Jewellery School

Gold is the most iconic jewellery metal, valued for its natural beauty, rarity, and history in trade and culture for thousands of years. It is resistant to rust, tarnish, and corrosion, but is naturally soft—so it is always mixed with other metals for strength.

Gold Properties

• Very malleable (can be shaped easily)
  
• Resistant to tarnish and corrosion
  
• Highly valuable and globally traded
  
• Soft in pure form, so it is alloyed for jewellery use
  

Gold Purity (Carats/Karats)

• 24kt – 100% pure gold (too soft for jewellery)
  
• 18kt – 75% gold (luxury standard, durable)
  
• 14kt – 58.5% gold (stronger, more durable)
  
• 9kt – ~30–40% gold (most affordable solid gold option)

Gold Colours

• Yellow Gold – The most traditional gold colour, reflecting gold in its natural form.
  
• White Gold – White gold is made by blending yellow gold with white metals and finishing it with rhodium plating.
  
• Rose Gold – Rose gold gets its pink tone from copper in the alloy.

Silver is a precious metal that has been valued for thousands of years in trade, art, and culture. It is soft and malleable like gold, so it is usually strengthened with alloys.

• Bright, reflective shine
  
• More abundant and affordable than gold
  
• Can tarnish or oxidise over time
  
• Requires occasional cleaning and polishing
  

Silver also has historical and modern importance, from early currency systems to use in technology, medicine, and water purification.

Sterling Silver

The most common silver used in jewellery. “925” = sterling silver quality stamp = 92.5% real silver.

• 92.5% silver + 7.5% other metals (usually copper)
  
• Stronger and more durable than pure silver
  
• Affordable and widely available
  
• Resistant to everyday wear with proper care