You have a choice when it comes to the metals used for your ring. In fact, there are a variety of precious metals available to you at Sun Diamond. You want the metal to reflect the personality and preferences of the ring's recipient. Having a metal they love is a big part of that. In today's environmentally conscious world, many people are pleased with the idea of using recycled metal in their ring, which is what we do. Besides the environmentally sensible nature of the metal, you should also be aware of the different types of metals you can choose for rings, and what each metal has to offer. Here are the things you need to know about precious metals when shopping for a ring.
Au is a chemical element symbol for Gold which is used for the most Jewelry set with precious stones. Gold has always been the most popular metal for engagement rings. Gold is a shiny, dense, malleable, soft precious metal that occurs naturally in the earth. Gold purity is measured in karats. Gold is available White, Yellow and Pink Color.
PT is a chemical element symbol for Platinum. Platinum is one of the rarest metals on Earth, comprising only a fraction of one percent of the Earth's metals. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal. Platinum purity is denoted as .950 Gold and platinum are similar in price per gram, platinum is denser and so more of it is required to make the same ring. Platinum is stronger and more durable when compared to Gold
AG is a chemical element symbol for Silver. Silver is more commonly available and is therefor cheaper than Gold or Platinum. Silver purity is denoted as 925. Silver is still considered a precious metal and mostly paired with semi-precious stones in Jewelry making. We do not offer silver on most of the products on our website, though you may find it once in a while.
100% pure gold or 24K gold is pretty soft, in fact very soft and not ideal for Jewelry making. Majority of fine gold Jewelry is cast from an alloy of gold, so gold purity is measured in karats or the percentage of gold composition in the metal. The Karat is a fractional measure of purity for gold alloys, in parts fine per 24 parts whole. Most Jewelry is stamped with the Karat value to help the purchaser to know the purity of the metal they are purchasing to help determin it value. The most common Karat in the order of purity from high to low are 24K,18K,14K and 10K. The lower the purity number the lower the cost to own.
The Karat is a fractional measure of purity for gold alloys, in parts fine per 24 parts whole. So asiest way to know the amount of pure metal in your Jewelry is to look at the stamp and divide that by twenty four.
Platinum purity is graded based on how much actual platinum is in the metal. The purity of platinum is identified in "parts per thousand," so a 50% platinum metal is graded at 500 parts per thousand. Most platinum sold in the USA is 95% platinum (950 parts per thousand). Most platinum Jewelry will have a stamped marking of 850, 900 or 950 to denote metal purity. Platinum is naturally hypoallergenic, ideal for those with sensitive skin issues.
100% pure silver like gold is pretty soft and not ideal for Jewelry making. So it need to be mixed with allow to harden. The purity of platinum is identified in "parts per thousand. For siler to harden an alloy of 7.5% of various metal such as copper and 92.5% silver is used to make Jewelry. Silver Jewelry is marked with the stamp 925 to denote its purity.
This is the most common type of gold used in Jewelry in USA and Europe is white gold. To make white gold a combination of a special alloy made with white color metals is used. Almost all white gold Jewelry is rhodium plated today to provide it a mirror like shine and luster. This makes it perfect for setting fine Diamonds to give it a nice icey look. Platinum is naturally white and is an alternative to gold for making jewlery in white metal color.
Gold in its natural state is yellow. The intencity of the gold color depend on its alloys such as zinc and copper to give it that golden shine and glow. No plating is applied to yellow gold. Yellow gold gives the Jewelry a traditional/classical look and is preferred in many cultures across the world over white gold.
Rose or Pink gold is a unique pink color achieved by mixing gold with copper alloy. Rose gold is slowly becoming popular because of its unusual pink-gold color combination. Rose gold pairs well with color Diamonds and semi precious stones such as Pink Morganite.
Here at Sun Diamond, we are committed to improving and protecting the environment by reducing the environmental and social impact of gold mining. To that end, we use recycled gold and platinum in our rings. The metals are sourced from a variety of quality places, such as antique Jewelry, electronic parts, and industrial components. You will never be able to tell the difference between recycled and non-recycled gold and platinum, and the quality is just as high as it is in non-recycled metals. The only difference is that by using recycled metal, you are doing your part to make the planet a better place. You can't put a price on that kind of thing, and we are proud to offer it to our customers.
