subject: Buying Quality Jewelry Online – Know about selecting quality pieces [print this page] Buying Quality Jewelry Online Know about selecting quality pieces
We all know that gold, platinum and titanium are among the most precious metals that are greatly desired by the people in the world. Buying jewelry is something that is liked very much by women and men. There are few things that have to be remembered while purchasing jewelry. Jewelry is usually made from materials like gold, silver, platinum, glass, and precious gems like pearl, diamond, etc. There are various types of ornaments like earrings, nose rings, neckwear, bangles, bracelets, anklewear, rings, etc. Jewelry made out of these pure metals is often highly valued and purchased by savvy consumers the world over. If you lack knowledge about selecting jewelry then you need to know about them.
Gold
Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as it is beautiful. Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat, the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.
24K gold is pure gold.
18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 75% gold.
14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 58.3% gold.
12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it 50% gold.
Platinum
Platinum jewelry is a popular metal used in engagement rings, wedding bands and earrings. Platinum jewelry is more expensive than gold and silver for many reasons. The top two reasons are most likely its rarity and appearance. The heaviness or density is one of the contributing factor which makes platinum jewelry more expensive. Most platinum jewelry is 90 - 95% pure; whereas 18 karat gold is 75% pure and 14k gold is only 58.5% pure. The prongs of platinum settings are less likely to damage or lose the stone it holds. Platinum is bound to look stunning even after years of use. It is hypo allergenic. Platinum does not tarnish and will last through many polishing. Look for platinum markings. The marking will let you know how much of the piece is made of platinum. For example, 950 pt means that 950 parts per thousand of the piece is made of pure platinum.
Titanium
A clean look, cleaning convenience, and durability are among the reasons titanium rings and titanium wedding bands have become so popular around the world. Titanium jewelry has nowadays become a fashion statement and is considered to be very fashionable and modern. Many couples are going in for titanium jewelry for their wedding. Titanium has been known to have greater structural integrity than gold, platinum and silver. Titanium is 100% hypo allergic. Thus it can serve as a great choice for people who are allergic or sensitive to gold, silver or platinum jewelry. Titanium metal is quite light. It is highly durable. Titanium is not rare, so the price is very affordable. This is a great alternative for the budget conscious buyer compared to gold silver and platinum jewelry.
