Metal Education
Diamond Vault's Diamonds is renowned for crafting their 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.
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GOLD
This very durable metal that has been used for jewellery making for centuries will not corrode, tarnish or rust. Our artisan craftsmen 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 and rose gold. Experiments with different alloys have produced black, purple and green golds. 24K gold is often considered too soft to be crafted into jewellery, so 9K and 18K yellow and white gold is often the metals of choice in Australia. For each item of exquisite jewellery, Diamond Vault will stamp the Karat mark into the gold.
The marks or stamps contain numbers ‘750’ for 18k gold and ‘375’ for 9k gold. The numbers refer to the percentage of pure gold included in the alloy. 18K gold is 75% pure and will result in a number of 750. 9K 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 18K white gold used by Monroe Yorke Diamonds is our signature metal containing a very high platinum content in the alloy. The result is a signature unique white gold with an amazing rich white lustre.
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PLATINUM
The platinum jewellery crafted at Diamond Vault is designed using the finest quality, 950 grade platinum. This precious metal exhibits a beautiful white colouring and is thirty-five times rarer than gold and one and a half times heavy than 18K 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.
CHARACTERISTICS AND TERMS FOR GOLD
There is sometimes confusion between the terms for gold and diamonds. The term karat 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 karat – the higher the karat the greater the price. The karat number specifies how many parts by weight of pure gold are within 24 parts of the alloy. The various karats and the pure gold content are shown below.
9k = 9/24 = 37.5% pure gold
14k = 14/24 = 58.3% pure gold
18k = 18/24 = 75.0% pure gold
24k = 24/24 = 100% pure gold
The choice of gold for your jewellery is a very personal decision. 18k gold has a higher gold content and therefore has more depth of colour. The 9k gold is a stronger metal and less vulnerable to damage.
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WHITE GOLD
White gold is an alloy. It includes gold and white metals. The Diamond Vault's signature white gold contains only precious metal platinum and palladium as the alloys. The high platinum content gives the Monroe Yorke Diamonds 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 – 9k, 14k, 18k, or any karat. White gold is 58.3% yellow gold when 14 karat, and 75% yellow gold when 18 karat.
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 The Diamond Vault will still have a beautiful white luster when the rhodium plating wears out. The Diamond Vault offers a rhodium re-plating service for your jewellery, recommending re-plating every 12 to 18 months.
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TAKING CARE OF YOUR GOLD
To clean your gold jewellery, The Diamond Vault 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. The Diamond Vault also recommends 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. The Diamond Vault offer a service which will help you maintain your jewellery in pristine condition.
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CHARACTERISTICS AND TERMS FOR PLATINUM
Amazingly it 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 eighty-eight 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. 14k gold is just 58% pure gold, and 18k 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 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.
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TAKING CARE OF YOUR PLATINUM
To clean your platinum, The Diamond Vault 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.
The Diamond Vault also recommends 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.
The Diamond Vault offers a service which will help you maintain your jewellery in pristine condition.
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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.
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, Pt for Platinum and PD for Palladium.