There are many metals and materials used to develop jewelry. Gemstones, coins and other precious items are very often used to create jewelry and are usually set in precious metals. Alloys of almost all metals have been used to develop jewelry items. In Roman times, bronze was the most widely used alloy for creating jewelry. Now, in modern times, jewelry is usually made from the following metals i.e. gold, silver, palladium, titanium, white gold, etc. Most gold jewelry worn in the United States and Europe is made from an alloy of gold, the karat being the unit of its purity, presented as a number followed by a K. Gold jewelry in the United Kingdom must be of 9K (37.5% pure gold) and while in America it must be at least 10K pure (41.7% pure gold). As we go up the purity level they are less common with 22K alloys (91.5% pure gold), and 24 karat gold is considered too delicate to make jewelry in America and Europe, includes up to 99, 99% pure gold. In Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries, these high purity alloys are widely used. The silver used in the manufacture of jewelry items is primarily sterling silver, ie. 92.5% pure silver. Aside from these main materials used in jewelry, others include wood, natural animal substances such as bone and ivory, glass such as fused glass or enamel, plastics, polymer clay, and natural.
Beads are very commonly used in jewelry making. Jewelry made from beads commonly includes necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and belts. They can be made of metal, shells, precious stones, glass, wood, natural and polymer clay. The beads used can be large or small, the smallest type of beads used are known as seed beads, these are the beads used for the “weave” style of beaded jewelry.
Another metal that is fashionable among women in jewelry is the diamond. Diamonds were first mined in India. Diamond is very common in rings, necklaces, nose rings, earrings, bracelets, etc.
There is often one more element that is used in jewelry, that is, gemstones. Includes precious and semi-precious stones used for jewelry. Rubies are among the most valued gemstones and are known for their deep red color. Sapphire is the next gemstone, its most popular form being the blue sapphire. The third stone among the 3 most precious stones includes the Emerald, known for its fine green to bluish green color. The other gemstones include amber, amethyst, jade, jasper, quartz, turquoise.