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Only recently thought of as precious, platinum has a rich white color. It is very rare and is considered more valuable than even gold. Because of it's strength, luster and color which enhances the look of precious gems, it is often used as a ring setting. Platinum is also heavier than other precious metals, and because it is the purest metal, it rarely causes an allergic reaction. True platinum jewelry is usually marked with one of these symbols: PL, PT, PLAT, 950 or PT950.
Because it occurs in its native form rather than combined with other elements, coupled with its color and malleability, gold was one of the first metals to be mined and used in decorative objects. Because pure 100% gold is too soft, it is usually mixed with other alloys such as silver, copper, nickel or zinc in making jewelry. The amount of pure gold in relation to the other alloy determines the karat of the gold (not to be confused with carat, which is the weight of a gem such as a diamond and is equal to 200 milligrams.) Percentage of Pure
Gold by Karatage You should see a marking such as '14k' or '18k' to indicate the karat. Ten karat is the lowest allowed by law in the United States. The metal alloy that is mixed with the gold will also determine the color of the gold, which can run from different shades of yellow to white and pink gold. Pure gold is always yellow. White gold was originally made to imitate platinum and usually contains at least 25% nickel and zinc. Rose or pink gold is made with copper.
Silver was used in
ancient times for jewelry, utensils and ornamentation. It was believed
to have an underlying value which led to its use as a basis for monetary
systems like that of Rome and for international trade. It is the most affordable
of the precious metals. Sterling silver, which contains 92.5% silver and
7.5% copper, is used as the standard for quality for silver jewelry. The
word "sterling" is short for "Easterlings," a form of money used in 12th-century
England.
Pearls were believed
by the ancient Greeks to promote marital bliss and have been used by brides
ever since. Pearls are organic and are created when an irritant such as a grain of sand gets into the shell of a shellfish such as an oyster. The shell then forms many layers of nacre around the irritant, eventually developing a pearl. A "Cultured" pearl is one in which the irritant was surgically implanted into the oyster. When purchasing pearls, look for the luster, or the mirror-like reflection on the surface of the pearl in normal light. Avoid pearls that look chalky or dull. The pearl should be relatively clear of pits or pockmarks. Most have a few such imperfections, but the fewer the better. White pearls with a slight pink tone are the most popular in the United States, although those with a golden tone are moving up.
Most opals today are mined in Austrailia. Often, opals that are used in jewelry are actually triplets, meaning the stone is composed of a rock quartz layer over genuine opal joined to a base. Triplets resist marring, and the quartz acts to play up the brilliance of the genuine stone.
There is some disagreement about what stone represents which month, and the general consensus in the US is different from that in Europe, Arabic countries and Hindu countries, but here is one list of those in the US: January - Garnet
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