Gold, Silver, and Beaded Jewelry

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Jewelry is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring, brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols.

In creating Jewelry, gemstones, coins, or other precious items are often used, and they are typically set into precious metals. Alloys of nearly every metal known have been encountered in Jewelry -- bronze, for example, was common in Roman times. Modern fine Jewelry usually includes gold, white gold, platinum, palladium, titanium or silver.

Most American and European gold Jewelry is made of an alloy of gold, the purity of which is stated in karats, indicated by a number followed by the letter K. American gold Jewelry must be of at least 10K purity (41.7% pure gold), (though in England the number is 9K (37.5% pure gold) and is typically found up to 18K (75% pure gold).

Higher purity levels are less common with alloys at 22 K (91.6% pure gold), and 24 K (99.9% pure gold) being considered too soft for Jewelry use in America and Europe. These high purity alloys, however, are widely used across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure). The silver used in Jewelry is usually sterling silver, or 92.5% fine silver. In costume Jewelry, stainless steel findings are sometimes used.
Earrings and other body rings are also considered to be jewelry, while body art is not. Also, items affixed to a garment, such as buttons, are not considered to be jewelry, even if they are unusual and highly decorative. Also, items such as belts and handbags etc. are not considered to be jewelry, and are considered to be accessories.

Other commonly used materials include glass, such as fused-glass or enamel; wood, often carved or turned; shells and other natural animal substances such as bone and ivory; natural clay; polymer clay; and even plastics. Hemp and other twines have been used as well to create Jewelry that has more of a natural feel.

For platinum, gold, and silver Jewelry there are many techniques to create finishes. The most common are high-polish, satin/matte, brushed, and hammered. High-polished Jewelry is by far the most common and gives the metal the highly-reflective and shiny look. Satin or matte finish reduces the shine and reflection of the Jewelry and is commonly used to accentuate gemstones such as diamonds.

Brushed finishes give the Jewelry a textured look, and are created by brushing a material (similar to sandpaper) against the metal, leaving 'brush strokes'. Hammered finishes are typically created by using a soft, rounded hammer and hammering the Jewelry to give it a wavy texture. Some Jewelry is plated to give it a shiny, reflective look or to achieve a desired color.

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