A metal is deemed to be precious if it is rare. The discovery of new sources of ore or improvements in mining or refining processes may cause the value of a precious metal to diminish.
The best-known precious metals are gold and silver. While both have industrial uses, they are better known for their uses in art, jewelry, and coinage. Other precious metals include the Platinum group metals: ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, of which platinum is the most widely traded. Plutonium and uranium could also be considered precious metals.
Gold by nature is yellow and is soft. It is mixed with other metals to form an alloy making it stronger. Gold in pure form is known as 24 karat gold. 18 K gold means 18 parts gold and the rest of the 6 parts come from another precious metal. Gold is also alloyed with other metals to create different colors of gold. Adding copper to gold gives you rose gold. Adding silver to gold gives it an appearance of green color. Adding nickel or Palladium turns yellow gold to white gold. Your gold jewelry can also be made using a combination of two or more colors. They are called two toned or three tone gold.
People have prefer white gold to yellow gold because diamonds match better with white gold. It is cheaper than platinum. Silver is a white grey metal which is softer than gold, platinum and titanium. Platinum - this is a very interesting metal because it is rarer than gold . It is 60% denser than gold and is white in color which matches diamonds.
Fine precious metal jewelry
Diamonds, gold, silver, platinum, and semi-precious gemstones...