Q: What materials are safe for people with nickel allergies?
A: Many costume jewelry items are made of alloys containing nickel, or are nickel-plated. Platinum, 14k or better gold, titanium, sterling silver, copper, and acrylic can be safely worn by those allergic to nickel. Surgical stainless steel can contain up to 8% nickel, but it is normally bound so tightly that it does not make contact with the skin.

Q: What is fine pewter?
A: Modern pewter, better known as fine pewter, is a lead-free alloy of tin mixed with a small proportion of another metal like copper, antimony, bismuth, and sometimes silver. It is safe for use in food and drink items. Fine pewter is prized for its silvery-gray color and because it will not rust.

Q: Are your pewter items lead-free?
A: All pewter items available through The Jewelry Casket are lead-free unless otherwise stated in the item description.

Q: What are the benefits of rhodium plating?
A: Rhodium is a member of the platinum group that is hard, highly reflective, and extraordinarily resistant to corrosion. Rhodium-plated items will remain scratch-resistant, bright, and attractive for years. It is commonly electroplated on white gold, platinum, silver, and copper.

Q: What is surgical or 316 stainless steel?
A: Surgical stainless steel is an alloy of iron, carbon, chromium, molybdenum, and sometimes nickel. The word surgical refers to the fact that these types of steel are well-suited for making surgical instruments because they are easy to clean and sterilize, strong, and corrosion-resistant. 316 surgical steel is used in the manufacture and handling of food and pharmaceutical products (implants) where it is often required in order to minimize metallic contamination.

Q: What is sterling silver?
A: Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. Other metals can replace the copper to improve various properties of the alloy such as reducing casting porosity, eliminating firescale, and increasing resistance to tarnish. These replacement metals include germanium, zinc, and platinum. Many items made from sterling silver are stamped "925" or " Sterling " in an innocuous spot. Sterling silver can be antiqued to a dark black or given a high polish.

Q: Is Tibetan Silver actually silver?
A: Tibetan silver is an alloy of silver containing brass, copper and nickel. The silver content can be anywhere from 20-60%. Tibetan silver is known for its distinctive darker hue.

Q: Is “German Silver” or “Nickel Silver” actually silver?
A: No. These "silvers" are base metal alloys of copper with nickel and often zinc. They are named for their silvery appearance and contain no elemental silver. Common names for this type of alloy are Paktong, New Silver, and Alpacca. The Jewelry Casket will not use any of the above descriptors, because they are misleading. Items will be described as “base metal” or “silvertone metal”.

Q: What is a base metal?
A: Base metals (as opposed to noble metals) are non-precious metals including iron, copper, brass, aluminum, lead, nickel, tin, and zinc. In costume jewelry, base metals are often plated with gold, silver, nickel, or rhodium for visual appeal and corrosion resistance. Items described as "white metal" are generally made of a tin-based alloy.

Q: What is a noble metal?
A: Noble metals are metals that are resistant to corrosion or oxidation, unlike most base metals. Noble metals frequently used in jewelry are gold, silver, platinum, and rhodium.

Q: Why are lead crystals more sparkly than glass?
A: Lead crystal is lead glass that has been hand or machine cut with facets. Lead oxide added to the molten glass gives lead crystal a much higher index of refraction than normal glass, and consequently much greater "sparkle". Crystal can consist of up to 33% lead, at which point it has the most sparkle. The higher lead content also makes it much more difficult to form crystal during blowing, which is why lead crystal items are more expensive than regular glass.

Q: Can I get lead poisoning from wearing lead crystal jewelry?
A: No. Lead poisoning occurs when items containing lead are ingested. Please do not eat your jewelry. However, please note that jewelry items containing lead crystal are not intended for wear or use by children, as children frequently put inappropriate items into their mouths.

Q: What are Swarovski pearls?
A: Swarovski pearls are simulated pearls of the highest quality. The special coatings on the pearls are lead-free, resistant to perfume, sun rays, perspiration, and wear.