Jewelry Tutorial

Platinum and Gold Diamond Jewelry

Platinum and gold are one of the rarest of precious metals, they are found in only a few locations around the world. To produce a single ounce of finished platinum, a total of 10 tons of ore must be mined and three tons of ore are required to produce one ounce of gold. The rarity of platinum versus gold gives it its cachet (and cost).

Gold and Platinum scratch alike and has to be maintained once or twice a year to keep its fresh shiny look.

Platinum is one of the strongest and most enduring of all metals, it is also one of the heaviest. A piece of diamond jewelry containing 90 percent pure platinum weighs 60 percent more than 14-karat gold piece of similar size.

In the United States, diamond platinum jewelry generally contains anywhere from 85 to 95 percent pure platinum. By comparison, 18-karat gold is 75% pure gold and 14k is 58.5 % pure gold. We at Diamonds-USA.com use 95 to 98 percent of Platinum for all our Platinum Jewelry.

If a piece of platinum is marked "Platinum," it contains at least 95 % pure platinum. Jewelry with 85 to 95 percent pure platinum is marked "850 PLAT" or "950 PLAT" or "950 Pt.," etc. Diamond jewelry containing at least 50 percent pure platinum and at least 45 percent platinum group metals (palladium, iridium, osmium, rhodium and ruthenium), with 95 % of the two groups together, is marked with the platinum content followed by the other metal. For example:"600 Plat.350 Irid." Diamond jewelry that contains less than 50% Platinum should not be marked as Platinum at all.

Due to changes in metal prices we do not use Palladium alloy any more, it's price hiked. 

There is no "White Gold" in Engagement rings or earrings.

Unless you use the banned Nickel or the expensive Palladium alloys. "White gold" is actually yellowish Alloy that was dipped in the chrome-look Rhodium bath to cover it. (See picture). This is a thin cover Called "Flash cover" and is about 0.002 mm only. These jewels need maintenance once or twice a year depends on the wearing conditions. It is a common procedure and takes 15 minutes and any other metal will also need it to clear scratches and dirt anyway!

Pure gold is too soft to hold valuables like Diamonds with claws (prongs) therefore the Gold Alloys were invented.58.5% pure gold in any alloy will be called 14k Gold, 75% of pure Gold is 18k Gold, 24k is pure gold, %100.
Since Gold is a yellow metal "18k White gold" is an alloy of Gold (75%) and Nickel (8%) or Gold (75%) and Palladium (15%). 10 to 15% of women are allergic to Nickel released to their skin while wearing a jewel. This will result in different skin rash levels.

The use of Nickel is banned by countries like Switzerland and controlled by regulations in the EU community; there is yet any Nickel use regulation in the USA.

"The Dangerous Substances and Preparations (Nickel) (Safety) Regulations 2005" clearly require that any finding component that pierces the skin may not release more than .2 micrograms of nickel per cubic centimeter per week, and that no other jewelry component release no more than .5 micrograms of nickel per Regulations 2005"cubic centimeter per week. Nickel exposure is tested under BS EN12472 and BS EN 1811:1999. The first of these separate tests replicates two years of wear under normal use, and the second tests for subsequent exposure to nickel.

We at Diamonds-USA.com use only "Nickel free" metal alloys as required by the EU regulations.

Care and cleaning of your Diamond Jewelry

Fine jewelry is a precious possession that is designed and crafted to last a lifetime. However, proper care is required to assure the lasting qualities of your jewelry. Diamonds-USA is pleased to offer simple guidelines for the care and cleaning of your fine diamond jewelry.

General Tips

Store your diamond jewelry in a clean, dry place. 
Keep your diamond jewelry in a fabric-lined jewelry case, or in a box with compartments and dividers. If you prefer to use ordinary boxes, wrap each piece individually in soft tissue paper. 
Don't jumble your diamond jewelry pieces in a drawer or jewelry case. Pieces can scratch each other. 
Be careful when removing your diamond jewelry to wash your hands. Do not leave your jewelry on the rim of a sink where it can easily slip down the drain. 
See your local jeweler at least once a year to have your diamond jewelry checked for loose prongs, worn mountings, and general wear and tear.

Diamond Jewelry

Diamond jewelry is very popular. Some pieces, such as diamond engagement and wedding rings, are often worn 24 hours a day. Even though you may wear your diamond jewelry around the clock, you should give thought to its care.
Diamonds are durable, but they still require proper maintenance. diamonds can get smudged, soiled and dusty. Lotions, powders, soaps and natural skin oils put a film on diamonds and cut down their brilliance. Clean diamonds glow, because the maximum amount of light can enter the stone and return in a fiery brilliance. it takes just a little care to keep them that way:
Do not wear diamond jewelry, especially rings, when doing rough work. Even though diamond is one of the hardest materials in nature, it can still be chipped by a sharp, sudden blow.
Chlorine can damage and discolor the mounting on your diamond jewelry. Keep your diamond away from chlorine bleach or other household chemicals. You should also remove your diamond jewelry before entering a chlorinated pool or hot tub.
Clean your diamonds regularly using a commercial jewelry cleaner, a mix of ammonia and water, or a mild detergent. Dip the jewelry into the solution and use a soft brush to dislodge dust or dirt from under the setting.
Always thoroughly rinse and dry your jewelry after cleaning and before storage.
Avoid touching your clean diamonds with your fingers. Handle clean jewelry by its edge.