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Education: Jewelry
Jewelry is a complicated topic, with quality, design and care all vitally
important to enjoying your special ring, bracelet or necklace. We've gathered
basic information about some of the most important jewelry topics for
your convenience.
If you need more information, please do not hesitate to call us at 515-254-0100,
or use our contact page to send an email.
Design
Throughout history design has played a great role in society. From beauty
to rebellion, design has reflected the emotions and opinions of the people.
Design is not static. Design is fluid, existing in a constant state of
change. As we see the evolving and often revolving nature of all design,
jewelry is poised at the top of our personal expression. The most enduring
design must incorporate an element of simplicity and style. A beautiful
piece of jewelry that is not comfortable will seldom be worn. When it
comes to design, take a little risk, but select the jewelry that will
exemplify your lifestyle and personality.
 Gold
Sought after by explorers, this element is the most widely desired metal
in modern jewelry manufacturing. Gold, whose atomic symbol is Au on the
periodic table of elements, is naturally yellow in color. The specific
gravity of gold is 19.3+, which is quite heavy for metallic minerals.
One quality of gold is that it is easily formed into various shapes. This
has made it a premium choice for jewelry artisans throughout the centuries.
Gold in its purest form is defined as 24 karat. Pure gold is too soft
for most jewelry uses, so it is mixed, or alloyed, with other metals to
alter its properties and color. It is common to see gold jewelry in 18k
or 14k. This represents an alloy that contains 18/24 or 14/24 parts gold
in the overall mix. This value could also be expressed in percentages
of purity as 75% for 18k and 58.33% for 14k.
Platinum
Platinum, whose atomic symbol is Pt on the periodic table of elements,
is naturally gray, or silver in color. The specific gravity of platinum
is 21.5, which is heavier than gold. Platinum for jewelry, as opposed
to gold, is used in a nearly pure alloy, which makes for a much heavier
piece than the same design made in gold. Platinum is easily formed into
various shapes, and it is usually mixed, or alloyed,with other metals
such as gold, nickel, iridium, palladium, rhodium, or ruthenium to alter
its properties. Platinum will cost approximately 2-4 times as much as
the same piece of jewelry made in gold. This is due to the density of
platinum as well as the extreme heat and techniques required for its manufacture.
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