Gold

Carats
24ct gold is pure gold with nothing else added and is also called 'fine gold' or 4 nines (99.99% pure) by bullion and investment dealers. 24ct is very orange and too soft for most jewellery purposes.

Lower more durable carats of gold are made by mixing and melting 24ct pure gold with other metals for the purpose of making jewellery. This is called making an Alloy. 18ct gold is the best carat or allow of gold for most jewellery purposes; it is "eighteen twenty fourths" 18/24 or 75% gold.
Sometimes you will see it stamped as 750. 9ct gold is "nine twenty fourths" or 37.5% gold. The colour and the intended use of the carat gold determine what other metals will be melted with the gold; metals like copper, silver and palladium are most commonly used in making gold alloys.

Hardness
There is a popular misconception that 18ct gold is softer than 9ct gold. In fact 18ct gold is much harder to bend than 9ct gold and for most purposes this means that a band or a shank on an 18ct ring won't bend or go out of shape as easily as 9ct.

This misconception seems to have been spread by a lot of retail jewellers who are aware (correctly) that 9ct gold bands will wear 18ct gold bands out when they rub along side each other.

After ten years of constant wear when perhaps the thickness of the band on a ring has worn considerably, the 18ct band will maintain its shape, whereas a 9ct band will begin to bend and buckle. The 18ct band actually wears better than the 9ct band and will last longer.

18ct is tougher than 9ct, but 9ct is harder. Strange but true!

Colours
The most popular colour of gold is yellow gold. Silver and some copper is weighed precisely and added to a known weight of gold. The metals are melted together to make an alloy of the desired colour and carat. It is very important that all the ingredients are pure and that the amounts of each are weighed very accurately, otherwise inferior quality jewellery will result.

Pink gold's are made by the addition of larger proportions of copper than silver. Pink gold was the only lower carat gold able to be made until after the 1st World War, when trained metallurgists discovered the addition of a tiny amount of zinc made a 9ct yellow gold alloy. You have probably seen a lot of cheap looking very red repro jewellery at chain stores. At Precious Metals we make our own beautiful reproduction pink gold with good wearing properties and a lovely soft mellow colour for antique styles.

There are two main types of white gold. If nickel is added to gold (5, 10 and 20 cent coins are made of nickel), a hard metal is produced that is ideal for bands and shanks of rings but it is a very difficult metal to bend and work. Because it is tough and brittle it is not used on gem settings for fear of breaking the stones, or springing out of shape resulting in lost stones.

Palladium and platinum are used as colouring metals for gem settings. This produces a pliable metal with a very high melting point so that our jewellers do not melt very fine settings and filigree work as they solder them together. Palladium was much less expensive than platinum, but today it is the other way around, so both are used together these days for improvement of certain features.

White gold's were 'invented' around the 1920's by metallurgists, until that time any white metal jewellery would have to have been made with platinum or silver settings. People who love the art deco period of jewellery will be well aware that a lot of high fashion jewellery was made in the 20's and 30's out of white gold. It's also interesting to note, the number of fringe antique dealers, who will sell you an antique white gold ring. In fact there is no such thing as an antique piece of white gold jewellery, and there won't be for another 15 or so years.

Platinum
Platinum, one of the rarest precious metals, is a white element metal all by itself and does not need any colouring agents. 5% of other rare and expensive metals are added to form an alloy to give platinum better hardness and wearing qualities; this makes a 95% alloy which is usually stamped 'Plat' or 950. Platinum has some advantages over white gold, but because it is so rare, costs much more, and weighs half as much again than white golds, it becomes a very expensive proposition and is only commonly used on gem settings pieces of jewellery. Most of the ring claws and settings we make at Precious metals are Platinum. We make to order and some very special white pieces in all platinum.

Some foreign countries make 'carat' platinum jewellery. This is a much cheaper proposition because there is a much lower percentage of platinum in the alloy.

Sterling Silver
Sterling silver is 92.5% silver with 7.5% copper added to give the metal better wearing qualities. Almost all silver jewellery is made from sterling silver and in fact the two terms are virtually synonymous. We do not stock silver jewellery, but we are very happy to make commissions in silver.

Pearls

Pearls grow naturally in oysters but these days the damage to the environment does not allow harvesting wild oysters. Cultured pearls, which are farmed by seeding or putting a bead into an oyster is the best way for pearls to be grown. There are three main varieties of oyster farmed in different places in the world. The most common is the cultured pearl grown in oysters around the waters of Japan, called the Akoya pearls.

