Perfection and Purity of metals.  - post 267   Part 2 of a series on metals. 

#7297 Tiffany gold and platinum brooch.   

We began discussing the 3 primary metals used in jewelry making: gold, silver and platinum. 

While we often use terms such as "solid silver" or "pure gold" to indicate something of great value and purity, these metals are seldom used in their pure form. 
The 3 precious metals are always mixed with other, cheaper and more available metals. The mixture of gold with other metals is called an "alloy".  A useful word to remember if you want to understand jewelry. 

   
 
Why is pure gold or solid silver not perfect for making jewelry?

1. Pay less. The simplest of reasons is that by mixing expensive metals with cheaper ones, we lower our costs. The purer the metal, the greater the expense. You need less silver and gold when you combine them with other metals that not only cost less, but might be easier to source. The less gold in the mix, the lower the cost. 
2. More importantly, combining other metals with silver and gold adds to their strength. Gold especially is very soft. Make a jewel from pure gold and it might not last in good shape for a single day. The slightest knock or bang and it's bent out of shape. Combine soft metal with something tougher and you have more structural strength. Even a clumsy person like me will not deform a jewel when the gold is 'diluted' with other metals.  
3. By mixing metals, we can change the color of gold and silver. This can have mixed consequences such as copper causing silver to tarnish.  We will dive a little more into this subject in a later post.   

Metals commonly used to strengthen gold are copper, silver, zinc, nickel, palladium, platinum. But mostly copper. If it sounds too technical, forget it. Just remember that precious metals are not worked in their pure state and that there are varying percentages of lesser metals in the mix. 

And now for the million-dollar question: How does mixing metals affect us and why should we care? Many of us are confused and in the dark about the significance of alloys and HOW DO WE KNOW?

Next Week, we will discuss this very topic.

                       
  

Questions and comments: Please email antiques@brendaginsberg.com
Find jewelry on www.brendaginsberg.com
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