Precious Metals
The Characteristics of Gold
Beauty
Purity
Durability
Workability
Why Platinum?
One of the strongest and most enduring of metals, it is also one of the heaviest. A piece of jewelry containing 90 percent pure platinum weighs 60 percent more than a 14-karat gold piece of similar size. Because it shows little wear, platinum is ideal for jewelry that's worn every day. It's also hypoallergenic and resists tarnish. Platinum has a high level of purity. In the United States, platinum jewelry generally contains anywhere from 85 to 95 percent pure platinum. By comparison, 18-karat gold is 75 percent pure gold and 14-karat gold only 58 percent pure gold. If a piece of platinum jewelry is marked "Platinum," it contains at least 95 percent pure platinum. Jewelry with 85 to 95 percent pure platinum is marked "850 Plat." or "850 Pt.," or "950 Plat." or "950 Pt.," etc. Jewelry containing at least 50 percent pure platinum and at least 95 percent platinum group metals (platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium and ruthenium) is marked with the platinum content followed by the content of the other metal. For example: "600 Plat. 350 Irid." or "600 Pt. 350 Ir." Jewelry containing less than 50 percent pure platinum content cannot be marked with the word "platinum" or any abbreviation thereof. The staff at Medawar Jewelers can explain these platinum markings to you and assist you in selecting platinum jewelry that will bring pleasure to you and the recipient for years to come.
Silver - Defining the Elements
Sterling Silver
Coin Silver
Vermeil
Flatware
Holloware
Giftware
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