Fresh water pearls are grown in Asian lakes and rivers in fresh water mussels and were once considered as a cheaper alternative but in the past few years the Chinese have learned to grow both good quality and also very large pearls - rivalling South Sea pearls in size. These pearls are solid pearl rather than a thin growth on the outside of a bead, and today are in many ways superior to traditional Japanese style Akoya pearls.

The king of pearls, the South Sea Pearl, is grown in very large oysters in tropical waters. Much of the world's supply of these rarer South Sea Pearls is grown in the waters between Broome and Darwin. These pearls, because of the size of the oyster (sometimes 30cm across) grow to be very large; 10 to 20mm. They are usually silver grey to silver pink in colour and are most highly prized. Necklaces over $10,000 are common and $100,000 necklaces are not rare.

Another variety of South Sea Pearl is the black Polynesian, Cook Island or Tahitian South Sea pearl. The oyster in which these pearls grow is naturally coloured black and consequently the pearl that is farmed in these oysters is also naturally black. These pearls have fallen in price over the past decade to similar prices as equivalent South Sea pearls. They are however more valuable than dyed black Japanese (Akoya) pearls or treaded Fresh Water pearls. All the treatments are however permanent.

Mabe' (pronounced Ma Bay) or blister pearls are grown by inserting a hemispherical bead onto the inside of the shell. The mother of pearls grows as a part of the shell over the top of that bead. This is later cut out of the oyster shell and often used in domed blister pearl earrings etc.

Selecting a string of cultured pearls
When you consider purchasing cultured pearls, the fist thing you look for is LUSTRE, as the intimate and living warm glow catches the eye first and compliments the wearer, enhancing feminine beauty, provided of course, they are also the correct colour. White pinkish shades are always more expensive but it does not follow that one should buy these for their colour alone. The ideal guide is that the pearls should match your complexion or, in some cases, contrast with it, depending upon your type of skin.

Uniformity of matching of the strand is also important. If you coil the strand selected in your hand, then you can see how well the pearls are matched. This way even a single unmatching pearl will stand out immediately. Holding it from end to end stretched would will show you nothing, as it is difficult to remember the shade and match by memory.

The first thing the layman does is to examine and scrutinise each pearl for BLEMISHES. CHEAPER PEARLS WILL HAVE MORE BLEMISHES AND EXPENSIVE PEARLS WILL HAVE LESS, so you take this into account, but bearing in mind, LUSTRE AND COLOUR SHOULD TAKE PRECIDENCE OVER BLEMISHES, since it is not the close scrutiny that is so important, but the general impression. To emphasize this point, we should tell you that despite the fact that experts may be examining the pearls, they would not be able to value them when they are strung and worn, and seen at a near respectable distance. However under concentrated close examination the experts would be able to give you a very definite valuation. Therefore, before you purchase your pearls, consider whether you want something that looks nice and impressive, but costs considerably less then gem quality merchandise or, if you want only the best and nothing but the best, there is no alternative but to buy the best.

Should you want something impressive, but less costly, also look for pearls that are not perfectly round. If your pearls are oval or even slightly pear shaped, then they will be termed baroque, a departure from perfection, they will cost a great deal less. However, when they are strung into a necklace, it may only be by close scrutiny when you hold each pearl individually that you can see that they are less than perfectly round. A fine strand with all the virtues mentioned above, but oval or slightly off round, would be classed as a semi-gem quality strand, because of this point against it. But nevertheless looks beautiful, is beautiful, but costs less. The more baroque (odd shape) the pearl, the less will be the cost. If the pearls are obviously not round, then the string will be significantly cheaper.

Another factor that controls the price of pearls is size. If we assume that a 6mm pearl costs $20 then a 7mm pearl of identical quality might cost $40. The next half size up, 7.5mm, will cost approximately $80 and an 8mm will cost $160 and so on. Therefore if you wish to save money then look for the smallest largest pearl. This seemingly conflicting statement actually means that you select the largest pearl that looks good on you. Then, look for the next half size smaller and decide if it looks well on you. If it does, then try on the next smaller size. After you have established what you want to pay in contrast to the size you would like to have, you endeavour to strike the happy medium between desire and capacity. The pleasure gained from a fine string of cultured pearls will last for more than your lifetime.

