Common Materials & Finishing
Common Materials & Finishing/Plating used on Costume Jewellery
Having some basic knowledge on the types of materials or plating/finishing on your jewellery is always beneficial during your purchases. The following information is revealed exclusively to you.
Common materials used:
Brass : Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Some types of brass are called bronzes, despite their high zinc content.
Sterling Silver: Alloy with purity of 92.5% of silver combining with 7.5% of copper to increases the hardness in order to form shapes.
Stainless Steel: An extremely durable alloy of steel and chromium which can be polished to resemble a precious metal and is virtually immune to rust, discoloration and corrosion.
Common finishing/plating used:
Gold: A layer of gold that has been electro-deposited onto a metal surface.
Rhodium: A member of the Platinum family. The electro-deposition of rhodium for oxidation resistance, gives a shiny white surface like platinum.
High Polish: A surface which is polished to a mirror-like finish.
Two Tone: The electro-deposition of Gold in majority of the metal surface, and small portion of Rhodium usually in the prong setting area.
Tri Tone: It’s a combination of Rhodium, Gold, and Rose Gold Plating.
Antique: The plating that has been made to look aged, having a darkened or tarnished
appearance.