Alternative Metals Buying Guide

For the consumer and the jewelry industry, alternative metals have several benefits. New materials inspire creativity among designers who craft elegant jewelry in never-seen-before styles. Jewelry lovers appreciate these increased options in ring, necklace and earring styles. While gold and platinum remain the preferred metals for fine jewelry, some people prefer the more subtle color and sheen of industrial metals such as titanium. On the other hand, base metals which have been used in alloys now are being used to create the look of a precious metal at a much more affordable price. So, alternative metal jewelry can have both traditional and contemporary styling.

Affordability is another benefit of alternative metals. For example, retailers and consumers often find it more sensible to choose gold overlay items for fashion jewelry when the price of gold increases--solid gold products being reserved for special occasion jewelry. This doesn't mean that alternative metal jewelry is of low quality. Steel, titanium and tungsten are strong metals; in fact, many wedding bands are now made of these metals. This jewelry is fashionable, yet its style and quality will outlast shifting trends.

Popular alternative metals

Platifina

Introduced in 2005, platifina is a new sterling silver alloy comprised of 92.5 percent silver, 1 percent platinum and 6.5 percent other metals (that's a trade secret). The name "platifina" comes from the Spanish 'plata' (silver) and 'fina' (fine). The alloy creates a metal that is brighter in color than either silver or pure platinum and is guaranteed tarnish-resistant, yet platifina jewelry is much more affordable than platinum treasures. As prices for precious metal continue rising, this new metal offers affordable elegance in bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings for men and women. Platifina jewelry is available exclusively through Overstock.com.

Gold overlay

Gold overlay is an application of gold on a base metal piece. The process gives an item the luxurious look of gold for a fraction of the cost of crafting with solid gold. The gold layer in gold overlay jewelry must be at least 10 karat in quality. In previous decades, gold overlay jewelry was not very durable and the gold layer would rub off after extended wear. However, jewelers have improved the gold bonding methods and the layer of gold is thicker than on earlier jewelry. A piece of gold overlay jewelry should have a stamp indicating the process and the gold's karat quality, such as 14k overlay for 14-karat gold. More and more jewelry retailers are offering gold overlay necklaces, earrings, charms and other jewelry to their customers, yet the name 'gold overlay' is still new to many consumers. Here is a short list of older terminology for gold overlay jewelry:

• Gold plate: Refers to the process of chemically bonding a layer of gold to a base metal through electrolysis. Gold plated jewelry has a layer of gold with a percentage of at least 10 karat and a thickness of 0.175 microns or greater. Electroplating applies the gold coating to the base metal by placing the object in a gold ion solution. Passing an electric current through the solution will cause the ions to bond to the metal. The result is a quality piece of gold overlay jewelry with an unmistakable sheen.


• Gold filled: A base metal item with a top layer of at least 10-karat gold that was bonded to the metal with heat and pressure. For an item to be considered 'gold filled', the gold content must compose at least 1/20th of the item's total weight. A piece of gold-filled jewelry will include a stamp noting the karat of the gold used; for example, a GF 14k stamp on a gold-filled bracelet indicates a composition with 14-karat gold.


• Gold over silver: This is also gold overlay jewelry but the use of silver as the base metal increases the value. Silver with a layer of yellow gold is the most luxurious of gold overlay jewelry. Previously these items, especially sterling silver with a plating of 18-karat yellow gold were called vermeil (ver-may). Today, many retailers emphasize the use of two precious metals by calling this jewelry 'gold over silver'.

Gold tone and silver tone

A metal with a finish that resembles gold in color and sheen is called gold tone. This is a popular finish for watches with a base of brass or stainless steel. Some products have a silver tone finish which resembles sterling silver; however, this is less common than gold tone. In general, jewelry and watches that are described as gold tone or silver tone do not contain any gold or silver.

Stainless steel

Steel's popularity as a jewelry material, especially in men's jewelry, has increased in recent years. Highly-reflective stainless steel has an eye-catching shine when polished, a shine it maintains with minimal care. It is also very durable, being 1000 times stronger than platinum. Stainless steel rings and other items resist tarnish and chipping. With its attractive color, sheen, strength and relatively low cost, stainless steel is a good alternative to pricier jewelry metals such as silver, platinum or white gold.

Steel is an iron-carbon alloy that has been used for millennia in crafting tools, structures and manufacturing. Stainless steel was developed during the first decade of the 20th century and has a composition of 10 percent chromium and 0.15 percent carbon added to iron. Stainless steel resists corrosion better than the earlier alloys. It does rust, but the rust (or oxide) is a thin layer that protects the metal from reacting with water or air. It is a hypo-allergenic metal, so it won't irritate the skin.

