Comparative Qualities of Precious Metals at KJD:
Alloy	Composition	Specific Gravity	Melting Temp	Color	Vicker's Hardness
950 Platinum	95% Pt, 5% Ru	21.45	3235˚ F	light cool gray	130
950 Palladium (TruePd)	95% Pd	11.84	2500˚ F	light cool gray	115
14k pd white gold	58.5% Au, +Pd	13.7	1710˚ F	medium gray	150
14k precise white gold	58.5% Au, +Ni			light gray
18k yellow gold	75% Au	15.6	1700	rich yellow	125
18k rose gold	75% Au, +Cu	15.5	1710	copper	195
14k rose gold	58.5% Au, +Cu	13.4	1520	copper	125
10k green gold	41.6% Au, +Ag	11.7	1480	light green yellow	170
Sterling Silver	92.5% Ag, 7.5% Cu	10.36	1640	white	75
Platinum Sterling	92.5% Ag, 3.5% Pt, +	10.6	1765	white	75
Cobalt Chrome				medium gray
Titanium	100% Ti	4.5	3272	dark gray

Alloy

An alloy is a combination of different metals that are melted and blended together to create a new homogenous metal with a uniform color and a new melting temperature (different from the parent metals). New alloys are created to achieve more desireable properties such as hardness and ductility.

Karat Gold

Pure, 100% fine gold is 24 karat. This is a rich, deep golden color that has been used for jewelry historically but is too soft for general purpose jewelry. Here are a few notes about "karat gold":

• 18 karat gold means that the metal is 18 parts out of 24 pure gold, or in other words, 75% pure gold. The other 6 parts (25%) consists of an alloy of other metals. 18 karat gold is the standard for European jewelry.
• 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold, or 58.5% pure gold. It is the standard for American jewelry.
• In addition to the proportion of pure gold, the term "karat" is used to signify solid gold alloys versus gold platings or gold-filled pieces of jewelry.
• Interestingly, each country has a minimum "karatage" for gold alloys that may be legally sold as gold. In the United Sates, the minimum is 10 karat gold. In France and Italy, for example, the minimum is 18 karat gold.

Colored Gold

The color of gold is created by the combination of pure gold and the other metals that it is alloyed with, or additional metal that it is mixed with. The lower the karat of colored gold, the higher the contrast of color. Black hills gold is typically 10 karat gold, or approximately 42% gold and 58% other metal. Here are a few examples of the gold alloys we typically work with along with color assessments:

• 18 karat yellow gold - rich yellow color
• 14 karat rose gold - true rose color - is 14 parts fine gold and 10 parts copper and silver. It is the rich red copper combined with fine gold that creates a warm rosy tone.
• 18 karat rose gold - true rose color - is 18 parts (75%) pure gold and the rest is mostly copper.
• 14 karat palladium white gold - cool, medium gray color is 14 parts gold and 10 parts of an alloy that consists mostly of palladium. The color of palladium dominates the color of the gold, creating a medium gray color with a cool tone. This is a nickel free alloy.
• 14 karat precise white gold - light, slightly warm gray color - 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts of an alloy of nickel and other metals.
• 10 karat green gold - very pale yellowish sage color - is 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts of a mixture containing primarily silver.

Mokume-gane

Mokume Gane is a technique of Japanese origin in which layers of alternating colors of precious metals are forged and formed and patterned to create swirling images of color in a sheet of metal. Mokume (woodgrain) Gane (metal) is derived from the ancient Japanese sword making technique wherein layers of mild steel and carbon steel were forged together to create blades of great strength and durability. A woodgrain pattern on the blade is the tell-tale sign of a Damascus steel sword.

The origin of Mokume Gane is credited to Denbei Shoami (1651-1728), from northwest Japan. At that time, highly detailed and complex swords were an important part of Japanese society, and master craftsmen were in possession of many materials, colored alloys, and a vast accumulated knowledge of metalurgy. Shoami took the technique of Damascus steel and applied it to precious metals, creating the beautiful swirling patterns in copper, silver, and gold.

Please see our Wedding Bands page for a sampling of the types of mokume-gane we use.

Shakudo

Shakudo is a Japanese alloy made of 96% copper and 4% fine gold. It has a natural dark patina and, if worn away by sand or chemicals, it will naturally re-darken through contact with water, air, the skin, and chemicals such as ammonia. While this alloy is currently found in some mokume rings, it is an unstable metal, and is not recommended to be worn in contact with the skin. The natural salts in the skin can etch away the metal over time.

White Gold

White gold is pure gold that has been alloyed with nickel and/or palladium and other metals to acheive a "whiteness" of the metal. White gold is a gray metal with a very subtle wam hue when alloyed with nickel and a slightly darker, cooler gray hue when alloyed with palladium. The use of white gold is popular in contemporary jewelry and is sometimes used in lieu of platinum when hue is not an issue, but cost is. Commercial white gold jewelry is commonly rhodium plated (see below). Our standard white gold is the highest quality 14k palladium white gold that does not require plating. It is also not brittle, and is highly unlikely to crack during sizing operations.

Rhodium Plating of White Gold

Most commerical white gold jewelry is plated with rhodium, a platinum group metal with a bright white color. White gold is grayer than the rhodium, so as it wears the rhodium scratches off, showing the darker color underneath. Sometimes the white gold under the plating is slightly to very yellowish in color. We do not typically rhodium plate our jewelry as the white gold we use is of the highest quality with the best whiteness available. We can rhodium plate if the bright white color is desired.

