| While choosing gemstone jewelry, most buyers | | | | green gold (alloyed with silver) ? to produce a |
| tend to focus their attention on the stone along. | | | | varied effect. |
| Precious or semi-precious, single or multiple, | | | | Yellow gold is the eternal favorite when it comes |
| transparent or opaque...the questions attached to | | | | to wedding or engagement jewelry. This is quite |
| a purchase of gemstone are endless. But while | | | | expensive, and is available in several gradations, |
| buying gemstone jewelry ? whether a gemstone | | | | called carats. 24-carat gold is 100% gold, while |
| ring, earrings or even a gemstone beads necklace | | | | lower carat ratios have less gold and more of |
| ? the metal used must be chosen with as much | | | | metals like copper, palladium or silver. |
| attention as the gem. | | | | After gold in the hierarchy of metals used for |
| For a balanced choice of metal to be used, three | | | | gemstone jewelry comes silver. Silver has a |
| factors must be considered with some | | | | unique, muted sheen of its own, especially when |
| importance ? cost, compatibility with the gem, and | | | | worn on a regular basis. It is extremely easy to |
| maintenance. Compatibility with the gem is decided | | | | care for ? several silver polishes are available in |
| on the basis of color combination and setting - a | | | | the market, and the metal is extremely durable, |
| harder metal will permit a prong setting, better to | | | | and does not blacken much over time. Silver is |
| show off a transparent gem. | | | | also much less expensive than gold, and can be |
| In today's fashion, white gold has become | | | | used with equal facility with all kinds of gemstones. |
| extremely popular. White gold is an alloy of gold | | | | Copper and bronze are often used as settings for |
| with either nickel or platinum. Nickel is cheaper | | | | semi-precious stones, especially opaque. These |
| than platinum, creates a harder and more durable | | | | are not very expensive, and require very little |
| alloy, but may trigger allergies in some. Palladium | | | | maintenance ? a little lemon or tomato is usually |
| white gold (with copper, platinum or rhodium | | | | enough to restore their shine. These metals are |
| added for some hardness) causes fewer allergies, | | | | somewhat less conventional than those mentioned |
| and handles chemical exposure better than the | | | | above, and gemstone bead jewelry set in copper |
| more reactive nickel. | | | | or bronze, when carefully selected, is guaranteed |
| White gold, especially when rhodium-plated, needs | | | | to turn some heads. |
| re-plating every year or two. Platinum, though far | | | | Gemstone jewelry should always be designed so |
| more expensive, is more likely to get scratched | | | | that the entire ornament looks well assembled. So |
| than white gold, is heavier, and needs regular | | | | rather than just comparing the durability, value |
| burnishing. White gold goes well with both | | | | and convenience of the options at hand, it is best |
| transparent and opaque stones, and can also be | | | | to look at the stone-metal combination, see what |
| combined with metals of a different tint ? bronze, | | | | looks best, and choose a selection that is pleasing |
| yellow gold, red gold (alloyed with copper), or | | | | to your eye, your needs as well as your pocket. |