gold and Silver Jewellary

Gold Jewellary

Pure (24 carat) gold is a deep yellow colour (an orange shade of yellow) and is soft and very malleable. The coloured carat gold alloys range in gold content from 8 to 22 carats (33.3% - 91.6% gold) and can be obtained in a range of colour shades: green (actually a green shade of yellow), pale yellow, yellow, deep yellow, pink/rose and red. There are also white golds and even unusual coloured golds such as 'purple gold'. They all have different mechanical properties such as strength, hardness and malleability (ductility) and some alloys can be heat treated to maximise strength and hardness. There are gold alloys that are optimised for different manufacturing routes such as lost wax (investment) casting and stamping.

The karat system is used to reveal the amount of pure gold found in an item.

24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.

18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals, making it 75% gold.

14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold.

10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10k gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.

Type	Gold % wt	Silver %	Copper %	Colour
22 ct	91.6	8.4	-	Yellow
	91.6	5.5	2.8	Yellow
	91.6	3.2	5.1	Deep yellow
	91.6	-	8.4	Pink/rose
18 ct	75.0	25.0	-	Green-yellow
	75.0	16.0	9.0	Pale yellow, 2N
	75.0	12.5	12.5	Yellow, 3N
	75.0	9.0	16.0	Pink, 4N
	75.0	4.5	20.5	Red, 5N
14 ct	58.5	41.5	-	Pale green
	58.5	30.0	11.5	Yellow
	58.5	9.0	32.5	Red
9 ct	37.5	62.5	-	White
	37.5	55.0	7.5	Pale yellow
	37.5	42.5	20.0	Yellow
	37.5	31.25	31.25	Rich yellow
	37.5	20.0	42.5	Pink
	37.5	7.5	55.0	Red

Silver Jewellary

The silver jewelry and accessories available at Hashmi asia are made of beautiful sterling silver. For our collection, we have chosen classic designs created by some of the finest silver craftsmen. This guide will help you learn to identify quality in silver jewelry and accessories.

Sterling Silver

Pure silver, also called fine silver, is relatively soft, very malleable, and easily damaged so it is commonly combined with other metals to produce a more durable product. The most popular of these alloys is sterling silver, which consists of 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent copper.

Although any metal can make up the 7.5 percent non-silver portion of sterling, centuries of experimentation have shown copper to be its best companion, improving the metal's hardness and durability without affecting its beautiful color.

The small amount of copper added to sterling has very little effect on the metal's value. Instead, the price of the silver item is affected by the labor involved in making the item, the skill of the craftsperson, and the intricacy of the design.

Silver Alloy

Because pure silver is so soft, it should only be used when malleability is required, such as in handcrafted jewelry featuring weaving and other intricate designs.
Sterling silver is most often used for jewelry and household accessories because of its combination of beauty and durability. Acceptable quality marks for sterling silver include:

Care

With proper care, your fine quality silver will last a lifetime. To minimize scratches and other damage, store your silver jewelry either in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment in your jewelry box. Avoid exposing your silver to household chemicals when cleaning with bleach or ammonia, or when swimming in chlorinated water, as these chemicals can damage silver.

Care should also be taken to prevent silver tarnish build-up, a dulling that naturally occurs when silver reacts with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide in the ambient air. To clean your silver, use polishes formulated specifically to remove tarnish. You can find fine silver polishes, solutions, or cloths appropriate to remove tarnish at most hardware stores or specialty craft stores. Tarnish is most easily removed when it first becomes visible. Although wearing your silver jewelry often is the best way to prevent tarnish from building up, regular cleanings of all your silver items will prevent tarnish and keep your silver bright and sparkling.