( 
)Are Silver Plated items the same as Silver tone items. No. Many people are deceived in thinking that silver colored and gold colored items are all the same. The difference mainly is the quality of plating and will also depend on the base metal used.
Gold-Plated, Silver-Plated and Nickel-Plated -- items have an industry standard of .15 to .25 mils thickness of gold, silver or nickel which is plated to the surface of the base metal.
Gold-Finished and Silver-Finished Also called Gold Color and Silver Color or washed -- the base metal is brass or steel and the product is electroplated with a non-standardized thickness of gold, silver or nickel.
Nickel Silver -- items are made of an alloy, mostly containing nickel, popularized in German and Native American jewelry. Nickel silver resembles sterling silver in color, with a greyer tone.
Nickel -- A silver white metal popular for plating because it is malleable and resists oxidation. The most commn of metal allergies.
Pewter -- a metal alloy that is largely made from tin with trace elements, like copper or antimony added for hardness. Older or classic pewter contains tin while lower grades of pewter may contain lead or zinc and have a darker silver-grey color. Newer or modern pewter uses antimony or bismuth rather than lead.
Stainless Steel -- The generic term for grades of steel that contain more than 10 pecent chromium, with or without other alloying elements. Stainless steel may also have varying additions of nickel, molybdenum, titanium, niobium and other elements. Stainless steel resists corrosion, maintains its strength at high temperatures, and is easily maintained. The chromium in the steel combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form a thin, invisible layer of chrome-containing oxide.
Niobium -- items are made of a hypo-allergenic metal first engineered to protect hypersonic aerospace vehicles from extreme conditions. After manufacturing into the desired shape, such as earwires, headpins, eyepins or jumprings, the naturally grey base metal niobium is then anodized to create six signature colors. Most people who are metal-sensitive can comfortably wear niobium.
Titanium -- items are made of neutral grey, lightweight metal. After manufacturing into the desired shape, such as earposts, the neutral grey base metal titanium can be anodized into six colors. (Note: anodized titanium earstuds are not certified hypo-allergenic, however most metal-sensitive people can wear them comfortably.)
Gold-Filled -- items are made by combining a layer or layers of gold alloy to a base metal (usually brass), then rolling or drawing the metal to the desired thickness and shape. It has a long life and can be worn by most people without reactions or difficulties. Our gold-filled wire is 12Kt; our gold-filled chain is 14Kt.
Vermeil -- items are made of sterling silver, heavily electroplated with 22Kt yellow gold.
Sterling Silver -- items are made of 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent copper or other alloy, proportions fixed by law. Sterling silver will patina in time, that is, its color will take on an antique look.
Karat (Kt) -- is the measure of fineness of gold. 24Kt is pure gold, 14Kt gold is 14 parts pure gold. The balance is alloy. 14Kt is the standard fineness used for most jewelry in the USA. 14Kt has a rich yellow color and has hardness and durability suitable for lasting use. 18Kt gold has a darker color with a deeper yellow tone.
24k - 100% pure gold
18k - 75% pure gold
14k - 58% pure gold
10k - 42% pure gold
9k - 37.5% pure gold
Guide created: 08/15/09 (updated 11/09/09)
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