Surgical stainless steel

Surgical stainless steel is a steel alloy composed of iron, carbon, 12-20 percent chromium, 8-12 percent nickel and 0.2-3 percent molybdenum. This steel is scratch-resistant and resists corrosion, even after multiple cleanings. It is called surgical because it doesn't release toxins into the body, and thus many medical implants and surgical tools are made of the steel. Body jewelry, especially belly rings, made of surgical stainless steel offers consumers a hygienic product.

Titanium and tungsten carbide

These industrial metals are recent additions to the jewelry market. Their popularity continues to grow as their durability becomes a recognized symbol of strength and permanence. Tungsten and titanium are as strong as steel yet can be crafted into almost any design, just like precious metals. Tungsten and titanium jewelry is grey, with tungsten being the darker color, an attractive alternative to the prevalent white and gold metals. These metals resist corrosion, tarnish and discoloration. Many men are choosing titanium wedding rings and tungsten wedding rings for their durability.

Titanium and tungsten carbide are not simple to process. They require additional work and cause more wear on tools, making them comparable to precious metals in price. But you really get what you pay for -- the finished products will last forever.

A common metal, titanium became valuable to industry in the mid-20th century as an indispensable material of the aerospace industry. Titanium has a weight of about half that of steel and can be alloyed with other metals to enhance its properties. Titanium jewelry can be brushed or polished to a high luster; it can be anodized to create colored accents or rainbow-like patterns of light. Titanium is also hypo-allergenic (unless alloyed with nickel) making it suitable for medical equipment and implants including artificial hips. These properties make titanium an excellent choice for body jewelry.

Titanium uses an industrial grading system; three of these grades are used for manufacturing jewelry: ''Commercially pure'' titanium, called CP or ASTM Grade 2 (in jewelry terms, 990 fine) is the most hypo-allergenic and could be called medical grade. Ti-6/4, also called ASTM Grade 5 or aircraft grade (900 titanium/60 aluminum/40 vanadium), and Ti-6/6/2 (860 titanium/60 aluminum/60 vanadium/20 tin) are the extremely hard alloys. These designations are not always included in descriptions.

Perhaps the ultimate in long-lasting jewelry, tungsten carbide is denser than silver or steel, harder even than titanium. Tungsten carbide jewelry is also effectively wear proof. Like sapphires or rubies, it is likely only diamonds can scratch it, so a tungsten carbide ring will never lose its polish and design.

Tungsten, also called wolfram, was first distilled from the mineral wolframite. It forms super-dense alloys when added to other metals, and these alloys are used in products ranging from golf club heads to weapons. Tungsten has about twice the weight of steel. Tungsten carbides are compounds of tungsten and carbon: monotungsten carbide (WC) or ditungsten-carbide (W2C). Pure tungsten jewelry is available; however, pure tungsten is not as hard as the carbides.

Palladium

Palladium is a member of the platinum group of metals and is actually a precious metal as rare as platinum. The British chemist William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828) discovered palladium in 1803 by isolating it from platinum ores and named it for Pallas, an asteroid honoring the Greek goddess of wisdom. This metal has been used increasingly in jewelry since 2000. Palladium features a silvery white color that retains its luster and doesn't tarnish or turn yellow. It is often alloyed with gold to produce a white gold that holds its color better and is less irritating to the skin than gold-nickel alloy. With its bright color and durable nature, palladium is a popular material for wedding jewelry which is expected to keep its appearance for decades.

Alternative metal terminology

• Alloy: A metal formed by the mixture of two or more metals or by mixing a metal with a non-metal substance. Alloys can create different colors and/or increase durability. In jewelry, alloys that combine a less valuable metal with a precious metal offer the look of a precious metal at a lower cost.
• Precious metals: Gold, silver and the 'platinum group metals' (platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium). 'Precious' refers only to their use in jewelry.
• Base metal: A group of metals used in industry that are more plentiful than precious metals and thus less expensive. This group of metals is known for their tendency to oxidize easily. For jewelry, watches and decorative arts, base metals are used to form the body of an item. Then a precious metal is layered over the body to increase the aesthetic and economic value. Copper, iron, nickel, tin and aluminum are common base metals used in jewelry making as is brass, an alloy of copper and zinc.
• Compound: A substance that is composed of two or more elements. This mixture occurs naturally, so compound metals are not alloys.
• Rhodium: A silvery white metal that is part of the platinum group of metals. Although it is an expensive precious metal, rhodium is often electroplated over white gold and platinum jewelry to create a shiny, reflective white surface. Rhodium in non-oxidizing and is sometimes added to silver to prevent tarnish.

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