Platinum

Why choose platinum? Platinum is considered to be the "most precious" of the precious metals. Platinum is your metal of choice, when only the best will do. Rarer than gold, stronger and more enduring - platinum is also the choice of jewelry designers for fine heirloom quality jewelry. There is a big difference between platinum and white gold. White gold does appear slightly yellowish as it loses its polish. Commerical white gold is commonly plated and will turn yellowish as the plating wears off. Palladium white gold is a medium gray color. Platinum is always a cold light gray, and will retain its polish longer. While both metals are hard and will retain their strength and shape over time, platinum is very unlikely to crack or be brittle during any sizing operations. Also, platinum does not wear down as gold does, so, over the course of a lifetime, it will remain virtually the same weight and size. It is much better to set stones in platinum for that reason.

Platinum History

Platinum evokes the future through the cool gray color and technological uses, but it also recalls the past. In the 1890's the world renowned Louis Cartier introduced the metal as a setting, and made it part of his most exquisite creations for kings and millionaires. During the first 40 years of the twentieth century, platinum was the preferred metal for wedding and engagement rings and was almost always used to enhance the beauty of diamonds and other gemstones. However, for the duration of World War II, platinum was declared a strategic material and its use in most non-military applications was prohibited.

Platinum Statistics

Palladium

Palladium is one of six metals in the platinum family. It has similar characteristics of platinum, such as high melting temperature, cool gray color, durability and rarity, however, it is much less dense (lower specific gravity). Palladium is light gray, noble, malleable, lightweight, hypoallergenic, easy to finish and polish, does not require rhodium plating, does not tarnish, and has desirable, platinum-like setting and forming characteristics.

We are very excited about a new metal on the market called TruPd™ that is 950 parts palladium (out of 1000). It has the color and wear characteristics of platinum, however, it is priced the same as white gold! This is a wonderful metal to use when you want that light gray platinum color without rhodium plating. Because it is also lighter than platinum, nearly half the weight, more intricate necklaces and bracelets can be made capable of bearing larger gemstones with no gain in overall weight. For the same reason, Palladium can be an especially good choice in earrings. With the price of platinum and gold reaching recent highs, use of palladium for jewelry has seen renewed interest domestically and abroad.

After simulated wear tests, TruPd™ has a 15% greater wear resistance over 14k white gold. For comparison, under identical test conditions 950 Platinum has a 23% greater wear resistance over 14k white gold.

"*PURE: Palladium is a noble metal like platinum that is used to create fine jewelry, and like its sister metal, platinum, it can be used as an alloy of 95%purity. Compare this to White Gold alloys which require a large percentage of alloying metals. 14k gold is only 58.5% pure.

WHITE: Palladium is a white metal that, like Platinum, enhances the beauty of diamonds and gemstones set within it. Because its white color is natural and not the result of plating or alloying, Palladium's white has great depth and luster.

PRECIOUS: Palladium is a Platinum Group Metal and is thirty times more rare than Gold. Mined together with Platinum in less than six regions around the globe, Palladium is truly a precious metal and a fitting symbol of love, life and other rare gifts. Palladium provides the luxury, purity and look of Platinum for the price of White Gold.

STRONG: Palladium, like Platinum, is naturally strong and durable when used in a higher purity alloy than other metals such as silver and gold. Resulting in a more hypo allergenic product, Palladium does not suffer from prong failure, which is typical of many White Gold settings.

DESIGN VERSATILITY: Palladium strikes a harmonious balance: more durable and less susceptible to tarnish than White Gold, but as malleable as Platinum. Palladium can support delicate designs which are difficult to to execute in White Gold yet has the malleability to facilitate easy sizing, repair, etc.

HISTORY: When World War II began, the British government declared Platinum a strategic metal and its use in non-military applications, including jewelry, was disallowed. As a result, Palladium made its first appearance in jewelry in 1939. The demand for wedding bands increased during the early 1940's and many were made of Palladium.

In response to the Clean Air Act of 1970 and the rise of environmental or 'green' legislation worldwide, both Palladium and Platinum were increasingly sought by the auto industry to produce the auto catalysts used to reduce car emissions. As Platinum became the more popular industrial metal, the demand and therefore the price of Palladium decreased and stabilized, bringing it increasingly into vogue for fine jewelry applications."

[*indented excerpt from: Tru-Pd™ Brochure, Hoover & Strong © 2005]

Sterling Silver and Platinum-Sterling

Sterling Silver is the whitest of all the metals, and thus a great metal to use in mokume, as the white color provides the best contrast with other colored metals. To be marked "Sterling" it must be 925 parts silver (or 92.5%). It is traditionally alloyed with 7.5% copper. Platinum-sterling is still 92.5% silver, however, the alloy contains platinum, which makes Platinum-Sterling a superior sterling. It is tarnish resistant and has better wearability. Krikawa Jewelry Designs uses Platinum-Sterling exclusively. Fine silver (99.9% silver) is generally too soft for most jewelry applications.

Cobalt Chrome

Cobalt Chrome is a member of the stainless steel family. It is extremely hard, and light gray in color. Cobalt chrome is used in medical implants because of its hypo-allergenic quality.

Titanium

Titanium is an extremely lightweight and hard metal. It is becoming very popular for use in jewelry, but was originally found in the aerospace industry. It is dark gray in color.