Caring for your pearls Pearls will take on a dull yellowish brown appearance if they are allowed to contact perfumes, hair sprays and excessive perspiration etc.. There is a saying, that pearls are the last thing on, on your way out, and the first thing off, when you arrive home. As pearls may dry out and crack with time they should be cleaned with a moist soft cloth from time to time. It is best not to wet the string or cord, as it may rot over time. The pearl itself is better off in water than air! If you wear your pearl necklace or bracelet frequently then restringing is advisable every year or two, both from the security viewpoint, and a dirty brown string does nothing to enhance the beauty of your pearls.

Cleaning your Jewellery

To clean gold and stone set jewellery we recommend using a bowl with some hot water, a dash of cloudy ammonia (from the supermarket) and a liberal squirt of detergent, ordinary household dish washing detergent is fine. Immerse the jewellery and scrub with a toothbrush. Boiling water poured into a bowl with the ammonia and detergent may be used for diamond, ruby and sapphire jewellery. We will happily give you a free bottle of our cleaner (the same recipe as above) with instructions on the label.

Please ask us about cleaning other gems as some need special care, for instance do not put emeralds or opals into our cleaner.

Commercial polishes and polishing cloths give the best results when cleaning silver, we do not recommend the use of patent silver dipping solutions, but if absolutely necessary, you can make a more effective solution by placing the jewellery and/or tableware that you wish to polish in a baking dish lined with aluminium foil. Cover the silver with boiling water and adding a teaspoon of cooking sodium bicarbonate and a pinch of salt. Allow ten or fifteen minutes for the water to cool and you will find that the tarnish will have been taken from the silver and deposited on the aluminium foil, rinse and dry out your pieces. This works a treat on silver cutlery too.

Insurance

If your jewellery is more valuable than $1000 or so your insurance company will probably insist on a registered valuers appraisal. We have a number of registered valuers at Precious Metals at your service and will perform a thorough and professional valuation complete with a digitally stored photo of the article valued.

A valued piece can be covered under an 'all risks' policy which is generally only available from the company your house contents are insured with.
Insurance companies often provide cover on 'unspecified' goods on a household contents policy which covers jewellery up to a specified value. This value is generally set at around $1000-$1500 per piece, and may only cover the jewel while it is on your property, but check this in your own policy. Another limit to this coverage is the total amount you can claim, usually 25% of the total contents coverage.

If you consider the contents policy adequately covers all your pieces, you would not need to pay for separate cover, or the cost of a valuation. Remember this will not usually cover you outside the home. In the case of a loss, as a means of proof of ownership and for your own needs, we do recommend the photocopying of your pieces. This limited cover may also only apply to theft or damage occurring at your home.

To photocopy jewellery, simply lay the pieces on the glass, replace the cover and operate the copier in the normal fashion. Record the description of gold/silver carat and weight (any member of our staff will be happy to weigh the jewellery for you), or whether the piece is of rolled gold, plated metal etc. Include the type of stones, cultured or imitation pearls and any other relevant information. Whilst photographs are useful, photo colours are not always true, and the scales or size can be a problem. In the event of a loss, photocopies are invaluable as from these exact measurements can be made, original weights established, and we can make accurate copies of your original pieces.

We strongly advise you take out 'All Risks' insurance on fragile gems such as emeralds and opals.

Making a Claim
If you need to make a claim, then the following are hints on how to deal with your Insurance Company.

Jewellery Specified on an "All Risks" Insurance Policy
If jewellery insured under an all risks policy is lost stolen or damaged then the amount on the sworn valuation becomes the agreed replacement value. For this reason it is important to keep the valuation up to date, say every year or two. This also gives us an opportunity to check claws etc. If a piece is lost or stolen it needs to be reported to the police.

If your claim is a large one then an Insurance Loss Adjuster may be sent to see you. They are employed by insurance Companies to ensure that you are not claiming too much or falsely making a claim. They are 'independent' in theory but paid for by the insurance company, so minimizing claims is high on their agenda. We advise you to come and see us in case the valuation is too low (are all your valuations up to date?) it may help your case if the replacement value is actually higher now, as sometimes Insurance Companies may claim that your goods have depreciated.

Next, you may be asked to visit a jeweller of the insurance companies choosing to replace your goods. The choice will be based on a 'deal' between the jeweller and the company. You cannot be made to go anywhere you do not feel comfortable. We have never not been able to replace a clients jewellery, although there have been some negotiations and legal threats etc.

It is within your rights to ask to deal directly with Precious Metals.

