Jewelry Basics

Question 1

Precious Metals

Answer 1

gold, platinum, silver, sometimes palladium

Question 2

Base metals

Answer 2

Copper, zinc, tin, nickel, lead, iron

Question 3

Precious Metal Characteristics

Answer 3

allure, rarity, workability, dirability

Question 4

Allure

Answer 4

heft, color, and luster (the way they reflect light)

Question 5

Patina

Answer 5

Soft, rich surface appearance that develops over time, common in platinum

Question 6

Rarity of gold

Answer 6

four parts per billiion of earth’s crust, rarest precious metal

Question 7

Rarity of Platinum

Answer 7

5 parts per billion, secind

Question 8

Rarity of silver

Answer 8

75 parts per billion

Question 9

Workable

Answer 9

Malleable and ductile

Question 10

Malleable

Answer 10

able to be shaped or bent without breaking

Question 11

ductile

Answer 11

able to be drawn into wire or hammered into sheets w/out breaking

Question 12

Metal memory

Answer 12

most metal memory, most it tends to return to previous shape. platinum has less memory, so has strong holding power

Question 13

Fineness

Answer 13

measure of purity of a precious metal

Question 14

Alloy

Answer 14

mixture of two or more metals

Question 15

Alloying gold

Answer 15

increases tersile strength and hardness, changes color

Question 16

Tersile strength

Answer 16

max stretching force before breaking

Question 17

Yellow gold alloys

Answer 17

Gold, copper, silver, zinc

Question 18

Green gold alloys

Answer 18

Gold, copper, increased amount of silver

Question 19

Rose gold alloys

Answer 19

Gold, increased copper, silver

Question 20

White gold alloys

Answer 20

Gold, nickel or palladium, copper, zinc

Question 21

Platinum fineness

Answer 21

900-950, other metals include iridium or ruthenium, cobalt and copper

Question 22

vermeil

Answer 22

thin surface coating of gold on silver

Question 23

Electroplating

Answer 23

using electricity to deposit coating of a precious metal

Question 24

“permanentky polished”

Answer 24

tungsten

Question 25

anodizing

Answer 25

electrochemical process that results in protective or decorative coating on metal

Question 26

niobium

Answer 26

hypoallergenic, pop for body jewelry

Question 27

Titanium

Answer 27

hypoallergenic

Question 28

stainless steel

Answer 28

iron, chromium, nickel

Question 29

quality mark

Answer 29

stamp that indicates purity of precious metal

Question 30

negative tolerance

Answer 30

diff btwn fineness on quality mark and actual fineness.

Question 31

US Regulations

Answer 31

requires quality mark and trademark. sterling >925, coin silver>900, platinum>950, if less than include alloys, but must be at least 500