to be used alone, it is often combined with other metals.
Gold à Quatre Couleurs: Gold in
four different shades used simultaneously in one piece of jewelry. In some cases
it refers to three or five different shades of gold combined in one jewelry
item.
Gold Alloy: Gold that is alloyed
with a variety of other metals, including silver, palladium, copper, nickel,
iron or others, all depending on the desired strength, color and intention of
its final use.
Gold Filled: Gold bonded to a
base metal by electroplating. It is usually done to a layer of specific fineness.
Gold Leaf: An extremely thin tissue
of gold used for gilding.
Karat: The measurement for the
fineness and purity of gold and gold alloy, as expressed by a number (e.g.,
24 karat, 18 karat, 14 karat). In appraising gold jewelry, the higher the number
of karats, the greater is the value of the piece.
Platinum: A metal element whose
rarity and unusual tensile strength make it extremely valuable, with a price
exceeding even that of gold. It is a heavy, silver-white element that is malleable
and ductile and does not corrode. Nor does it tarnish. It needs great heat to
fuse, and this durability -- coupled with its harmonious color -- make it ideal
as a diamond setting. When employed for jewelry, it is used in the form of a
platinum alloy.
Purity: A measurement of the amount
of pure gold in a jewelry item. 24 karat represents 100 percent gold; 18 karat
has 75 percent gold, and 14 karat has 58 percent gold.
Quality Mark: By United States
law, a "k" mark representing karat must appear on the back of an authentic gold
piece, along with the manufacturer's trademark and country of origin to guarantee
the authenticity of the gold.
Rose Gold: A gold alloy with additional
copper added to it to give it a blushing hue.
Sterling Silver: An alloy of silver
with a fineness of 0.925 parts silver (in Great Britain) and 0.075 parts copper.
In the U.S.A. the measurement is 0.921 parts silver.
White Gold: An alloy of gold with
a large percentage of silver or other white metals.
Yellow Gold: An alloy
of gold mixed with silver and copper.
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