Gold karats, white gold, platinum and sterling silver explained.
What 925, sterling, coin silver, fine silver, silver-plated, silver-filled and German or nickel silver mean on a label, what the FTC Guides and the Stamping Act say, and what to ask before you buy.
What a 14K or 925 stamp tells you, who applies it, what the law requires of it, why a magnet can only rule metal out, and the red flags to check in an online listing.
Why real gold can leave a black or green mark on your skin, how that differs from a rash under a ring, what the American Academy of Dermatology says about nickel in rings and necklaces, and when to see a dermatologist.
What “diamond-cut” means on a chain or bangle, how to tell a finish word from a stone on a listing, what high polish, Florentine and textured mean, and why to ask a jeweler before polishing a faceted or textured piece.
What the rhodium layer on sterling silver changes, why it wears where the piece rubs, how to clean it gently, and what to ask a jeweler about re-plating and resizing.
Where rose gold gets its pink, how karat is marked, why the surface can develop a patina while the color stays in the metal, and what to ask about the white parts of two-tone pieces.
Only karat gold is gold alloy all the way through. Here is what gold-plated, gold-filled and vermeil actually mean under the FTC Jewelry Guides, why plated pieces change colour, and the questions to ask before you buy.
10K is 41.7% gold, 14K is 58.5% and 18K is 75%. Here is how karat changes durability, color, price and skin comfort, and how to choose.
They look identical when new. The difference is how they age, what they cost, and which maintenance you would rather do.
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