What are the metals commonly used to make jewelry and what are their pros and cons?
There are many metals used to make jewelry, but the main metals are yellow and white gold, platinum, silver and recently, palladium. The karat of gold is a number assigned reflecting its purity. 24 karat gold is pure gold. It is always the same color, a deep yellow. It is a very soft, very heavy metal, softer and heavier than lead. 24 karat gold is unsuitable for almost all jewelry because of its softness. A heavy gentleman’s band made of pure gold can be bent using finger pressure alone. For this reason it is mixed with other metals. Another reason for mixing it with other metals is to change or enhance the color. The number associated with the karat of gold is used to indicate its purity by weight, not by volume. 12K would be 50% gold, 50% other metals. 14K is 58.5% pure gold by weight and is about 50% gold and 50% other metals by volume, because gold is heavier. 18K is 75% pure gold. The primary metals used to alloy gold into its various colors are silver, copper, nickel, palladium,
