The most significant criteria considered by jewelry buyers are the period of the piece (antique, vintage or estate jewelry), the precious gemstone (diamonds, emeralds and sapphires appear to be the most popular) and the category of jewelry (engagement rings, stud earrings and pendant necklaces are often high on the best-selling jewelry lists).
Equally important besides jewelry periods and pieces, is the type of precious metal used in your favorite contemporary design or antique jewelry items. Precious metals can affect the piece in subtle ways not initially noticeable or considered as important but of significant impact with respect to the owner’s long-term satisfaction. Let’s consider some of the most important ways metal affects jewelry.
Customization
Metals can greatly influence the level of customization for your estate jewelry pieces. Malleable metals such as high purity gold are easy to work with, but may not be suitable for all types of jewelry due to their excessive flexibility. On the other hand, precious metals such as platinum are very scratch-resistant, but more difficult and costly to engrave and/or resize.
Style
Metal type can have a direct influence on the appearance and overall style of jewelry pieces. Some metals like gold or platinum are believed to exude more elegance and prestige than titanium or silver. Furthermore, men usually prefer the association of strength and power with harder and more durable metals. Choosing a metal type that suits your style and personal taste can play a major role in your overall satisfaction with the piece.
Durability
Since the metal usually forms the bulk of the jewelry, the durability of the metal determines the durability of the whole piece., not to mention the responsibility of the precious metal to secure the valuable gemstones in their settings. It is therefore of utmost importance to establish a reasonable balance between the choice of the precious metal and the gemstones to be mounted on the piece, particularly their weight and scale of hardness.
Comfort
The metal you choose will invariably have an effect on how heavy the jewelry is, which will play a role in the length of the period it can be worn. comfortably. Another crucially important aspect related to comfort is whether or not the metal type causes irritations or allergic reactions. Some allergies could render an otherwise cherished piece completely unwearable.
Price
Price greatly varies depending on the metal. Common types of metal used for jewelry include but are not limited to yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, silver, platinum, and stainless steel. These categories vary in price, also within the quality ranges of each category. For example 10K gold will be less expensive than 14K which in turn will be less expensive than 18K.gold. Selecting the type and purity of the metal is dependent upon several factors primarily one’s budget.
Edited. VB