Remember, the ring you buy will be a symbol of your love and affection for years to come, and maybe even a lifetime. Make sure you know the type of metal your beloved prefers. The choice of metal is just as important as the stone. Put the right stone with the correct metal, and you will have a ring that will make you a hero to your intended. Here at Sun Diamond, you have the option to build a custom ring with the exact metal type and color you desire. All of our Jewelry is made to order, guided by what you tell us you want. Our website shows you what we have available. Use that information to build the ring of your loved one's dreams. You will be glad you did, and so will they.
Gold has been used for a variety of purposes in human society ever since the first civilizations arose in the Fertile Crescent. It has long been an object of fascination with humans, and they have made it into an object of value because of that fascination. We see gold being used in Jewelry in tombs almost from the dawn of human time. This shows it was always regarded as something special and valuable.
Gold became even more prominent once large civilizations began to appear. It was the dominant metal used for palaces, statuary, and Jewelry in ancient Egypt. Statues, elaborate Jewelry, household items like plates and bowls, and even furniture were made out of pure gold in the tombs of those who could afford it, indicating these people probably also used gold in their homes in life.
Gold eventually became an easy store of value, and began being used as money as early as ancient Egypt, and it still is today. Nearly every civilization on earth has used gold coins to store the wealth of their owners. Coins are easy to carry, and to measure out into certain values. Because gold is desirable, having it in coin form was discovered early on in human history to be a perfect thing to exchange for services and goods from other people. We still do it.
One of the earliest uses for gold was in making Jewelry. Humans quickly found it was perfect for this because it is pliable, meaning it is easy to mold into just about any imaginable shape. Its pliability also makes it easy to set stones in it to create sparkling and gorgeous Jewelry. In addition, gold is lustrous and shiny, as well as resistant to acid erosion, which makes it a perfect choice for daily wear.
Gold literally comes from the stars, being a product of the nucleosynthesis of supernovas, and the collision of neutron stars. The dust of gold gets scattered around the universe from these events, and came to Earth as part of the celestial dust that formed the planets of our solar system. Gold is stardust in the most literal sense.
Most of the gold on Earth sank to the core of the planet when Earth was formed. This means the majority of the gold we now mine came from later asteroid impacts; the stars were still delivering gold to Earth. Gold deposits that are mined today are found in the crust and mantle of the Earth, and contain gold brought to us from these celestial visits.
It is a limited availability metal. You don't find gold just anywhere. Even when you do find it, it is not always easy to reach; even our modern mining methods cannot extract some gold deposits from the Earth. When a gold deposit is mined dry, there is no more gold in that location, and a new one must be found. This makes gold relatively rare, because you don't find it just anywhere you look. That rarity adds to the value of gold for humans. When you find real gold, it is something special (and other people will probably want to get in on it, like with the California gold rush of the late 1800's).
The price of gold is based on its purity, with the most pure gold being the most expensive. However, the price of gold is constantly changing, based on the perceived value on the futures trading market. Futures traders determine throughout each trading day just how much they are willing to pay per gram for pure gold, and the value can change from minute to minute at times. This is known as price per gram, and is what gold sells for around the world.
Platinum is one of the most rare metals on Earth, comprising only a fraction of one percent of the Earth's metals. Interestingly, it is found in much higher concentrations on the moon and in asteroids. Consequently, the best places on the planet to find and mine platinum are in asteroid craters.
Unlike gold, platinum is only available in its natural grayish white color, and is often mistaken for silver or white gold. However, platinum is far more ductile than silver or gold, though gold still beats it in malleability. An advantage platinum has over gold is that it is more durable and strong, and also has a heavier mass to it. It isn't as easy to make Jewelry with it, but it is worth it for its rarity, high shine, and durability.
There is some evidence of ancient Egyptian and pre-Columbian American use of platinum, but it is unclear if these societies knew they were using platinum, or they just happened to find it in their gold deposits. Most platinum use has been decidedly modern
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