Metal types & Hallmarking
The main metal types we offer are Sterling Silver 925, 9kt, 14kt, 18kt White, Yellow and Rose Gold and Platinum 950.
Every item of jewellery we make will have a Sponsors mark, Fineness mark and also an Assay office mark. Please refer to the poster in store & familiarise yourself with each element.
Of all of the metals, Silver and Platinum are the most hypoallergenic as they are the most pure and contain very small amounts of other metals. They are however total opposites in terms of hardness.
Sterling Silver 925
This kind of Silver contains 92.5% pure silver and only a small amount of other metals. It is the softest of all of the metals we offer so we do not really recommend setting larger size stones into it. Silver is mainly used for costume and dress jewellery but of course can be used for longevity if you ensure it is well looked after.
Platinum 950
Platinum 950 is 95% pure Platinum and therefore only contains 5% other alloys. It is the hardest wearing of all of the metals we offer. It is a naturally white metal so will dull slightly over time but will keep its white appearance. People particularly like platinum as they like the worn look it gets after wear.
Gold Contents
9kt - 375 - 37.5% precious metal and the rest made up of other alloys. This is the hardest wearing karat of the golds as it contains the least amount of pure Gold. 9kt Yellow Gold tends to be a paler shade of yellow due to the low gold content.
14kt - 585 - 58.5% Precious metal. It is closer to 18kt but is a great in between metal if people are unsure whether to go for 9kt or 18kt. It is a paler shade of yellow gold but has more richness than 9kt.
18kt - 750 - 75% Gold content. This is currently the highest karat of gold we offer and is the most common if people want a high gold content. It has a nice rich Yellow look to it but is the softest karat gold we offer. This doesn't mean it will necessarily be less stable.
Rose Gold - This type of Gold gets its colour from mixing Gold and Copper together. The rose colour will differ depending on the Karat weight chosen. Due to the mix of the copper, Rose Gold has slightly more strength than Yellow Gold. Due to its colour it does not need Rhodium plating.
Yellow Gold - Yellow is the natural colour for Gold. Depending on the Karat of the gold it is mixed with other alloys such as copper to keep its richness. It will not need rhodium plating.
White Gold - There is no such thing as white gold. It gets it white colour from adding other alloys such as silver, nickel and palladium. Our manufacturers do not use Nickel therefore our castings are nickel free. This is the alloy that many people will react to. White gold will yellow over time and will need rhodium plating every 3-12 months but it all depends on how the customer's skin reacts and wears the rhodium as to how often it will be needed.
Rhodium Plating
This is a plating applied to white gold and occasionally silver jewellery. It is applied in micro millimetre thickness and will wear over time. It is the most expensive metal and is part of the Platinum family. It will provide jewellery with a reflective and polished appearance. It is harder than gold so will provide jewellery with a somewhat protective surface.
