Everything You Need to Know About the Different Jewellery Metals

2nd Apr 2024

Madalynne Clifton

Learn about the different jewellery metals and their unique properties to help you decide which metal suits you best. 9ct or 18ct rose, yellow, white gold, or silver are all amazing options depending on what you’re looking for.

You’ve sifted through countless Google searches to find the perfect jewellery piece, found your soon-to-be signature heirloom, and double checked the size, now you’re in for the most difficult decision of all. Which metal will you choose?

While it might seem like a matter of looks alone, choosing a metal that suits your personal style and your lifestyle can help ensure that your jewellery lasts as long as possible. Of course, you can let colour be your guide, but taking into account other factors like hardness, durability, and longevity are also smart when deciding between jewellery metals. Depending on how active you are, how often you wear your jewellery, and whether you want an everyday or occasional piece, the metal you choose will make a difference in the lifespan of your jewellery.

So, how do the various jewellery metals differ? To find out about the different options and learn about how they wear long-term, read on.

Understanding Jewellery Metals

To better understand the different metal types, we’ll break them down based on colour: gold-tone or white-tone. Gold-tone metals that you might consider include yellow gold and rose gold, while white-tone metals cover white gold and silver.

Gold-Tone Metals

Love an all-gold jewellery look?

If you know that you want your jewellery to sit on the spectrum of warmer gold tones, you’ll first want to narrow down your search to the specific shade you like best. For a classic yellow hue, yellow gold will be the way to go. For a warmer, pinker colour, you’ll want to look at rose gold.

Once you’ve got the colour decided, you’ll want to consider purity. While similar in look and feel, 9ct and 18ct gold differ in many ways. The carat number refers to the amount of pure gold in the metal, while the remainder of the weight is made of different alloys. The lower the carat number, the less pure gold in the jewellery piece.

The purity level you choose will not only determine the amount of pure gold in the jewellery, but it will also affect the cost and longevity of the jewellery piece.

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