WHEN TO OPT FOR 10K GOLD
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MATERIAL
10K gold contains 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts other metals.
In percentage terms, 10 karats correspond to 41.7% of the gold content, while 14 karats are equivalent to 58.3% pure gold.
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ADVANTAGES
1. Better hardness: because 10K gold contains less pure gold and more other metals, the resulting alloy ends up being harder than 14K gold.
2. Thus, since 10K gold is harder, the jewels made with this gold are more sustainable.
3. 10K gold is also cheaper than 14K gold.
WHEN TO OPT FOR 14K GOLD
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MATERIAL
14K gold contains more of the precious metal: 14 parts of the alloy are gold and 10 parts are metals other than gold.
It is interesting to note that less than half of the material in 10K is actually gold, while near 60% of the alloy in 14K pieces is gold.
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ADVANTAGES
1. 14K gold is less likely to cause an allergy. Because low carat jewelry contains a higher percentage of other metals, people with nickel allergies tend to be more sensitive to it.
2. 14K gold tends to have a more intense yellow color due to the percentage higher gold content in the alloy. Some people find that 10K gold seems more white and prefer to opt for gold jewelry purer simply because of its appearance.
Some tips on caring for your solid gold jewelry
10k and 14k solid gold deserve some loving. To keep its shine, you should clean your jewelry regularly with a solution of 10-parts warm water and 2-parts dish soap.
A few extra tips:
1. Soaking is the key: you should soak your gold jewelry pieces for 3 hours and then scrub them gently with a very soft brush. Rinse under clean water and blot dry with a cloth.
2. Bonus tip: for an extra shine, use a jewelry polishing cloth after this! Do not use a paper towel or tissue as these can scratch your jewelry.
Sterling silver 925
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MATERIAL
Sterling Silver consists of 92.5% silver, and the remaining part consists of copper. This is the reason why Sterling Silver is popularly referred to as 925 Sterling Silver or just 925 Silver.
The reason silver needs to be combined with other metals is that it is very difficult to make great designs with just pure silver, which is very soft and malleable. A bit of hardness has to be introduced, by adding other metals such as copper.
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ADVANTAGES
1. Durable form of jewelry. When you take care of this form of jewelry is a proper manner, sterling silver can last for a lifetime.
2. Stay trendy with sterling silver jewelry.
3. Non-reactive metal for you.
4. Easy to maintain.
Some tips on caring for your silver 925 jewelry
If you are just doing maintenance, you don’t need anything more than a polishing cloth and some elbow grease.
1. Be sure to use a microfiber or jewelry cleaning cloth as paper towels or rougher cloths can scratch the surface of the jewelry.
2. When polishing, use long back-and-forth motions that mirror the grain of the silver. Do not rub in circles as this will magnify any tiny scratches. Also, change to a different section of your cloth frequently to avoid placing tarnish back on the silver. You can use a Q-tip to get into small, detailed areas.
If the jewelry is a bit more tarnished, you can use one of the following solutions as a cleaner:
1. Baking soda and water: make a paste of baking soda and water and use a clean cloth to apply a pea-sized amount to the silver and polish.
2. Run the silver piece or pieces under running warm water.
3. Dry with a clean cloth.
Separation is necessary: do not keep two different types of jewelry in one box. It is very essential to store your jewelry in a separate jewelry box or secured containers that will prevent them from getting scratched and broken
Silver jewelry: a great way to store your precious silver jewelry is to wrap the pieces with a soft cloth (like muslin) to retain the shine and prevent discoloring. You could also use anti-tarnish paper or tissue papers to wrap each piece of jewelry. Never wrap them in newspaper.
Earrings: you definitely want to keep earrings stored in their own compartments, either in a drawer or an organizer that hangs from a hook or closet rod. Dangly earrings are best stored in a way that allows them to hang freely. Keep a stash of extra earring backs close by for emergencies.
