How should we choose jewelry?

So, which metal is good for me?

There are many factors that help determine which metal material is good for you. Still not sure which jewelry material is best? If the jewelry metals list above doesn't answer all of your questions, consider the following 6 factors and weigh the pros and cons of each.

#1 cost

Metal prices fluctuate daily, especially precious metals, due to the supply and demand of specific metal materials. In general, the cost of a metal depends on how rare and precious it is, which in turn affects its availability. The rarer the material, the higher demand it typically creates, which affects the price of the material. The general price range is precious metals (platinum>gold>silver) >  fashion metals (stainless steel>copper>alloy)

#2 Strength and durability, hardness and scratches

All metals can be scratched or even dented. However, certain materials such as tungsten or titanium are scratch resistant. Certain metals are more durable, such as platinum or gold. In terms of ductility, metals with low hardness can create more complex jewelry styles, and metals with too high hardness are difficult to process.

#3 Hypoallergenic

Hypoallergenic metals minimize the potential for allergic reactions in the wearer. For example, purer metals, such as gold, silver or stainless steel, tend to be hypoallergenic and therefore pose less of a threat of possible irritation to the wearer. Other metals or metal alloys have a higher irritation potential for the wearer: e.g. Although nickel and bronze can be added to gold or silver to make the material stronger, some people are allergic to these substances and may experience an allergic reaction when worn.

#4 Restoration and tarnishing

Some metals can be easily restored, while others are more difficult to restore. Copper, brass, and silver jewelry that you just purchased looks great, but it can be difficult to maintain that beauty as it needs to be polished more often. Jewelry with bronzer can fade easily if not protected. Wirewound and metal clay jewelry tend to require more protection from tarnishing, while copper jewelry tends to darken the skin. But don’t worry too much. The current level of surface treatment is very high. Almost all stainless steel jewelry plating uses PVD (vacuum ion plating), which will protect the metal core and reduce the adverse effects caused by oxidation and scratches.

#5 Rarity

As mentioned above, the rarer the metal, the more expensive it will be. For this reason, platinum and gold items are generally more expensive than items made from other materials.

#6 Weight

The weight of a material can be an important factor in determining whether that material is right for you. For example, if the product is too heavy, you may be less inclined to wear the item very often, if at all. However, other people tend to like the weight of their jewelry, which can be a plus. For jewelry, platinum is the densest and heaviest material available, being 40% heavier than gold.

The general weight range is precious metal weight > fashion jewelry

Thanks for reading our guide to jewelry metals! Feel free to comment your thoughts, likes and dislikes in the comments section below!

If you have more questions about fashion jewelry, especially in the field of stainless steel jewelry, please contact us!