What's My Metal
The Clean Edit

What's My Metal

ID your jewelry's metal to find the best product to keep it sparkling.

White Metal

  • Antiqued or Oxidized Silver Jewelry

    Color Range: Silver with intentionally darkened or blackened areas for contrast

    Tarnishes easily. Very popular set with Turquoise Or semi precious stones. May be Oxidized or Ant...

    Markings: 925 or Sterling
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 2.5-3

  • Silver

    Color Range: Silver-white

    Tarnishes easily. Very popular set with Turquoise Or semi precious stones. May be Oxidized or Ant...

    Markings: 925 or Sterling
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 2.5-3

  • Palladium

    Color Range: Silvery-white

    Whiter and lighter weight than Platinum. Does not tarnish. Hypoallergenic. A good material for ea...

    Markings: Pd, PALL, 950Pd
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 4.75

  • Platinum

    Color Range: Silvery-white with a subtle gray undertone

    Extremely durable, does scratch easy. White color does not need plating. Can be 2x as expensive a...

    Markings: PLAT, PT, PT950, PT900, 950Pt
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 4-4.5

  • Silver Plate

    Color Range: Silver-white appearance (thin layer of silver over base metal)

    Tarnishes easily. May eventually wear to expose inner metal.

    Markings: SP, EPS, or EP.
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 2.5-3

  • Two-Tone

    Color Range: Combination of two metal colors (typically yellow/white, yellow/rose, or silver/gold)

    Jewelry featuring two different colored metals combined in one piece. Common combinations include...

    Markings: Typically marked according to the precious metals used (e.g., 14K/925 for 14K gold and sterling silver)
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: Varies by metals used

  • White Gold

    Color Range: Silvery-white appearance, often rhodium-plated for extra whiteness

    Same as yellow gold but the alloy has a greater amount of white metals. Usually plated with rhodi...

    Markings: 10kt, 10K, 416, 417 = 10kt gold (41.7% pure gold) 14kt, 14K, 585 = 14kt gold (58.5% pure gold) 18K, 750, 18kt = 18kt gold (75% pure gold)
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 2.5-3

Yellow Metal

  • Brass

    Color Range: Gold or Reddish Gold

    Very durable and inexpensive metal. Tarnishes quickly and will leave stains when exposed to skin.

  • Filled Gold Jewelry

    Has a much thicker layer of gold than gold plate, giving it more ability to resist wear and tear.

    Markings: GF

  • Gold Plate

    Will appear and feel just like gold but may eventually wear to expose inner metal which is a lowe...

    Markings: GP, GEP, HGE

  • Gold Vermeil

    Similar to gold plate but the inner metal is silver making it closer to fine jewelry.

    Markings: 925

  • Gold

    Does not tarnish

    Markings: 10kt, 10K, 416, 417 = 10kt gold (41.7% pure gold) 14kt, 14K, 585 = 14kt gold (58.5% pure gold) 18K, 750, 18kt = 18kt gold (75% pure gold)

  • Two-Tone

    Color Range: Combination of two metal colors (typically yellow/white, yellow/rose, or silver/gold)

    Jewelry featuring two different colored metals combined in one piece. Common combinations include...

    Markings: Typically marked according to the precious metals used (e.g., 14K/925 for 14K gold and sterling silver)
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: Varies by metals used

Pink Metal

  • Copper

    Color Range: Pinkish-Orange Color

    A popular and inexpensive metal for cuffs, pendants and rings. Often paired with leather, or othe...

  • Rose Gold

    Also known as pink gold or red gold in the jewelry industry, rose gold owes its blushing color to...

    Markings: 10kt, 10K, 416, 417 = 10kt gold (41.7% pure gold) 14kt, 14K, 585 = 14kt gold (58.5% pure gold) 18K, 750, 18kt = 18kt gold (75% pure gold)

Gray Metal

  • Stainless Steel

    A very hard and durable metal. Scratch resistant. Heavier than Titanium. Does not tarnish or rust...

  • Titanium

    Color Range: Silver-gray (natural), can be anodized to create various colors

    The hardest natural known metal. Scratch resistant. Light weight. Easily colored and may come in ...

    Markings: Ti, Titan, 999
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6

  • Tungsten

    Color Range: Gray to white

    A very hard and durable and heavy metal. Highest Scratch resistance. Does not tarnish or rust. Al...

    Markings: Tungsten, WC
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7.5-8

Precious Gemstones

  • Cubic Zirconia

    Color Range: Colorless (like diamond), but can be produced in virtually any color

    Man-made diamond simulant that is typically flawless and clear. Has higher dispersion (fire) than...

    Markings: CZ
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 8-8.5
  • Diamonds

    Diamonds

    Color Range: Usually clear but can be yellow, pink, blue, brown and gray.

    Does not fog up. Sinks in water. Will be set in an expensive metal such as gold or platinum. High...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 10
  • Emerald

    Emerald

    Color Range: Comes in various hues of green, from dark to light tones.

