Jewelry making metals are an important part of the jewelry artist’s studio. The most commonly used metals are probably silver and gold, however, there are a variety of metals for jewelry making that give the jewelry artist flexibility when he designs and creates his pieces.
With today’s scientific and technological advances, you can integrate many other alloys into your work.
Factors to consider when choosing the metals you want to work with
- Cost is probably the number one factor.
- What style of jewelry do you design. If you are primarily drawn to silver, you will gravitate towards incorporating silver into your work. There is also the possibility of mixing metals to give definition and texture to a piece of jewelry. Using bimetals where a layer of gold is fused into sterling silver can also save money and achieve the quality you are looking for.
- Different metals required the use of alternative equipment. You will need to consider how much money you have to invest in tools and equipment to achieve the type of jewelry designs you want to create.
Metals have a variety of alloys that when added together provide the unique properties of each.
silver alloys: Silver has the highest thermal conductivity.
• Fine silver is approximately 99.9% pure. In this form it is shiny and smooth.
• Sterling-Silver is an alloy that contains 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of other components, generally copper.
• Argentium Silver is a tarnish resistant and flake free silver. It is perfectly malleable once annealed and is nearly twice as hard as traditional sterling silver.
Most high-quality silver items are stamped with a “fineness” or “quality” mark. This mark designates the contents of the jewelry and, by federal law, must be accompanied by a manufacturer’s mark or registered trademark. Most importantly, silver is more affordable than gold and makes wonderful jewelry!
Pure gold: It is 24K, which is why jewelry made with 24K commands a high price.
The solution to making gold consumer friendly is to mix it with another material, creating an alloy that results in a stronger and often less expensive piece.
Carats (also written as carats and abbreviated as kt) are the measure of the ratio of gold to other metals contained in the alloy. The more gold an alloy contains, the higher the carat.
Gold alloys generally range from 8 to 18 karats. An 8 karat alloy means that the gold content is 1/3 and an 18 karat piece is 75% gold. Other common karat gold alloys for jewelry are 10 kt and 14 kt.
• Gold Overlay or Bi-Metal: Gold overlay is an application of gold on a piece of base metal. This technique gives an item the expensive look of gold for a fraction of the price. A gold plated piece of jewelry is always stamped indicating the process and karat quality of the gold.
• Gold Plate – This technique chemically bonds a layer of gold to a base metal using electrolysis. It is created when the base metal is covered with a layer of gold of at least 10 carats.
• Gold Filling – This is the process of coating a metal with at least 10 karat gold through the use of heat and pressure. In order for jewelry to be “gold filled,” the gold content must constitute at least 1/20 of the total weight of the item.
• Gold on Silver – This is a gold overlay using a silver base metal. Jewelry made with Silver coated with a layer of yellow gold is considered the most luxurious of the bimetals. You can wear this metal with confidence because it is durable and gives jewelry a more expensive rich look.
Copper: It is a great alternative to the skyrocketing prices in the precious metals market. Many artists and jewelry designers have discovered copper as an interesting alternative. Copper jewelry making can be very versatile, not only because of the cost, but also because copper is one of the easiest metals to work with. Copper is also very flexible and therefore easy to cut, shape and bend. Making copper jewelry is easier than ever due to the accessibility of the metal. Copper can be found at jewelry supply and metal supply stores. Like many other metals, copper can be purchased in many forms: wire, sheets, tubes, chains, beads, and jewelry components.
Platinum: Introduced in 2005, platinum is a new sterling silver alloy made up of 92.5 percent silver, 1 percent platinum, and 6.5 percent other metals (that’s a trade secret). This new alloy creates a metal that is brighter in color than pure silver or platinum and is guaranteed to resist tarnishing; however, platinum jewelry is much more affordable than platinum jewelry.
Karatium: The alloys are a new family of alloys that contain a percentage of gold and have been formed in response to industry demand for less expensive metals. They are available in yellow, which contains 20% gold, pink and white, which contain 10% gold, as well as a sterling silver alloy which contains 2.5% gold. Although karatium alloys polish to a high shine like traditional karat gold alloys, they can be considerably less expensive than 10 karat gold and are an attractive alternative to gold-filled products, as they are a true “alloy” and not a product clad with a base metal. layer that makes up most of her jewelry. Karatium alloys also have the advantage over gold fill in that the gold layer never wears off. Karatium alloys are formulated to work well in all jewelry applications and can be shaped, shaped, and fabricated just like karat gold alloys. All Karatium metal jewelry supplies have been formulated for optimum tarnish resistance. These qualities make Karatium a jewelry-making material to investigate and experiment with.
Stainless steel: It has recently gained popularity as a jewelry-making material. Stainless steel was developed in the 19th century and is a combination of iron and carbon alloy. It has been used in tools, structures, and manufacturing. Jewelry artists have recently started using it because its resistance to its attractive gray color, strength, and low cost have made stainless steel a good metal alternative for jewelry making.
Titanium: Titanium is probably the strongest available. It is an industrial metal that has recently been introduced to the jewelry industry. Titanium has an attractive gray hue and gives the jewelery a modern look. It is resistant to corrosion, tarnishing and discoloration. Titanium can be made in different designs and has become an excellent alternative for wedding and engagement rings.
Tungsten: Also called tungsten, it is formed from super-dense alloys and is used in products ranging from golf club heads to weapons. This metal is as strong as steel and weighs about twice as much, making this metal nearly wear resistant and a perfect alternative for jewelry making.
Palladium: It is a shiny silvery-white jewelry-making material used in electronics, jewelry, and other industries. Palladium is considered a precious metal. With its brilliant color and durable nature, it is the perfect metal to use for wedding jewelry that is expected to maintain its appearance for decades.
Bronze: An early copper alloy; so early, in fact, that an entire era, the Bronze Age, was named after him. Bronze was used to make beaded bracelets, anklets, earrings, and necklaces. Bronze is gaining in popularity due to its color and ease of creating interesting textures.
Brass: Combine copper with zinc and you will see the golden shine of brass. Brass is malleable and has a high polish that gives it the appearance of gold. Bronze was mainly used to create functional items such as doorknobs and picture frames. Brass has now gained popularity as a metal among jewelry designers.
Some of the metals, such as bronze, copper, and silver, can be etched using a prepared solution of ferric chloride that also contains hydrochloric acid. This process allows you to create unique textures and designs. Be sure to follow the instructions when etching any of these three metals and to dispose of the solution properly.
Alpaca (Alpaca): Not to be confused with the animal, the alpaca is a relatively new source of metal jewelry, efficiently made of copper alloyed with nickel, zinc, and tin. Alpaca’s reduced cost makes it a natural jewelry material that replaces silver in fashion jewelry.
Tin: Just as copper alloyed with tin became bronze, tin alloyed with copper and lead became pewter. Pewter was used primarily in the manufacture of tableware, as well as being a base metal often used for rings and pendants. When polished to a high shine, pewter approaches the elegant shine of sterling silver.
Now that you’re familiar with the different types of metals for jewelry making, you can start refining your designs.
