Learn About Precious Metals
Introduction to Precious Metals
Rare, exquisite metals form an integral part of fine jewelry, imparting a luster and sheen that expresses elegance, durability, and symbolizes long-lasting bonds. Precious metals are the ideal participants for gorgeous accessories. Understanding the perfect type and choosing the right style can elevate the appeal of the end product. While we feature only the finest metal options at Morgan’s Jewelers, our precious metal guide can reveal what makes each metal type special. Every metal has a specific remarkable quality to its credit, like malleable yellow gold with a soft warm glow or the white sheen of platinum with a durable coolness. Feel free to click on each of the tabs below to learn more about each of the most popular types of precious metals used in jewelry. When you are ready to begin shopping for jewelry, or if you have any additional questions, please visit one of our showrooms.
Popular Precious Metals Collections
Dive into the world of fashion jewelry that engages precious metals with a captivating aura. The characteristic allure of gold and sterling silver makes them ideal jewelry components. When they are transformed into necklaces, rings, and earrings, intricate designs bring out the magic hidden within the metallic exterior. A historic metal, silver has been used for thousands of years to craft breathtaking jewelry. At Morgan’s Jewelers, all silver pieces are guaranteed sterling silver, and come in a wide variety of styles, with sterling silver bracelets being the most popular choice. If you are drawn to the luster of gold, but with a lighter visual aspect, you will appreciate the pieces featuring white gold, a distinct alloy formed by combining gold and metals like zinc or nickel.
Additional Precious Metals Collections
When you are looking for bridal jewelry symbolizing eternal love and an unbreakable trust, nothing is as durable and captivating as the stunning beauty of gold. After all, this precious metal shines with a radiant glow that is enhanced by intricate designs and artistic craftsmanship. Explore engagement rings and wedding bands crafted with the lustrous metal in a multitude of tones. Choose from romantic rose gold, traditional yellow gold, or sleek white gold for a modern look. Platinum is also an ideal metal used for bridal jewelry, as it is the strongest and most luxurious metal offered. Hitting the right notes of sophistication and luxury, platinum is a favorite choice among men’s wedding bands.
Why Shop for Precious Metals at Morgan’s Jewelers
Building a strong foundation with quality service and luxury products since 1946, Morgan's Jewelers has stayed true to this motto, while serving the community of Torrance, California. Every piece of fine jewelry is carefully selected with the highest standards in mind when it comes to precious metals, gorgeous gemstones, and quality craftsmanship. At Morgan’s Jewelers, we enjoy connecting with our customers in Southern California, while they look for memorable pieces of fine jewelry to commemorate the special moments of a lifetime. Our certified staff will be more than happy to assist you with the perfect choices for any occasion. For more information, please give us a call or request an appointment.
Gold
About Gold
Gold is the oldest precious metal known to humankind. Because of the metal’s luster and remarkable properties, gold has been crafted into the world's most coveted and exquisite jewelry.
Gold is the world's most malleable (able to be pounded thin ) and ductile (able to be drawn to a fine wire) of all metals. In its pure state, gold is too soft to be worn as jewelry, so it is usually mixed with other metals, such as silver, copper, nickel and zinc, to make it harder. A mixture of metals is called an alloy. The quantity of gold in an alloy is expressed in karats (abbreviated as k or kt).
Gold's softness and malleability makes it the perfect metal to create jewelry. It is also nontoxic, resists tarnishing, doesn’t corrode, is hypoallergenic, and retains its value making it very popular to wear. The natural color or shade of gold is yellow, which also happens to be the most commonly used shade of gold when making jewelry. Yellow gold is alloyed usually with copper or silver to add strength because of how soft pure gold really is. Another popular shade of gold is white gold made by mixing yellow gold with zinc, nickel, palladium, or copper.
Platinum
About Platinum
Platinum is a popular choice of metal for fine jewelry. The cool white coloration of platinum, along with its ability to accentuate a diamond, particularly makes it a popular choice for ring settings. Morgan’s Jewelers carries a wide selection of platinum jewelry.
Aside from its outstanding aesthetics, one of the primary reasons platinum is so popular is due to its remarkable resilience. Typically, when other metals are scratched (e.g. gold or silver), a small amount of that particular metal is lost. This, however, does occur to platinum. While platinum may still scratch, the metal is so durable that none of it is actually lost.
Palladium
About Palladium
Palladium Jewelry continues to gain in popularity around the world. It's light weight and luster is transforming it into the metal of choice for new wedding bands and unique custom pieces. Palladium jewelry was hard to find just a few years ago, but now is enjoying mainstream status in the jewelry industry.
Alone or alloyed with silver or gold, palladium offers some of the same metal working properties as other jewelry metals, and remains tarnish free. It also offers jewelers a sharply different pricing point than either gold, white gold or platinum. It is more precious than silver and whiter than platinum. Because it is also lighter than platinum, nearly half the weight, more intricate necklaces and bracelets can be made capable of bearing larger gemstones with no gain in overall weight. For the same reason, Palladium can be an especially good choice in earrings.
With the price of platinum and gold reaching recent highs, use of palladium for jewelry has seen renewed interest domestically and abroad. Palladium is an excellent material for electroplating, and sees significant use in the plating of jewelry and watches.
Silver
About Silver
Silver has a long and noble history, second only to that of gold. Popular as a jewelry metal for thousands of years, it is harder than gold and much more plentiful. The abundant supply and ease of working it make silver more affordable and a good alternative to gold and platinum (although it does tarnish and need polishing from time to time).
Sterling silver is a silver alloy with a fixed standard of purity. It consists of 925 parts silver (out of 1,000) and 75 parts copper. Like gold alloys, sterling silver can be used to plate other metals. All silver jewelry we offer at Morgan's Jewelry is guaranteed sterling silver and is stamped .925.
Silver was one of the first metals to be used and can be traced back to the ancient Egyptian, Phoenician, and Byzantine empires. The work of silver was also popular in colonial America where it developed along other craft traditions. Silver is now the metal that is mostly used throughout the world.
