Jewelry Essentials 1
A gold alloy that contains 75 percent pure gold is what? (in karats)
18K
A mixture of two or more metals.
Alloy
An electrochemical process that results in a protective or decorative coating on metal.
Anodizing
Non-precious metals such as copper, zinc, tin, nickel, lead, and iron.
Base Metals
The value a feature holds to a customer (aesthetic, psychological, or practical)
Benefit
Jewelry made of gold that's less than 14K or lightweight 14K, gold-filled metal or sterling silver, and with or without lower-quality gems.
Bridge Jewelry
Silver that's 95.8 percent fine, represented by a lion's head or the seated figure of Britannia.
Britannia Silver
A measure of gem weight
Carat
Sterling Silver is an alloy of fine silver and what?
Copper
What metal does a goldsmith add to gold to get an alloy with a reddish color?
Copper
Deterioration by a chemical action.
Corrosion
Jewelry manufacturing method where a machine cuts blanks of jewelry metals to the sizes and shapes needed for the jewelry item. A blank is then placed between the punch and the mold and subjected to tremendous pressure. This shapes and compresses the metal to produce a dense, durable product.
Die Striking
Able to be drawn into wire or hammered into sheets without breaking.
Ductile
Long-lasting, especially without sustaining damage or wear.
Durable
Jewelry manufacturing method where wax copies are created and coated with a thin layer of conductive paint, then submerged in an electrically charged solution that contains precious metal particles. The charged particles bond to the coating, building a metallic surface. When the precious metal layer is the desired thickness, the manufacturer removes the forms. A heating process melts the wax out through a small hole in the rigid metal shell.
Electroforming
Using electricity to deposit a coating of precious metal, suspended in a solution, on another metal.
Electroplating
Jewelry that might be made of base metals, plastic, wood, or other common materials, with or without sterling silver or gold plate. If it's set with gems, they might be synthetics or imitations.
Fashion Jewelry
A characteristic or part of a piece of jewelry
Features
A metal virtually free of impurities or alloying metals. Rates 1000.
Fine
Jewelry made of 14K or finer gold, sterling silver, or platinum. If it contains gems, they're high quality and usually of substantial size.
Fine Jewelry
A measure of the purity of a precious metal, based on parts per thousand.
Fineness
A British stamp that indicates the purity and origin of a precious metal.
Hallmark
Jewelry manufacturing method where every element is formed, assembled, joined, and finished entirely by hand or with hand tools.
Hand Fabrication
How well a metal resists scratching and denting.
Hardness
The weight or heaviness of an object compared to its size.
Heft
A unit of measure for the fineness of gold, based on a total of 24 parts, abbreviated "K."
Karat
A lion walking with its farthest forepaw raised; Britain's mark for sterling silver. (92.5 percent pure)
Lion Passant
Jewelry manufacturing method by which a duplicate metal sculpture is cast from an original sculpture using wax and investment.
Lost-Wax Casting
The appearance of a material's surface in reflected light.
Luster
Jewelry manufacturing method that begins with a precious metal ingot. After drilling a hole through the center and smoothing the outer surface, the manufacturer forces the ingot through a series of shaping steps that condense and elongate it into a tube, then cuts blanks from it that are slightly larger than the finished jewelry item. The blanks are mounted on cutting or milling machines for trimming to the desired size and shape, then given a final polish.
Machining
Able to be shaped or bent without breaking.
Malleable
The tendency of a metal to return to its previous shape.
Metal Memory
Jewelry item with space for holding gems.
Mounting
A metal with properties similar to platinum—is also considered by many to be a precious metal.
Palladium
Soft, rich surface appearance that develops with age.
Patina
Depositing a metal coating electrically or applying it mechanically onto another metal.
Plating
The precious metal with the least metal memory.
Platinum
Metals valued in jewelry, specifically gold, platinum, and silver.
Precious Metals
Setting style consisting of narrow metal supports that hold a gem in its mounting.
Prong Setting
The way a gem is secured in its mounting.
Setting Style
1. Approach the Customer 2. Exchange Information 3. Build Value 4. Create Desire 5.Trial Close 6. Close the Sale 7. Follow Up
Seven Steps of a Sale
Which polished metal shines more brightly than any other metal on earth?
Silver
Most popular silver alloy in the world, contains 925 parts silver and 75 parts copper.
Sterling Silver
A mild form of corrosion caused by contact with chemical elements or compounds in the environment.
Tarnish
Maximum stretching force a metal can withstand before breaking.
Tensile Strength
Misrepresenting the precious metal content of a jewelry item.
Underkarating
Sterling silver base coated with gold or gold alloy of 10K or finer. The coating must be at least 2.5 microns thick.
Vermeil