Platinum
It takes 10 tons of mined
ore to produce a single ounce of platinum compared to 3 tons of ore
to produce one ounce of gold.
Platinum jewellery is either 90% or 95% pure, which makes it hypo-allergenic
and allows people with allergies to other metals to still wear beautiful
jewellery.
Platinum is also one of the world strongest and most enduring metals.
Although it can show wear and tear from day to day wear, it can be
easily polished by your jeweller.
Tungsten Carbide
The world's hardest metallic substance possesses a unique
dark grey colour. Items made of this high-tech metal will retain a
polish longer that any other metal due to it's ability to resist scratching.
Tungsten Carbide is approximately ten times harder that 18kt gold
and four times harder than titanium.
Tungsten bands/rings often are inlaid with platinum, 22 kt and 18kt
gold sections. These inlaid sections may show wear but small scratches
may be polished out when submitted to the original manufacturer.
Titanium
Titanium processes extraordinary characteristics - it is extremely
strong, 3 times stronger than steel, yet 42% lighter than steel. It
is chemically inert to all weather and body temperatures and is slow
to conduct heat. As a result of these properties it was and still
is used in the production of missiles, submarines, satellites and
the Concord Airplane.
Titanium's amazing strength, resilience,
relative lightness, biological and chemical inertness (corrosion free)
makes it ideal for designers of everything from cutlery to artificial
joints, eyeglass frames and beautiful jewellery.
Titanium is most commonly encountered in sporty matte finishes.
In jewellery, other titanium finishes include polishes, satin or brushed
matte, frost or anodized. Colourful finishes, in almost every colour
of the rainbow, may be created though anodizing. Titanium is highly
dent and bend resistant and scratches can be easily polished. Currently
titanium rings/bands are specifically made to the clients ring size
as titanium rings/bands cannot be sized.
Sterling Silver
Silver is rarely used in the jewellery industry in its pure form.
It is too soft and would not wear well. The Canadian Precious Metals
Marking Act decrees that sterling silver must be 92.5% pure. The
other 7.5% consists of base metals. This has been the standard alloy
since English Sterling Silver was formulated about 1200 AD.
Sterling Silver usually tarnishes. This is a natural process as
it reacts with the sulfer in the air. There are several products
available on the market which will quickly bring the brilliant lustre
back to your silver.
Gold
Gold in it's pure form is rarely used for jewellery purposes due
to the fact that 24kt gold does not wear well. Gold, therefore,
is alloyed with other metals to make it harder and better able to
stand up to usage. Gold is also alloyed for other reasons:
- to produce golds of various colours,
including yellow, rose, green and white.
- To produce a variety of price points.
Common gold alloys in Canada include 10kt, 14kt & 18kt.
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