    Does not sparkle, shines with a dull fire. Are not perfectly clear as they have natural imperfect...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7.5-8

  • Lab Grown Diamonds

    Yes, Lab Grown Diamonds Are Real Diamonds Lab grown Diamonds are 100% diamonds. The only differe...

  • Ruby

    Ruby

    Color Range: Red

    Real rubies glow with a deep, vivid, almost "stoplight" red. Only a diamond can scratch a ruby. C...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 9
  • Sapphire

    Sapphire

    Color Range: Naturally occurring in blue. Can also be yellow, pink, orange, and green.

    Does not fog up. Only reflects light that is the color of the sapphire. Consult with a Profession...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 9

Semi-Precious Gemstones

  • Amethyst

    Amethyst

    Color Range: Purple and Violet

    Generally clear of inclusions but authentic stones may have inconsistencies. Easy to cut and can ...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7
  • Aquamarine

    Aquamarine

    Color Range: Blue to green-blue

    Transparent blue to blue-green beryl gemstone with excellent clarity and a vitreous luster. Named...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7.5-8
  • Citrine

    Citrine

    Color Range: Color range Yellow, Orange, Brown.

    One of the cleanest gemstones available.

  • Crystal

    Color Range: Typically colorless, but can be found in various colors depending on trace minerals

    Clear, transparent form of quartz with a glass-like appearance and excellent light refraction pro...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7 (if quartz crystal); 5-6 (if lead crystal glass)

  • Cubic Zirconia

    Color Range: Colorless (like diamond), but can be produced in virtually any color

    Man-made diamond simulant that is typically flawless and clear. Has higher dispersion (fire) than...

    Markings: CZ
    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 8-8.5
  • Garnet

    Garnet

    Color Range: Color range deep reds, shades orange, light yellows, purple, pinks and greens.

    A group of silicate minerals that form in many colors. Most commonly known in deep red varieties,...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6.5-7.5

  • Birthstone Jewels

    Birthstones are precious or semi-precious gems that correspond to a particular birth month or ast...

    Markings: Color Range Varies
  • Peridot

    Peridot

    Color Range: Color range shades of olive green.

    The gem variety of the mineral Olivine, Peridot ranges from light green to olive-green; the most ...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6.5-7
  • Quartz

    Quartz

    Color Range: Colorless

    Hard crystalline mineral with a glassy luster. Highly resistant to scratching and breaking. One o...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7

  • Spinel

    Color Range: Pink and lavender to red and red-orange, to purple, blue and even black.

    Spinel can range in color from shades of pink and lavender to red and red-orange, to purple, blue...

  • Topaz

    Topaz

    Color Range: Color range colorless, yellow, orange, brown, red, pink, blue, green.

    A hard silicate mineral known for its perfect cleavage and vitreous luster. One of the hardest na...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 8
  • Tourmaline

    Tourmaline

    Color Range: Color range blue, green, red, yellow, pink.

    A complex boron silicate mineral that can display multiple colors in a single crystal (called "wa...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 7-7.5
  • Zircon

    Zircon

    Color Range: Color range reddish brown, yellow, green, blue, gray and colorless.

    Natural zircon is a brilliant gemstone with high refractive index (sparkle) and strong dispersion...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6.5-7.5

Delicate Gemstones

  • Cameo

    Color Range: Color varies by material: shell, agate, carnelian, onyx, ivory, lava, coral, jet, bone, mother of pearl, and various gemstones.

    Authentic carved cameos can be made of shell or natural stone, while authentic painted cameos are...

  • Birthstone Jewels

    Birthstones are precious or semi-precious gems that correspond to a particular birth month or ast...

    Markings: Color Range Varies
  • Tanzanite

    Tanzanite

    Color Range: Blue with a tinge of violet

    A relatively rare blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite. Known for its strong pleochroism (a...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6-7
  • Onyx

    Onyx

    Color Range: Black sometimes with white streaks.

    A type of chalcedony (microcrystalline quartz) characterized by parallel bands of black and white...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 6.5-7
  • Opal

    Opal

    Color Range: Commonly having a bodycolor of white, yellow, gray, black, or brown; With a play-of-color of spectral colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

    A gemstone known for its play of color (flashes of rainbow colors) when viewed from different ang...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 5.5-6.5
  • Pearl

    Pearl

    Color Range: White, cream or gray, but also purple, black, pink, green, champagne, chocolate, blue and lavender

    A real pearl feels cool and warms up when worn. Rub pearls against your teeth with a side-to-side...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 2.5-4.5
  • Turquoise

    Turquoise

    Color Range: Opaque stone with a color range of green to blue that may have veins of brown, gold, or black.

    A hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. Often has matrix patterns (webbing or veins) of the ...

    Mohs Hardness Scale Value: 5-6

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