Jewel School

Metals

14K VS 18K

M. Flynn makes jewelry in 14k rose, white and yellow gold. We also make jewelry in 18K yellow, white and rose gold which is the standard in Europe. 14K and 18K refers to the amount gold in the metal mix. 18K has 75% pure gold while 14K has a little more than 58 % gold. We always tell people that 18K is better for people with metal allergies but it will have a richer gold look than 14K.

YELLOW, WHITE, ROSE GOLD

We love working with all types of gold. Keep in mind that the metal color you choose will influence the color of the stones you’re setting in it. Rose gets its color with copper alloys and white gold uses a variety of white metals to make it a white gold. White gold will always have a bit of a yellow hue so it will also be plated with Rhodium, a relative of platinum, to make it appear very white like platinum. This plating will need to be maintained through the lifetime of the jewelry piece.

PLATINUM

Platinum is a heavier metal than gold & also very white. If you’re buying a “colorless” diamond, it sometimes makes sense to enhance that white color by setting the stone in platinum.

STERLING SILVER

We will repair silver but do not work with sterling in our custom work.

ALLERGIES

Metal allergies are so specific to each individual and they can change over time. We suggest if you are sensitive to set in platinum or you may want to rhodium plate the inside of your 14K gold ring to prevent a reaction. This may have to be maintained through the life of the piece.