Jewelry made from medical steel is quite inexpensive, but at the same time has a decent appearance. They can be a budget alternative to jewelry made from precious metals when you want to add a touch of luxury to your look but don’t have the extra money. The fact is that visually medical steel is very similar to platinum and gold - at first glance it’s impossible to tell the difference.
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Main advantages and disadvantages
Jewelry made from medical steel should be in every woman’s jewelry box. There are several compelling reasons to buy them:
- aesthetic appearance - usually the steel is plated with gold, which makes it identical in color to real gold;
- budget price - jewelry made from medical steel will be affordable for almost everyone. For example, an openwork chain around the neck costs, on average, 135 hryvnia. And if it is made of silver and gold, then its value will be two to three times more;
- hypoallergenic - the alloy does not use nickel. Therefore, it is safe for allergy sufferers and people with sensitive skin;
- wear resistance - steel does not corrode and is durable, which ensures a long service life for jewelry made from it.
Meanwhile, this material also has certain disadvantages. The main one is that with continuous wear, its top layer begins to wear off. As a result, the decoration loses its aesthetic appearance.
Negative aspects of medical alloy
No matter how attractive medical alloy products may be due to their advantages, they, like any product, have a number of disadvantages:
- Unlike precious gold products, medical steel can wear down over time even though it successfully resists corrosion and has a long service life. If the product is not cared for carefully enough, subjected to mechanical stress and frequent chemical treatment, the protective layer will wear off over time.
- Many lovers of jewelry made from medical gold consider the lack of hallmark on the jewelry to be a disadvantage. The reason is that they do not belong to the class of jewelry.
- If we compare the prices of jewelry made of medical alloy and ordinary jewelry, then in the first case it is several times higher .
- We must remember that abrasive detergents should not be used .
- There is a risk of purchasing a fake, because it is difficult to determine the quality level of the alloy with the naked eye.
How to distinguish from gold
Since the medical alloy has external similarities with real metal, you need to know how to distinguish it from gold. There are certain differences:
- On products made from noble metal, a sample is knocked out. It indicates the amount of gold in the alloy. The sample is not indicated on medical alloy products. In this case, the noble metal acts as a decorative coating.
- Without proper care, the appearance of the products deteriorates. This is due to the fact that the decorative layer of the noble metal is completely erased over time. With proper care, jewelry made from medical material will serve for many years without changing in appearance.
- The price of alloy products is much lower than that of precious metals.
Visually, the material is practically no different from real gold and without proper knowledge it is quite difficult to distinguish them.
Product Inspection
Features of the material
Medical steel is an alloy of several types of metals that are resistant to corrosion and have high hardness. Initially, it was used exclusively for the production of medical instruments, in fact, this is where the name came from. But years later, jewelers discovered its unique properties and began to actively use it to make budget-class jewelry. The material has a homogeneous, non-porous structure, is easy to decorate, and has antiseptic properties.
Manufacturing methods
Using Gold Filled knurling technology. The workpiece is coated with a thin gold sheet under high temperature conditions. On such products the carat value of the gold leaf is indicated.
Another method is galvanic Gold Plated. The product is ideally polished and degreased. Then a thin layer of gold plating is applied using an electric current.
To obtain white copper gold, PVD technology is used for coating - vapors of the precious metal are sprayed under vacuum. As a result, it acquires the same noble color and cool white shine.
If you are interested in how to test medical gold for quality, then determine by the manufacturing method. A high-quality product made using Gold Filled technology. It is more durable.
Medical steel jewelry
In fact, there is no such thing as “medical” steel. More precisely, there is no alloy with that name. The medical term for steel is the 300th series. These are stainless mixtures consisting of iron and chromium. Depending on additional impurities and the number of basic elements, the alloy is divided by number. For example, in the 304th version, carbon is not 0.1%, as in the 300th, but 0.97%. The difference is minimal, but it affects the weldability and hardness index. Less element C means less strength.
Initially, the material found application in surgery, which is why it began to be popularly called medical. Stainless steel does not cause allergies. This is important when invading the body during surgery. Unusual reactions can cause anaphylactic shock and death. If the material of the instruments rusts, particles of oxidized metal will enter the body. This, at a minimum, will cause an inflammatory process.
So, it’s clear why steel of the three hundredth series was useful to doctors. But why do jewelers need it? Partly, then, why do doctors need it? The absence of skin reactions to the alloy allows everyone, without exception, to wear products made from it. Corrosion resistance keeps jewelry looking pristine for many years. No rust means no marks on the skin. Medical steel does not care about external influences. It does not lose its aesthetic appeal and properties in water, under the scorching sun, or when exposed to high temperatures (up to 700 degrees Celsius).
