Margaret's Gemstones and Precious Metals Guide

BeJewelled has a Jewellery Department in the Cornucopia Department Store

SILVER - absolutely pure silver is too soft to be realistically formed or used, so is always an alloy, usually with copper, to make it workable.

Sterling Silver = 92.5% silver; 7.5% copper Often just stamped "925" or "Sterling". Best is a lion passant and assay office mark: E.g. Anchor for Birmingham, Leopards's head for London, etc often with a date letter and maker's mark.

Britannia Standard = 98.5% silver; 1.5% copper NB Do not confuse with Britannia Metal which is a form of pewter popular in the 19th Century and usually silver plated.

Continental Silver = 80% silver 20% copper Usually stamped "800"

Mexican Silver, Indian Silver are terms often used in ethnic jewellery and other items are are not true silvers, or, at best, have been unassayed and of unknown composition.

Alpaca Silver = Not a true silver, but an alloy of nickel, iron and zinc, specially designed for craft jewellery making - strong and flexible.

EPNS = Electro Plated Nickel Silver. Again, not silver at all, but nickel alloy plated with a thin layer of silver. When the plating is worn the true metal often shows through exposing a slightly brassy appearance.

EPBM = Electro Plated Britannia Metal (see above).

False Hallmarks. Many manufacturers stamped plated ware, especialy flatware (cutlery), with marks designed to look like silver hallmarks. The practice was banned in the late 19th Century.

GOLD - absolutely pure gold is too soft to be realistically formed or used, so is always an alloy, usually with copper, to make it workable.

9ct = 37.5% gold, 62.5% copper

14ct = 58.5% gold, 41.5% copper (14K = American)

18ct = 75% gold, 25% copper

24ct = 99.0% gold

GEMSTONE JEWELLERY

BIRTH STONES & ZODIAC SIGNS

Aquarius
 Garnet
 Water Carrier
 January 20 - February 18
 
Pisces
 Amethyst
 Fish
 February 19 - March 20
 
Aries
 Bloodstone
 Ram
 March 21 - April 20
 
Taurus
 Sapphire
 Bull
 April 21 - May 20
 
Gemini
 Agate
 Twins
 May 21 - June 20
 
Cancer
 Emerald
 Crab
 June 21 - July 20
 
Leo
 Onyx
 Lion
 July 21 - August 21
 
Virgo
 Cornelian
 Virgin
 August 22 - September 22
 
Libra
 Chrysolite
 Scales
 September 23 - October 22
 
Scorpio
 Beryl
 Scorpion
 October 23 - November 22
 
Sagittarius
 Topaz
 Archer
 November 23 - December 20
 
Capricorn
 Ruby
 Goat
 December 21 - January 19
 
Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds, and Saphires are regarded as precious gems; others are generically referred to as semi-precious gemstones.

BeJewelled deals mostly with semi-precious gemstones, or glass/paste/rhinestone/marcasite alternatives.