White Gold / Platinum Group Metals

Sometimes this is called white gold. Platinum is not just one metal, however - which (to me at least) still strikes me as strange. We are talking alloys, however, so maybe its no more stange than the allows we have of gold. Be aware that when you talk platinum you may be a number of different combined metals.

The metal(s) are collectively denser, rarer, and hence more expensive, than gold itself. What makes it popular for setting gemstones is that it holds them more securely in a setting, and its rich white colour can be used to full effect in showing off gems (there is no potential minor clash of colours like with gold, in other words)

The European standard marking of Platinum is PT950, or 950, whilst in the USA (to be different I guess!) its PL or PLAT.

So what are these various metals that we all call platinum?

Osmium (Os)
Osmium/platinum alloy is usually used for standard weights - so I guess you won`t see it much on rings. It is a bluish-white colour, and quite brittle.

Iridium (Ir)
The alloy, usually about 10% iridium with 90% platinum, is a very hard, white and brittle metal (which is an interesting contrast to Gold which is extremely soft) and is much harder than pure platinum.

Palladium (Pd) (or White Gold)
Now we are onto something. This is relatively rare and soft, with a white silvery colour. It is alloyed for jewelry, with gold, and commonly called white gold.

Rhodium (Rh)
This is a white silvery colour, used to plate agent platinum and white gold to create a white, durable, hard coating.

Ruthenium (Ru)
Its claim to fame is being highly resistant to wear and can be found in jewelry. It is a grayish-white colour.

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Staff writer at ringssites.biz. All things to do with Jewellery. Informative articles updated regularly.

Bridesmaid Jewelry

Your bridesmaids. What would you do without them? Some of your bridesmaids may have been your friend forever. Maybe your sisters are part of your bridal party. Or possibly, one of your bridesmaids is becoming a part of your family. However you have come to select your bridal party, you know how important they are to you and want to select the right gift to say thank you. What better way to thank your bridal party than with a lovely bridesmaid gift. You probably go way back with several of bridesmaids - they may be sisters, best friends or cousins. You've grown up with these women and they are very special to you. Your budget will play a role in the amount of money you are able to spend for your gifts. But don't worry. Choosing a personal gift for every bridesmaid in your bridal party shows how much each and every one means to you. Your budget will decide how much you spend on your bridesmaids gifts but you should plan to spend a little bit more on your Maid/Matron of Honr. There are so many ways to make your bridesmaids gifts special. Elegant wedding jewelry is a more traditional bridesmaid gift that can be worn over and over after the wedding day. There are so many different options for bridesmaid jewelry. Elegant crystal jewelry is available in an array of colors that match the wedding theme. Victorian inspired jewelry is so romantic and perfect for wearing after the wedding with that little black dress. Rhinestone jewelry sets - flash at a fraction of the cost. Personalized bridesmaid gifts are also very traditional gifts. So many items may be personalized that one option is to choose a different personalized bridesmaid gift for each bridal party member. This allows you to match the gift to the person making it all that more special. After the wedding, what could be better than "pamper me" gifts such as a day at the spa for your Maid/Matron of Honor, plush embroidered spa robes or slippers, engraved jewelry boxes, or a personalized travel bag. Your girls will certainly appreciate some down time after the event of the decade! If you have the time, a homemade gift is a great way to thank your bridal party. Great idea if you have the time. A beautiful shawl or wrap that is matched to your color them is a great gift - especially in fall or winter. Photo albums for each bridal party member that starts with photos taken of the special times you've shared up to the wedding. Leave the rest of the album empty and you give the gift that keeps on giving. Each photo added to her photo album will remind her of the time she spent with you on your wedding day. When it's all over, take a moment to give each one of your bridesmaids a hug. Everyone loves one. This is the ultimate gift and the one that will let you know that you'll always be there for each other.

Article Source: www.articleactive.com

Allergic Reaction to Nickel Alloyed White Gold Jewelry

White gold is routinely alloyed down with nickel. Nickel causes allergic reactions in a lot of people. It's probably showing up now, because your ring was plated in rhodium (the whitest member of the platinum family) when you bought it. This is normal, as white gold always has a little warmth to it, so it is almost always plated in rhodium. The rhodium has worn off. The white gold, alloyed with nickel is in direct contact with your skin. You are reacting to the nickel. One easy solution is to bring the ring in to the jeweler where you purchased it and have it replated with rhodium. Or, you could trade the ring in for a white gold ring that does NOT contain nickel, a palladium ring or a platinum ring. The metal rhodium is essentially inert to the skin, hypoallergenic, no reaction. What the reaction could be is a basic metals reaction and that SHOULD NOT be happening if the rings have a real rhodium plate. My suggestion? Contact QVC and tell them of the problem. They should either give your money back or replace the item with one with a real rhodium plate! Green is a reaction generally to base metals, such as copper, etc., which are either preplate(done beneath the rhodium on metals like silver) or part of the the meatal alloy the ring is made of. Either the plate is not rhodium or is a poor job at plating. QVC owes you an answer on this one and your may use my answer when you contact them if you want. Without seeing the ring and actually examining it, I can say little about the ring itself. "Temporary Fix. Recommended for you to Try: Rhodium is a hard and durable white metal. Most white gold is given a quick plated layer of rhodium when brand new or when repaired. This thin layer of rhodium gives the metal a whiter look. Rhodium is also a metal that does not react with the skin. A local jeweler should easily be able to refinish, buff up nicely and rhodium plate your ring. The look is good. The advantage to you is the rhodium provided a safety layer between the nickel in the ring and your sensitive skin! The rhodium works very well when the plating is done correctly. You can expect the rhodium to wear off in time but you should get 6mos to a year of wear before the ring should be plated with rhodium again. We often do this service for ladies who love white gold earrings but have problems. With yellow gold problems, we plate the parts touching the skin and it works until the rhodium eventually wears away." Is your ring white gold? If so, the rhodium plating by a local jeweler should ease the problem immensely and the surface will last a fair amount of time before redoing is needed. If the ring is yellow, there are likely environmental issues here, including swimming pool chemicals and salty air(if living near the ocean). Chemicals will often build up in a microscopic way and lead to skin reactions or smudges. Salty air can lead to a build up of residue which will cause smudges or even some sensitive skin reactions. For yellow gold, the solution is difficult but involves either avoiding the environmental issues or cleaning the ring quite often(every couple of days) with a good gentle scrub with a gentle dish detergent and rinsing well.

Article Source: www.articleactive.com