The medical alloy does not chip, which is a problem even with some precious metals. At the same time, steel costs pennies compared to silver, gold or platinum. The most sophisticated design solutions usually cost around a thousand rubles. By the way, the range of models made from a mixture of iron and chromium is wider than the selection of samples from valuable materials. Jewelers do not take risks when producing the same gold products. If they are not bought, the losses will be significant. This leads to some stagnation of the market, the production of proven, classic samples. Steel is a budget option; melting down part of the collection is not so scary. Therefore, craftsmen create non-standard, catchy, exquisite models.
Medical alloy has become a favorite of men. They strive to buy jewelry made from medical steel to emphasize their masculinity, inflexibility, and sense of taste. Stainless steel is a new trend in jewelry fashion. Despite the ignoble origin of the alloy, leading fashion houses use it in their collections. Steel jewelry adorns selections of the brands “Pandora”, “JuicyCiuture”, “INORI”. “Dolce & Gabbana” make watch cases from the latest collection from steel. The Italians complemented their creations with gems. “Time keepers” with a mother-of-pearl dial from CalvinKlein are also made from a medical alloy. Demi Moore, Nicole Kidman, Rita Ore, Kate Moss have these chronometers.
Externally, the alloy is almost identical to samples made of silver and white gold. Crystals look great against the background of stainless metal. The sheen of steel enhances the shine of both precious stones and their imitations. This new piece of jewelry does not require special care; it is enough to occasionally wipe the pieces with a soft cloth. The alloy does not darken or tarnish over time.
It is worth noting that the detailed composition of the jewelry mixture significantly exceeds two or even three positions. It's not just carbon mixed into the iron and chromium base. The alloying elements are also: molybdenum (2.5%), manganese (1.2%), silicon (0.4%), sulfur (0.02%) and phosphorus (0.035%). These components of steel make it more malleable and visually attractive.
Medical steel was introduced to jewelry back in the 18th century. French jewelers were the first to use the alloy for rings and earrings. Then, the fashion trend moved to England. Russia, or more precisely, its Empress Catherine the 2nd, did not stand aside. She ordered the craftsmen of the Tula plant to make jewelry from steel.
At court, surgical alloy was worn exclusively by men. In the 19th century, the Baroque style became fashionable. This stylistic direction suggests chic and excess. Lots of curls, jewels, glitter of gold. Simple sophistication was no longer perceived. The material was banished from jewelry making. A triumphant return occurred in the 90s of the last century. The Italians remembered stainless steel. They began to produce jewelry from base metal. Today it is one of the richest jewelry holdings in the country, which indicates the stunning success of steel products.
Steel is credited with magical properties. In the old days, the material was the basis for amulets. The Slavs, Scythians and others believed that the iron-based alloy repels evil spirits. If you agree with the esoteric indicators of steel, it becomes clear why such success was expected. A company that produces surgical alloy jewelry cannot be jinxed.
Composition and marking of alloys
A particularly hard, abrasion-resistant alloy is obtained by adding vanadium with cobalt (marked “T”) or vanadium with carbon (marked “M”) to it. The numbers indicate the percentage content of these elements. In the manufacturing industry, HSS alloys are used, in production - 03X17H14M3. Dentures and crowns are made from honey alloys based on chromium/nickel or chromium/cobalt. Instruments for surgical operations, which must be durable and resistant to corrosion, are made from medical gold with the addition of titanium.
Among other additives, shiny metals are most often used:
- silver;
- copper;
- brass;
- molybdenum;
- manganese;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- nickel.
Depending on its composition, medical gold has shades ranging from almost white to reddish-yellow, copper-colored. In some of its types there is no gold as such at all. For example, the composition of “French gold” includes 53.8% copper, 16.7% tin, 25% zinc. A “mosaic” alloy of copper and zinc in equal proportions is similar to gold nuggets. History knows many alloys that are similar in shade to noble metal. Due to their physical and chemical properties, experts also classify some of them as medicinal gold.
Care and operation
To preserve the appearance of medical gold jewelry for many years, you need to properly care for it:
- First of all, you need to store the products correctly. If they are not on the body, you need to put them in a separate box so that they do not come into contact with other jewelry. Do not use plastic containers or cellophane bags for storage.
- It is advisable to remove jewelry when playing sports.
- Do not overheat the product. It is not recommended to leave the jewelry for a long time in direct sunlight.
- Special ultrasonic equipment can be used to clean jewelry. This is how noble metals are cleaned to avoid damage to the decorative layer.
- Do not use abrasive materials when cleaning. For cleaning, special compounds are used to clean jewelry.
- To restore shine to your jewelry, you need to wash it in warm, soapy water. Next, the product is wiped with sodium hyposulfite. Do not use solutions that contain active chemicals.
Jewelry is often cleaned of plaque using chalk. To do this, the product is rubbed with this material and then wiped with a damp cloth. It is advisable to rinse the jewelry in a solution of soapy water once a week. To increase the effectiveness of the procedure, you need to clean them with a toothbrush while rinsing. Do not use metal brushes.
