Metals


Gold​

Since the beginning of time, the intrinsic beauty, warmth, sensuality and spiritual richness of gold has earned it its place as a favorite of all the metals. Gold is a remarkable, rare metal, with an unparalleled combination of chemical and physical properties. It is the only yellow metal. It is also the only metal that forms no oxide film on its surface in air at normal temperatures, meaning that it will never rust or tarnish.

24k - Pure gold is a deep yellow color (orange shade of yellow) and is very soft.
22k - 91.6% Gold
18k - 75% Gold
14K - 58.5% Gold
10k - 41.7% Gold

Coloring Gold
Remember when you were little and you mixed yellow and blue to get green? With Metals, we only have the choice of mixing yellow (gold) with red (copper) or white/gray the other pure metals. This is done by balancing the amount of copper, silver and zinc into the alloyed gold.

​Golden Style
Her looks, her clothes, and how she feels. It's Gold the powerful expression of individuality a defining element of personal style. It's Modern, glamorous, edgy, contemporary and superbly confident. Gold is tempting. Go ahead and order our Organic Oval Bangle in gold.

​Difference between Gold-Filled and Vermeil (ver-may)
Vermeil is gold (usually14k or 18k) electroplated onto sterling silver with a minimum thickness of 1.5 microns.  Regular plating is less than 2.5 microns. 

Gold-Filled

Gold Filled has a much thicker layer, between 15 and 45 microns that is mechanically bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure to permanently fuse a layer of karat gold over base metal (not silver). The thickness depends on the gauge of wire. It is thinner on 24 gauge than 14 gauge, but it always equals at least 5% of the total weight. The layer of gold must equal 1/20th of the total weight of the item. The surface of gold is 10kt or higher. Gold Filled items can be 200 times thicker than the heaviest gold electroplating and usually not peel or turn colors easily.

We offer Gold-Filled as a darn good alternative to solid gold for some of hoops, wire rings and most of our chains.  It is a fraction of the cost of solid gold, less of a concern to allergic reactions, looks and wear like solid gold in most cases, and can last a long time.  

Gold-filled however is a material (think fabric) and is only available in plate, chain or wire.  Gold-Filled cannot be casted like brass, silver and solid gold. It must be casted in a base metal like bronze and then bonded with gold. Its not a easy process and therefore extremely expensive why it's not done.  Gold-Filled jewelry is very limited.

However, we cannot tell you that Gold-Filled is as good as gold in wearability and performance.  Some will say "gold-filled" will never tarnish and it will last for ever but logic is important here. Yes, its possible in theory but the fact is: its not solid gold, it depends on who you are, your lifestyle, chemicals from make-up and care, etc., and airflow.

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver possesses working qualities similar to gold but enjoys greater reflectivity and can achieve the most brilliant polish of any metal. To make it durable for jewelry, however, pure silver (999) is often alloyed with small quantities of copper.

With its appealing, cool and crisp white luster, Sterling Silver jewelry combines the endurance of a precious metal with an uncanny ability to adapt to fashion's demands. The unlimited selection of designs available, from demure and traditional to bold and dramatic, allows you to build a vast and personalized silver jewelry wardrobe as varied as your every mood, style and budget.

Silver of .925 fineness = 92.5% silver + 7.5% copper.

Brass

Brass is one of the most popularly used metals for jewelry due to its resemblance to gold. It has been used since its creation in making beautiful jewelry designs.  Due to its affordability, workability and durability, brass is a good choice  for jewelry and is increasingly being used in the jewelry world.

We are working on formulas to introduce White Brass (WBR) with specific alloy that strongly resemble 14W gold. Red Brass (RBR) which looks a lot like 18k pink gold in color when polished.

Brass is very malleable, making it ideal for intricate jewelry designs. It does not break easily as it is not a brittle metal. Rather, it tends to stretch when under pressure. Brass jewelry can last through the ages with reasonable care and maintenance.

Brass does not rust and is resistant to corrosion. However, it does develop a patina,  can lose its luster or greenish layer, over time. This is due to the copper content in the alloy.  While some people like the appearance of tarnished brass, others prefer the bright luster of brass.

The copper content in Brass jewelry can sometimes turn your skin green because the metal oxidizes and reacts with the sweat from your body, creating copper chelates. While pure copper cannot be absorbed by the skin, copper chelates can. The excess copper that isn’t absorbed by your skin is what turns your skin green.  

However, green skin from wearing brass jewelry is not harmful nor is it a permanent stain.  The green stains are easily removed with soap and water. In order to avoid green staining, you can have your piece of brass jewelry lacquered.  You can also do this yourself by applying clear nail polish to the part of the brass jewelry that touches your skin. This will form a barrier that will keep your skin free of stains.

Brass Health Benefits

Brass contains copper and zinc. Some claim that wearing Brass assists in alleviating rheumatism, arthritis, headaches and joint paints. While these aren’t scientifically proven, it is possible that wearing brass jewelry can produce some health benefits.