Jewelry Tips: The purity of gold is most often measured in fineness, but Americans still use the karat (abbreviated “k’” or “kt”) in jewelry: 24k gold is pure gold (1000 fine); it is too soft to use as jewelry [but excellent for bribery, smuggling and similar enterprises']. 18k gold (750 fine or 75 percent pure) is softer than 14k gold (585 fine, 58.3 percent pure), but has a deeper color. 10k gold (416 fine or just under 42 percent) is the legal minimum; lesser alloys may be marketed as gold tone but not as gold. Gold jewelry imported from outside the USA may use fineness instead of karats to describe its purity.

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Jewelry Tips: These industrial metals are recent additions to the jewelry market. Their popularity continues to grow, as their durability becomes a recognized symbol of strength and permanence.

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Jewelry Tips: Titanium and tungsten carbide are not simple to process. They require additional work and cause more wear on tools, making them comparable to precious metals in price. But you really get what you pay for–the finished products will last forever.

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Jewelry Tips: Titanium jewelry can be brushed or polished to a high luster; it can be anodized to create rainbow-like patterns of light or colored accents. Titanium is also the only jewelry item that can be the setting as well as being in the setting–titanium oxide is used to create titania, an artificial gemstone.

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