Glossary

Glossary

9 Carat: Contains 9 parts gold to 15 parts other metals. Therefore contains 37.5% gold often refered to as 375 fineness.

14 Carat: Contains 14 parts gold to 10 parts other metals.

18 Carat: Contains 18 parts gold to 6 parts other metals. Therefore contains 75% gold often referred to as 750 fineness.

22 Carat: Contains 22 parts gold to 2 parts other metals.

Alloy: A mixture of metals.

American Wire Gauge or AWG: A number which notates the diameter of wire. As the number increases the diameter of the wire decreases. Although AWG uses the same numbers as SWG they refer to different diameters of wire. A comparison table is available here.

Britannia Silver: An alloy of silver which contains a minimum of 96% fine silver.

Carat: A traditional way of identifying the amount of gold in an item. Pure gold is 24 carat. Gold is commonly alloyed with other metals which changes the properties i.e. colour, hardness etc. of the metal.

Fine Gold: Pure gold with no other metals present.

Fine Silver: Pure silver with no other metals present.

Gold Filled: See Rolled Gold

Gold Plate: Or gold electroplate is a thin layer of gold applied to an item by electrochemical means. The thickness of the layer is usually measured in microns or fractions of a micron.

Green Gold: An alloy of gold that appears green, acheived by the addition of silver. Usually only available in 18 carat or 14 carat since the quantity of silver in 9 carat will give the alloy a white appearance.

Nickel Silver: Most importantly despite the name there is NO silver in Nickel Silver metal.  The exact composition of nickel silver can vary but it always composed of copper, nickel and zinc. Used in some cutlery manufacture when it is silver electroplated and referred to as EPNS or Electro Plated Nickel Silver.

Red Gold: An alloy of gold that appears red, acheived by the introduction of higher amounts of copper than in other alloys. May also be referred to as rose gold or pink gold. Available in 9, 14 and 18 carat.

Rolled Gold: One or more layers of carat gold are physically bonded by means of pressure and heat to a base metal layer of copper or nickel alloy to give a sandwich type structure. The thickness of the gold layer in a rolled gold or gold filled item is far greater than that of an electroplated item.

Sterling Silver: Contains 92.5% Silver

Standard Wire Gauge or SWG: A number which notates the diameter of wire. As the number increases the diameter of the wire decreases. Although SWG uses the same numbers as AWG they refer to different diameters of wire. A comparison table is available here.

White Gold: An alloy of gold with other white metals such as silver, nickel, or palladium. Nickel use has been restricted by EU legislation so palladium tends to be used more often in todays white golds.
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