METAL EDUCATION & METAL TYPES
Monroe Yorke Diamonds is renowned for crafting exquisite diamond jewellery with only the highest quality precious metals. The choice of metal for a purchaser can be very confusing. These high quality metals are chosen for their durability and ability to protect each precious stone. There are advantages and disadvantages attributed to each metal. The information below will help you to decide which is most appropriate for you. There are various characteristics to reflect on, such as colour, price and the care necessary to keep your jewellery in pristine condition.
GOLD - Yellow, Rose & White
This very durable metal that has been used for jewellery making for centuries will not corrode, tarnish or rust. Our artisan craftsmen at Monroe Yorke are happy to work with this lustrous metal which can be crafted into beautiful designs, created with great care and intricacy. Alloys can be added to gold to produce more hardy characteristics and various colours. Yellow gold is very popular, but today purchasers can choose also between white gold and rose gold. Experiments with different alloys have produced black, purple and green golds. 24ct pure gold is often considered too soft to be crafted into jewellery, so 9ct, 10ct, 14ct and 18K yellow and white gold is often the metals of choice in Australia. For each item of exquisite jewellery, Monroe Yorke will stamp the Karat mark into the gold – for a Monroe Yorke diamond engagement ring, it is often placed on the shank of the ring.
The marks or stamps contain numbers ‘750’ for 18ct gold and ‘375’ for 9ct gold. The numbers refer to the percentage of pure gold included in the alloy. 18ct gold is 75% pure and will result in a number of 750. 9ct gold will result in a figure of 375 because the mix is 37.5% pure gold.
A 75% mix is highly recommended as there is more pure gold content and will result in a richer, more golden colour which will enhance the beauty of the diamond. It has also proved to be more durable and more resistant to damage.
The 18ct white gold used by Monroe Yorke Diamonds is our signature metal containing a very high palladium content in the alloy. The result is a signature unique white gold with an amazing rich white lustre.
THE CHARACTERISTICS AND TERMS FOR GOLD
There is sometimes confusion between the terms for gold and diamonds. The term caratage is a gold content measurement. The term carat is used as a measurement for diamond weight. The gold content and price of gold is determined by the caratage – the higher the caratage the greater the price. The caratage number specifies how many parts by weight of pure gold are within 24 parts of the alloy. The various carats and the pure gold content are shown below.
9ct = 9/24 = 37.5% pure gold
14ct = 14/24 = 58.3% pure gold
18ct= 18/24 = 75.0% pure gold
24ct = 24/24 = 100% pure gold
The choice of gold for your jewellery is a very personal decision. 18ct gold has a higher gold content and therefore has more depth of colour. The 9ct gold is a stronger metal and less vulnerable to damage.
WHITE GOLD
White gold is an alloy. It includes gold and white metals. The Monroe Yorke Diamonds signature white gold contains only precious metal palladium as the alloys. The high palladium content gives the Monroe Yorke white gold an amazing rich white lustre.
Normally metals such as silver and nickel are used as alloys in cheaper jewellery resulting in a white gold with a light yellow tint. White gold is measured in the same terms as yellow gold – 9ct, 14ct, 18ct. White gold is 58.3% yellow gold when 14 carat, and 75% yellow gold when 18 carat.
When purchasing white gold, you will notice that it has a bright white lustre. This is achieved in the final manufacturing process when the gold receives a plating of rhodium. Over time, this can wear away. In cheaper white gold the disappearance of the plating will result in the metal taking on a yellowish tint, which is indicative of the underlying, metal. The signature white gold used by Monroe Yorke will still have a beautiful white luster when the rhodium plating wears out. Monroe Yorke offers a rhodium re-plating service for your jewellery, recommending re-plating every 18 - 24 months.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR GOLD
To clean your gold jewellery, Monroe Yorke Diamonds recommends that it be soaked in a solution of a mild detergent and water. A soft-bristled brush may be used to clean away debris. We also recommend that during any activity where the gold could be damaged, it should be removed and stored in a safe place. It is important to maintain proper care for your jewellery so that it retains its value and beauty.
When travelling, store each item of jewellery in a separate felt pouch, or a jewellery box divided into compartments. Jewellery can become damaged by other jewellery, so this is important to avoid chips or scratches. A routine check every so often means you can spot possible damage before it becomes irreparable. Monroe Yorke Diamonds offer a service which will help you maintain your jewellery in pristine condition.
PLATINUM
The platinum jewellery crafted at Monroe Yorke Diamonds is designed using the finest quality, 950 grade platinum. This precious metal exhibits a beautiful rich white colouring and is thirty-five times rarer than gold and one and a half times heavy than 18ct gold. Where rhodium treatments are required by some metals to retain their lustre, platinum will always retain its beauty. The 950 grade means the metal is 95% pure. It has more strength than any other metal, and is used widely for the setting of precious stones.
THE CHARACTERISTICS AND TERMS FOR PLATINUM
Amazingly platinum requires the mining of ten tons of ore over an eight week period to produce a single ounce of platinum which is thirty-five times more rare than gold. Just 88 tons of platinum is used for jewellery crafting compared to 2,700 tons of gold each year. And there are ten gold mines for every platinum mine, making platinum more precious and more rare than gold.
The purity of platinum is far higher than gold. Platinum is at least 90% - 95% pure. 14ct gold is just 58% pure gold, and 18ct is 75% gold.
Platinum’s natural white sheen is popular for jewellery because of its pure lustre which requires no rhodium plating. Its purity means that it is perfect for sensitive skin or those with allergies to certain metals. Used as a setting for exquisite diamonds, the result is breath-taking.
Because of its durability, it is a perfect choice for wedding and engagement jewellery, which is often worn every day. Its weight and density retains value, and does not wear away or experience a decrease in volume like other metals. It develops a natural patina when worn over time – a look many prefer to the high-polished appearance.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR PLATINUM
To clean your platinum, we recommend that it be soaked in a solution of a mild detergent and water. A soft-bristled brush may be used to clean away debris. We also recommend that during any activity where the platinum could be damaged, it should be removed and stored in a safe place. It is important to maintain proper care for your jewellery so that it retains its value and beauty.
When travelling, store each item of jewellery in a separate felt pouch, or a jewellery box divided into compartments. Jewellery can become damaged by other jewellery, so this is important to avoid chips or scratches. A routine check every so often means you can spot possible damage before it becomes irreparable. Monroe Yorke Diamonds offer a service which will help you maintain your jewellery in pristine condition.
You can choose your diamond engagement ring from the exquisite Monroe Yorke Diamonds diamond collection.
Guarantee of Precious Metal Purity
Hallmarking
Jewellery Hallmarking
A hallmark is a sign or mark pressed into jewellery to signify it's quality, what it is made of, where it was made and when. Much information can be derived from a hallmark. They are a guarantee of purity or fineness as determined by metal or assay testing.
Kangaroo Head Mark
The distinctive Guild Mark of the Kangaroo head in a Diamond Frame identifies the maker as being a member of the Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia and a genuine crafts person of high quality design and craftsmanship in precious metals.
The Metal Purity Mark indicates the proportion of purity of the metal used, eg. 925 for Sterling Silver, 375 as 9ct gold, 750 as 18ct gold, 950 for Platinum and PD for Palladium.
A Hallmark of Security and Safety
The hallmarks on jewellery are there to protect purchasers, so that they can be sure that they know exactly what they are buying when it comes to the quality and provenance of their chosen piece. Call Monroe Yorke Diamonds on 1800 766 567 for more information from our professional specialist.