SomecommonmetalsusedinjewelrymakingPostedonJuly11,2012byLeah

Buying jewelry can be confusing there are so many metals used to make jewelry, and most people dont know

what the various metal names mean. Ive created a list of some of the most commonly used metals for jewelry, and

added a bit of information about each one. This is by no means a complete list, since *any* metal can be used to

make jewelry, but it covers the metals I see being used most frequently in handmade jewelry.

Sterling silver is a commonly used form of silver in jewelry making. It consists of 92.5% pure silver alloyed with

7.5% other metals. In the United States, an alloy that is 92.5% silver can be called sterling silver, regardless of what

the other 7.5% is; however, the standard alloy is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper.

There are several non-standard alloys of sterling silver on the market today. These alloys are formulated using

metals other than copper for some or all of the 7.5% that is not silver, and are usually intended to be more tarnish

resistant than the standard silver-copper alloy.

SpiralEarringsmadefromargentiumsterlingsilver

One of these alloys is argentium sterling silver, which has a very small amount of germanium mixed with the

copper. Argentium resists tarnish better than regular sterling silver, and in addition has some properties that (in

my opinion) make it a better alloy to work with when doing torch work. It costs a bit more than regular sterling

silver, because germanium is expensive luckily for jewelry makers, the amount of germanium used is very small,

so it isnt a huge price difference.

Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, which has not been alloyed with any other metals. It is softer than sterling

silver, and therefore not suitable for certain jewelry applications, but it has a beautiful color and as a jewelry

maker, I have to say it is wonderful to work with using a torch. Fine silver is a little bit more expensive than

sterling silver, generally costing about as much as argentium silver.

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Silver metal clay, which is sold under a few different brand names, is a form of fine silver in which ultrafine

particles of silver are mixed with an organic binder, and can be worked on like clay (hence the name). Metal clay

has to be fired, using either a kiln or a torch, and because the organic binder burns off during the firing process, it

will shrink a bit when it is fired. How much shrinkage occurs depends a lot on the brand and variety of clay used.

Once metal clay has been properly fired, the resulting metal is 99.9% pure silver in other words, fine silver. It is

more expensive than other types of silver, but allows designers many options for their creativity that would be far

more labor intensive, if not impossible, using solid silver to start with. Jewelry designs made with metal clay often

feature intricate textures and shapes. Metal clay is also available for some other metals, including gold and bronze.

Gold 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, and 22k are commonly used in jewelry. Gold jewelry is generally referred to by a

number followed by k which stands for karat. The higher the number, the higher the actual gold content. 24k is

pure gold, and like fine silver, is quite soft. Many people consider 14k gold to be the lowest gold content that

should be used in fine gold jewelry. Higher karat golds, such as 18k and 22k, tend to have a richer gold color than

lower karat alloys. They are also more expensive due to the higher actual gold content. The part of the gold that

isnt actual gold might be copper, zinc, silver, or other metals. There are many different alloys, resulting in a lot of

color variation, from rose gold to green gold to white gold.

Gold filled and vermeil These two metals are not primarily gold, but incorporate some gold and look like

gold. Gold filled is created by bonding a thin layer of gold to a brass core. Vermeil is gold plated sterling silver.

There are significant differences between the two. Although gold filled metal is primarily brass, the layer of gold

must equal 1/20th of the total weight of the metal if it is labeled 14/20 gf, and the gold layer in that case is 14 karat

gold (14/10 would mean 1/10th of the metal is 14k gold, and 12/20 would mean that 1/20th of the metal is 12k

gold). Gold plated metal, such as vermeil, on the other hand, can be a nearly microscopic layer of actual gold, and

is frequently 24 karat. Both gold fill and vermeil do have some inherent value in the case of gold fill, because

there is some actual gold content, and in the case of vermeil, because it is sterling silver underneath the gold

plating, and sterling silver is a precious metal (although much less expensive than gold).

CopperEarrings

Copper can be used for many jewelry applications. Because it oxidizes relatively quickly, its a good metal to try

with patinas, and is also often enameled on. Some people believe that copper jewelry has health benefits, such as

aiding people with arthritis pain, while others wear it for its rich, warm color. If copper jewelry has not been

coated with something to prevent oxidation, it will need to be cleaned and/or polished frequently in order to keep

it from turning green or black.

Brass is another non-precious metal that is often used in jewelry designs. It is an alloy metal and there are several

different formulations for brass. It is sometimes sold shiny and other times with an oxidized antique finish.

Stainless Steel steel, particularly stainless steel, is becoming popular as a jewelry metal. It is very hard, and

melts at a very high temperature. In fact, a lot of jewelry tools are made from steel. I havent worked with steel

very much except a bit in wire form. Memory wire made from steel, which is sold in coils for making bracelets,

necklaces, and rings, is fun for stringing beads onto because it remembers its shape. Very thin steel wire can be

used for weaving, knitting, or crocheting wire. Many metal artists are using steel sheet to fabricate designs as well,

and mixing it with more traditional jewelry metals like silver and gold.

Platinum of the commonly used metals in jewelry making, platinum is the hardest and the most expensive. Ive

personally never worked with it, so I dont know much more than that. It has a lovely silver color and is popular

for wedding and engagement rings, and high-end jewelry with precious stones such as diamonds.

Base Metal a non-precious metal, not copper or brass, may contain metals like nickel that people are often

allergic to, or lead, which is known to cause cancer and other health problems. Some base metal jewelry will be

labeled lead-free or nickel free, but if it isnt, theres really no way to know if it contains these (or other) harmful

materials.

Silver or gold plated this could be any metal that has been electroplated with silver or gold. Depending on

how thick the plating is, it might last a long time, or it might wear off quickly. Unless it is specified otherwise, the

underlying metal is probably some kind of base metal.

**If your favorite jewelry metal isnt on this list, or you have more information to share about one of the metals

Ive listed, please leave a comment! Thanks!**

Note: this article is a repost from my old jewelry making blog, and was originally posted a couple years ago. I

believe the material is still correct, but feel free to leave a comment if you think Ive left something out or have old

info!

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OneResponsetoSomecommonmetalsusedinjewelrymaking

bullion says:July16,2012at3:55pm

Sterling silver is my favorite. They last long in gleam and they are easy to clean as well.

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