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PLATINUM
Platinum is generally 95% pure (18 karat gold is 75% pure), platinum jewelry does not fade or tarnish and keeps its looks for alifetime. Platinum's purity makes it hypoallergenic and ideal for those with sensitive skin. There is very little platinum on this earthand it is found in very few places around the world. This exquisitemetal is 30 times rarer than gold.Platinum jewelry is the perfect choice for a lifetime of everyday wear. Its densityand weight make it more durable than other jewelry metals.Platinum is also in demand in other fields - it is used in industry, most notably incatalytic converters. Platinum also plays an important role in medicine. It is notaffected by the oxidizing reaction of blood, has excellent conductivity, and iscompatible with living tissue. Because of these properties, platinum is used for  pacemakers.
IDENTIFICATION
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95% platinum is the world standard, marked 950 plat in country of origin
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90% platinum is a popular and traditional USA standard, marked 900Pt
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50%-90% platinum may be marked Plat in other countries, but only950 platinum can be marked Plat in the USA
PROS
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Platinum does not fade or tarnish and is ideal for those with sensitiveskin because it is hypoallergenic.
 
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When platinum scratches, none of the volume is lost, the metal ismerely displaced as ridges are raised on the edge of the scratch
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Platinum is versatile. In addition to its strength and density, platinum is pliable, so much so that just one gram of the metal can be drawn to produce a fine wire over one mile long. This quality has enabled jewelers to create some amazing versatile platinum mesh accessories,which could not be fashioned from other precious metals.
CONS
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Platinum is soft, and is more susceptible to scratching and showingwear than other metals.
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Platinum will develop a dark gray patina over time, though it can be re- polished to its original luster.
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Platinum is the most expensive metal used for the manufacture of fine jewelry, as compared to Gold, Palladium, Steel, Titanium, TungstenCarbide, or Cobalt.
GOLD
Gold is popular because it can be worked into almost any shape. White Gold is popular for its appearance and price point compared to platinum alloys.Technically there is no such thing as 'White Gold.' Gold can be lightened bycombining it with light metals but we plate all WG pieces with Rhodium; amember of the platinum family and the whitest precious metal after silver. Thisrhodium plating creates a hard skin with good resistance. Over time plating maywear through. Re-plating is a fairly simple process, depending on the conditionof the piece. In most cases this will be done approximately as often as a platinum ring requires re-polishing, although a fine plating job may last longer than a polish on platinum due to the superior hardness of rhodium.
IDENTIFICATION
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18K gold is the most recognized global standard and will be marked'18K' in the USA and '750' in Europe.
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14K gold will be marked '14K' in the USA and '585' in Europe.
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It is not generally practical to manufacture jewelry from pre 24K gold, due toits softness. However, some 20K and 22K alloys are available abroad.
PROS
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White gold, alloyed with Palladium requires rhodium plating and re- plating over time, depending on wear 
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Gold is very workable, less ductile than other metals
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Yellow gold jewelry of 18K and above does not tarnish and rarelycauses problems for people with skin irritations.
CONS
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White gold alloyed with nickel requires rhodium plating and re-platingover time, depending on wear.
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Gold will erode away or wear down over a long period of time.
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Palladium white gold is more expensive than 18K nickel white gold.
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Nickel causes skin irritation for people with nickel allergies
 
PALLADIUM
Palladium is a platinum group metal that has been in use for jewelry since 1939.With platinum skyrocketing in price the past two years, palladium has seenresurgence in jewelry use as it offers similar benefits to platinum, but at pricingcomparable to 18k white gold. Ironically, palladium is much rarer than gold(30x) in terms of quantities mined.Pure palladium for jewelry is 95% palladium, and usually 5% ruthenium(ruthenium is often mixed with platinum as well). Because it is a platinumgroup metal, it offers the several jewelry related benefits.
IDENTIFICATION
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95% platinum is the world standard, marked PD950 in country of origin
PROS
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Palladium is hypoallergenic. Unlike white gold, which is usually mixedwith nickel and thus can cause allergic reactions, palladium has noallergy issues.
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Palladium has a true white color. White gold has a yellowish tint in itsnatural state, since it is yellow gold mixed with nickel in an effort tomake it white, but it results in a grey/yellow metal - this is overcome by plating it with rhodium to give it the platinum white look, but therhodium will wear off over time. However, palladium is naturally a purewhite, will not yellow over time, and does not need rhodium plating.
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Palladium is 10% stronger than platinum, meaning it can wear longer without as much scratching.
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Palladium costs less than half of platinum. Palladium does not have asmany industrial uses as platinum, and because it is only lightly used inthe jewelry industry (currently), its pricing has not seen the recent spikesof gold and platinum.
CONS
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Palladium is harder to work with in casting.
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Palladium is lighter than platinum (about the same as white gold inweight) - this can be a negative as many people appreciate the heftyfeel of platinum.
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Like Gold, palladium will erode away in time, though at a deceleratedrate.
STAINLESS STEEL
Iron based alloys have a medical history extending over three hundred years.Corrosion resistant stainless steels were developed in the 18th century,containing a minimum of 10% chromium. As Technology developed, this uniquesurgical implant material evolved as well and achieved its inert characteristicsthrough the formation of an invisible and adherent chromium-rich oxide surfacefilm. The most oxidization resistant steels are 300 series steels and are mostlyused for material implants as well as for body jewelry. Our jewelry uses a highgrade steel from 300 series called Grade316L, which are best suitable for invasive body piercing and do not release nickel salts into the body or inducecontact nickel dermatitis. Stainless steel products are finished using a uniquetechnique called Electro polishing, which is a sophisticated surface polishingtechnique, where electrochemical activity slowly eats away a thin surface layer from the jewelry surface, resulting in micro smoothing. The surface's result isextremely smooth finish.
IDENTIFICATION
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There is no standard hallmark for stainless steel. Occasionally, the mark SSmay appear, along with the corresponding SAE designation.
PROS
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Discriminating persons from varying backgrounds like the solid, nearlyindestructible nature of jewelry that is hand carved from a solid pieceof stainless steel.
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Stainless Steel Jewelry doesn't rust. It doesn't discolor some skin typeslike other more traditionally used alloys.
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Ultra-high-grade stainless steel is non-magnetic, looks just likePlatinum but 1,000 times stronger than platinum at a fraction of thecost.
 
