Metal Cufflinks
Gold - Pure gold is too soft for ordinary use and is hardened by alloying with silver, copper, and other metals. When selling it in the form of jewelry, gold is measured in karats (k), with pure gold being 24k. However, it is more commonly sold in lower measurements of 22k, 18k, and 14k. A lower "k" indicates a higher percent of copper or silver mixed into the alloy, with copper being the more commonly used metal between the two.
Sterling Silver - The sterling silver cufflinks which Orosilber offers to its customers is 92.5% pure silver. Pure silver, also known as fine silver, is very soft and would easily damage. Therefore, this pure silver is combined with another metal, most commonly copper, to create a much harder and more durable silver. 92.5 percent of the silver product is pure silver and the other 7.5 percent is copper. Copper is used because it improves the metal’s hardness, without changing the beautiful color of sterling silver.
Brass Alloy - Brass is the term used for alloys of copper and zinc, the amount of zinc varying from 5-45 % to create a range of brasses each with unique properties. By varying the proportions of copper and zinc, the properties of the brass can be changed, allowing hard and soft brasses. The relatively low melting point (900–940 °C depending on composition) of brass and its flow characteristics make it a relatively easy material to cast. It is relatively resistant to tarnishing.
316L Stainless Steel - 316L surgical stainless steel have the low nickel content causes less allergic reaction than many other types of metal jewelry. It is non-porous, which means that bacteria cannot infect the metal and be spread as long as it is kept clean
Titanium - Titanium is well known for its excellent resistance to corrosion; it is almost as resistant as platinum, being able to withstand attack by acids, A metallic element, it is also well-known for its high strength-to-weight ratio. It is a light, strong metal with low density that, easy to work, lustrous, and metallic-white in color. Titanium have an ultimate tensile strength equal to that of high strength low alloy steels, but are 43% lighter.
Plating
Rhodium - This rhodium finish adds a luster that gives metal the same, high-quality look as platinum and it eliminates tarnishing completely.
Gold - A thin coating of electroplated or mechanically plated gold on top of a base metal
Silver - Indicates that the cufflinks are made from a mixture of base metal. Typically, a very thin layer of silver is bonded through an electrical process to a base metal core.
Enamel
Enamel is a decorative technique in which a glass "paste" is applied to the surface of a metal. This glass composition adheres to the metal through fusion under very high temperatures. The color of the enamel and its degree of transparency depend on the metal oxides that exist in the glass and the temperature at which the glass melts and coheres to the surface.
Stones
Cubic Zircon - Cubic zircon are brilliant, flawless, manmade stones that look exactly like diamonds or colorful gemstones, but at a fraction of the price. Cubic zircon stones have the same brilliance of diamonds and other gemstones, and to the naked eye look identical.
Onyx - A banded variety of chalcedony; onyx comes in both white and black. Some onyx is natural, but most is caused by staining the agate.
Mother of Pearl - Also known as Nacre, mother of pearl is a naturally occurring inorganic-organic composite. It has an iridescent appearance due to its thick aragonite palates. Mother of pearl is extremely popular in jewelry for its unique and exquisite look.
Cat’s Eye - Cat eye stone is gemstone that displays a thin band of reflected light on its surface when cut as a cabochon. Cabochon is a convex style of cutting gems. The optical effect, known as chatoyancy, is caused by the reflection of light from very thin, closely spaced filaments in parallel arrangement within the stone. These are created from quartz fibers which are fused together, then machine-cut into shapes.
Turquoise - Possibly the rarest and most valuable mineral, turquoise is known for its stunning blue colors and luminosity. It has been mined for thousands of years and continues to grow in value and popularity.
Sodalite - An incredibly scarce mineral known for its sodium content, sodalite is one of the purest blue gemstones in the world. In addition to its luminous blue color, it is extremely translucent.
Tiger’s Eye - An overwhelmingly popular gemstone in jewelry, tiger’s eye is know for its yellow and brown colors and silky luster. A common member of the quartz family, its qualities are very similar to that of single-crystal quartz.
Malachite - With a truly unique banded green color, malachite is one of the worlds most beautiful and recognizable minerals. Many pieces of jewelry pair malachite with other minerals to create a one-of-a-kind color contrast.
Jade - Found in two different mineral forms, jade is well known for its emerald green color and toughness. It is stronger than steel and used to be used in tools and weapons.
Hematite - The mineral form of iron oxide, it has a reddish color caused by powder in the minerals. Hematite minerals are very rare and heavily collected as a result of its unique color.
Cubic Zirconia - A man-made, synthetic stone used as an inexpensive alternative to a diamond or other colored stone.
Note: Zircon is a natural gem which has no connection with cubic zirconia.
Finishes
Brushed Finish - A textured finish made by using a wire brush or other tool to impart fine lines on the metal surface resulting in a matte rather than highly polished surface. This is also known as a satin finish.
Enamel - technique used to add decorative color to metals. Made up of a vitreous pigment of metallic oxide mixed with powdered glass, it is fused to the surface of a metal like copper, bronze, silver, or gold under very high temperatures. The colors and transparency of the fused glass will depend on the metal oxides used and the temperature during firing. Also, see cloisonné and Plique-a-jour.
Matte Finish - Jewelry which has a non-reflective metal surface is referred to as having a matte finish as opposed to jewelry that is highly polished. The surface will appear frosted, uniformly scratched or brushed and is created using various techniques including a chemical processes, sand blasting, tumble polishing or created by hand using abrasives.
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