Sought after by explorers, this element is the most widely desired metal in modern jewelry manufacturing. Gold, whose atomic symbol is Au on the periodic table of elements, is naturally yellow in color. The specific gravity of gold is 19.3+, which is quite heavy for metallic minerals. One quality of gold is that it is easily formed into various shapes. This has made it a premium choice for jewelry artisans throughout the centuries. Gold in its purest form is defined as 24 karat. Pure gold is too soft for most jewelry uses, so it is mixed, or alloyed, with other metals to alter its properties and color. It is common to see gold jewelry in 18k or 14k. This represents an alloy that contains 18/24 or 14/24 parts gold in the overall mix. This value could also be expressed in percentages of purity as 75% for 18k and 58.33% for 14k.

Platinum, whose atomic symbol is Pt on the periodic table of elements, is naturally gray, or silver in color. The specific gravity of platinum is 21.5, which is heavier than gold. Platinum for jewelry, as opposed to gold, is used in a nearly pure alloy, which makes for a much heavier piece than the same design made in gold. Platinum is easily formed into various shapes, and it is usually mixed, or alloyed, with other metals such as gold, nickel, iridium, palladium, rhodium, or ruthenium to alter its properties. Platinum will cost approximately 2-4 times as much as the same piece of jewelry made in gold. This is due to the density of platinum as well as the extreme heat and techniques required for its manufacture.