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CONS
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Stainless steel’s strength also limits jewelry options.
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Stainless steel cannot be used to make delicate designs.
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Stainless steel is so tough that resizing rings is difficult for most bench jewelers – though many manufacturers do offer a resizing service toretailers who cannot resize the rings themselves.
 
TUNGSTEN CARBIDE
Tungsten and Carbide powders are forged together at 2,400 degrees Fahrenheitto form rings that are virtually indestructible and scratch proof. Then, they are polished with a diamond compound, resulting in a polish and shine that will lastforever. Tungsten rings offer the perfect combination of unbelievable strengthwith style and comfort.With gold, platinum and even titanium rings, you will notice varying degrees of scratching, denting and surface mars. However, with tungsten rings, the surfacewill maintain its original beautiful shiny finish.Many people also enjoy the heavy weight of a tungsten ring. The enduring polish of Tungsten ring together with the solid weight, speak of commitment,security, and an everlasting bond.
IDENTIFICATION
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Tungsten carbide has a dark metallic color, and significant weight.
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There is no world standard mark for Tungsten carbide.
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Often, the letters “WC” or the words “Tungsten Carbide” are stampedinside the ring, accompanied by a stamp of the country of origin or manufacturer.
PROS
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Tungsten rings are the most wear resistant rings available on the planet.Tungsten is about 10 times harder than 18K Gold, 5 times harder thantool steel, and 4 times harder than titanium.
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Tungsten measures between 8 and 9 on the Mohs hardness scale.(Diamonds are a 10 - the highest.) Due to their extreme hardness,Tungsten Rings will hold their shape and shine longer than any ring onthe market.
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Tungsten rings will NOT bend, however, in the event of an emergency,a ring can be removed by a medical professional.
CONS
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Like Steel, Tungsten’s strength limits its jewelry applications…intricatedesigns and engravings are prohibitive.
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Tungsten Carbide cannot be sized.
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Tungsten, though very hard, is not indestructible. The rings will break or shatter if they encounter a significant impact with a hard object.
TITANIUM
Titanium was first discovered at the end of the 18th century. The name wasderived from the Titans of Greek mythology, known for their extreme andsuperior strength. Titanium is the only element possessing the strength of steel,yet with a weight comparable to aluminum.Titanium has positively and diversely impacted mankind more than any singleelement. It has taken us to the depths of the ocean and to the far reaches of space. (85% of the space shuttle’s structure is titanium.) It is placed inside our  bodies and on our sporting equipment. It is only in the last few years that wehave begun to explore the artistic benefits of this miraculous material.Titanium is the only element that offers the unique combination of beauty,strength, light weight and bio-compatibility.Titanium now commands the highest levels of quality for many consumer  product industries; including sporting equipment, medical, automotive andmarine, art and architecture, gift ware and, of course, jewelry.
IDENTIFICATION
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Like Tungsten Carbide, Titanium also has a dark metallic color, but isextremely lightweight.
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There is no standard hallmark for Titanium rings.
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Often, rings are stamped with the word “Titanium,’ and the mark of themanufacturer and/or country of origin.
PROS
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Highest ratio between strength and density of all metallic materials.
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Extreme mechanical and thermal loading capacity.
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Extreme tensile strength - stronger than steel but 42% lighter.
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High corrosion resistance, particularly against oxygen.
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Extremely bio-compatible because of its tissue compatibility and itselastic attributes, and hypoallergenic.
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Titanium, like Tungsten Carbide, will NOT bend, however, in the eventof an emergency; a ring can be removed by a medical professional.
CONS
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Although it possesses a great tensile strength, titanium is susceptible to
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