We are always able to negotiate with Insurance Companies to be your jeweller of choice to supply a replacement from our stock, or made-to-order pieces with the quality and service that you would expect from "Precious Metals".

Rarely are you able to expect a cash settlement. Insurance Companies (rightly) feel that this would encourage the wrong sort of people to lose jewels and make false claims whenever they are a bit short of cash. This results in us all paying higher premiums. We do also recommend that you not try to replace sentimental pieces because you might create a constant reminder of the lost piece. It is usually better to start all over again, and consider replacing several smaller pieces with one or two substantial jewels you will wear every day; that way you are less likely to have things stolen from your home.

Jewellery only Covered by House Contents Policy i.e. Unspecified Goods

It may be that you are able to claim for jewellery lost, stolen or damaged on a normal Household Goods policy. A few hints: - Most will only cover up to $1000 with an excess of $50 to $100. You are usually only covered within your property. If you are told over the phone you cannot claim, we suggest you ask for the policy wording that specifies you cannot claim, in writing if need be. We have often found this phone system stops some customers from making justified claims!

Sometimes people are told they need two or more quotes. Our experience is that if you do not wish to go elsewhere most companies will understand. Furthermore we have agreed replacement 'deals' with most companies, to make yours and our lives more pleasant. Precious Metals has an excellent reputation for fair and honest trading and most of the claims departments recognize that Precious Metals is a 'brand name' jeweller and that the expectations of our clients are not 'ordinary'.

Charges
Charges
We value on a time taken basis which is much fairer than a commission or fee related to the value of the jewellery. An average charge per piece is $65. A large number of pieces may average less, or special jewellery pieces with a many gems may cost more.
With antiques and large rare gems we may seek a second opinion at some additional expense and a little extra time. Each valuation comes with coloured photograph of the article. A registered jewellery valuer performs the valuation. We do not value paintings and furniture and we suggest that anyone who values all your household contents knows a little about a lot.

Time
Most valuations are executed in a few days to a week. We do not like to value by appointment while you wait because we often discuss a valuation with 2 or 3 people. If we can do a valuation while you wait we will charge double the fee to cover the inconvenience.

Gem weights
If you know the carat weights of the gems in your jewellery please tell us, as we will have to estimate them otherwise. This is less accurate and can be at a greater cost to you if there are many gems to measure and to estimate. If we think a diamond weighs .99ct and it actually weighs 1.00ct, we will sometimes have to remove the stone and weigh it. This can add more than $100 to a valuation.

Witholding Information
Sometimes it seems like a good game to see if we guess a higher value than your last valuation. You may be tempted to not give us previous valuations or tell us how much they paid for an item. But sometimes the information on a previous valuation contains vital clues, like the known weights and whether a stone was damaged. Often we will call the previous valuer or the store who sold the piece who will look up private notes and comments etc. So please give us all the information you possibly can, it is in your own best interest.

Damage to Gems
If you have chipped a gem (even diamonds may chip) you have the right to claim insurance replacement for the loss of value of that gem. For example, a 1.00ct chipped diamond may be re-cut and polished to a .90ct gem of half the value.
You must tell us if you see any mention of chips on new valuations as they often have a very severe effect on values. This type of claim is quite difficult and our gemmologists and valuers will help you with the process. Sometimes there is a justifiable claim of many thousands of dollars to be made. This is another very good reason why we need to see any previous valuations.

Security
Whilst in our possession, your goods are protected by an extensive security system, as well as being covered by our Insurance Company. Your own "All Risks" policy would also cover your goods during their stay with us.

Consulting Designing and Remodelling
Precious metals was founded on providing the best designing and remodeling service in Melbourne.

There is no charge for any consultations
Our qualified team of Gemmologists can give you an understanding of quality differences that produce wide variations in gem prices. This will enable you to choose gems to suite your expectations of value.

This service is our core business and we are serious about our guarantee of satisfaction.

We believe that a totally professional approach in sharing the designing with and for you, can only lead to the creation of a piece of jewellery that reflects your taste, style, personality and status. Our business has grown on personal recommendation that we have earned.

We invite you to put us to the test.

To help you create the ring of your dreams, our gemologists and diamond Technologists assist you in the selection of the finest gems. Our designers and Jewellers use their knowledge and skill to work with you and create a masterpiece, a creation reflecting who you are. Our commitment to you is... we guarantee to fulfil all your expectations, or we will re-create your ring at our expense.