Precious Metals
Gold
When buying gold wedding bands, always look for the karat mark. All other
things being equal, the higher the karat, the more expensive the wedding ring.
In the United States, 14-karat gold is
14/24 or 58.33% parts pure gold, is the most common degree of fineness. The jewelry made using 14-karat gold is marked as 14k, 14kt or 585.
10-kt gold is 10/24 or 41.66% pure
gold. Nothing less than 10 karats can legally be marked or sold as gold jewelry
in the U.S.
18-karat gold is 18/24 or 75% pure
gold, and wedding bands of this fineness are marked 18k, 18kt or 750.
Always look for the karat mark or
"k, kt" that appears on the back of the piece. By U.S. law, if a karat
mark appears you should also see the manufacturer's trademark to assure you
that the karat marking is accurate. The country of origin should also appear.
In addition to the karat mark, every wedding ring should be stamped with a
hallmark or trademark of its
maker, and sometimes its country of origin. These designations assure you that
you are buying genuine karat gold wedding ring. Heavier wedding rings contain
more gold.
Gold is durable, sturdy, dependable,
and makes an ideal setting for your precious diamond wedding bands
jewelry. However, to get a lifetime of enjoyment from your wedding ring
jewelry, be sure to keep it clean and safe.
Do not wear wedding ring during rough
work or when handling harsh chemicals. Store it in a box away from other
pieces to preserve it from being scratched.
Finally, check the diamond settings
periodically for any damage to the gold prongs or bezels.
If you see a loose prong, or if the
setting looks out of line, bring it to a professional jeweler for repair at
once.
Platinum
Platinum wedding rings,
like gold wedding bands, has a long and distinguished history. Its use began in
antiquity and it has undergone resurgence in popularity over the last 200
years.
Platinum was held in high esteem during
early Egyptian times. Native people in South and Central America worked it as
early as 100 B.C.
Spanish conquistadors discovered
platinum artifacts among the gold they were seeking when they came to the new
world. They named the curious metal "platina," or "little
silver." They also considered it worthless, and discarded it.
Platinum didn't reach Europe until the
18th century, but then it caught on in a big way. King Louis XVI elevated it by
terming it "the metal of kings."
For centuries, the only large amounts
of platinum outside of South America were found in Russian mines. Russia used
platinum coins in the 19th century. In Spain, some gold coins were faked by
gold-plating platinum coins.
Nowadays, platinum is far more valuable
than gold. Platinum's initial uses were probably limited by its hardness and
its very high melting point. The early forging and casting techniques made it
quite a difficult metal to work with.
During the latter part of the 19th
century, and the first half of the 20th, platinum was the premier metal for
all-important jewelry. Platinum dominated the world of jewelry design during
the Edwardian era, and the Art Deco period well into the 1930s.
It all came to an abrupt end in World
War II, when platinum was declared a strategic metal and its use banned for all
non-military purposes.
Platinum has many industrial applications, which made it invaluable to the
military during the war.
Platinum is vital to the automotive
industry as well as to electrical engineering, electronics and petrochemicals.
The medical and dental fields also use it to a great degree.
Every car in the United States has
platinum in its catalytic converter, which reduces emissions.
Only about one-third of the platinum
mined today is used in jewelry, where it consistently commands higher prices
than the purest gold. Because of its many uses, almost all platinum mined and
refined is immediately committed to use.
An interesting note: There are no
stockpiles or "reserves" of platinum in any government or banking
storage. The appeal of platinum is in its appearance. Its white luster is
unique.
It is also the strongest precious metal
used in jewelry, and is almost 1.70 more heavy as 14-karat gold. This weight is
one of platinum's strongest selling points, because it gives "heft"
to fine jewelry, which people naturally equate with value.
In recent years platinum has rapidly
grown in popularity. It's become the new choice for many diamond engagement
rings and wedding bands because of its purity, durability and its luster brings out the brilliance of diamonds far better than
gold.
The Japanese seem to be listening --
almost 85% of platinum jewelry produced every year is purchased by Japanese
consumers! Despite its growing popularity, platinum remains one of the world's
rare metals.
The annual worldwide production of
platinum amounts to some 160 tons, compared to about 1,500 tons of gold.
It can be found in just a handful of
regions of the world. The mining and refining processes are both arduous and
time-consuming.
For example, in order to extract a
single ounce of platinum, about 10 tons of ore need to be mined. After that,
the refining process takes a full five months.
Platinum in wedding bands jewelry is
actually an alloyed group of six heavy metals, including platinum, palladium,
rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. These other metals are so similar to
platinum in weight and chemistry that most were not even distinguished from
each other until early in the nineteenth century.
Today, it is often alloyed with copper, cobalt
and titanium. It's the only precious metal used in fine jewelry that is 90% to
95% pure, largely hypoallergenic, and tarnish-resistant. Look for platinum
wedding rings marked 900Pt, 950 Plat, or Plat. At WeddingBands.com, we use 950 Platinum alloyed with 5% ruthenium or 5% cobalt to manufacture our wedding bands. One final word about precious
metals: Like gold, platinum is durable, sturdy and dependable, making it an
ideal setting for your precious diamond jewelry. However, to get a lifetime of
enjoyment from your jewelry, be sure to keep it clean and safe.
Do not wear platinum jewelry during
rough work or when handling harsh chemicals. Store it in a fabric-lined box
away from other pieces so it does not get scratched. Finally, check any diamond
settings periodically for possible damage to prongs or bezels. If you see a
loose prong, or if the setting looks out of line, immediately bring it to a
professional for repair.
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