T D Gold & Collectables

Gold has always been regarded as the most important precious metals used in jewellery due to its rich colour, durability and malleability.

Gold is very rarely used in its pure form because of its softness. The natural colour of gold is yellow but when other alloys are introduced to create the alloy the colour can be produce in pure white or yellow with tinges of red (rose) or green.

The following are the standard carat weights used in jewellery:

9 carat - 37.5% pure

14 carat - 58.5% pure

18 carat - 75% pure

22 carat - 91.66% pure

In 1854 12 and 15 carat gold was introduced as an additional standard but is no longer in use today having been phased out in the 1930's. Jewellery produce in these carat weights are sort after in their own right.

Because of it white colour complimenting diamonds silver was widely used in C18th jewellery for the setting of diamonds. After huge silver deposits were discovered in Nevada in 1860 it became widely accepted metal for jewellery use having previously been referred to or thought as peasant jewellery.

Birmingham was the center of silver production in the C19th with manufacturers turning out silver in huge quanties.

Continental silver varies in pureness from 80 - 95% while British silver is 92.5% pure.

Platinum was discovered in the mid-C18th in South America but was not widely commercially used until the very end of the C19th.

Platinum is a silver-grey colour and is an extremely durable and strong metal which does not tarnish or corrode, ideally suited for the setting of gemstones and in producing delicate looking settings and filigree work. It is the rarest and most expensive of all metals so it is only used in the finest of jewellery. Platinum is also completely hypo-allergenic, ideal for people who suffer from allergies to gold and silver.

Platinum is now mined in Alaska, South Africa, Columbia and the former Soviet Union.

Platinum jewellery was previously simply marked 'PLAT' but in 1975 and onwards platinum pieces were mark with the symbol of an Orb. Sometimes pieces were made using a mixture of Platinum and white gold and these are marked 'PLAT & GOLD'

Christopher Pinchbeck, a London watch maker in around 1720,invented an alloy of copper and zinc which, although lighter, looked exactly like gold. It was originally developed for the use in watch cases it quickly came into use in jewellery. Real Pinchbeck jewellery is not particularly abundant now but the pieces that do survive have the same quality and workmanship as gold jewellery. Other makers were producing their own inferior alloy alternatives to gold but they had little success and none was as good as Pinchbeck.

Pinchbeck became virtually obsolete after 1854 having reached its peak in the 1830's and 1840's. In 1854 it became illegal to sell lower carat gold so as a cheaper alternative to gold electro plate and rolled gold became the norm.