Metal & Stone Information
Quick reference information to help you get started
Karat Facts
The proportion of gold in jewelry is measured in Karats (K). Pure gold is 24K. 18K gold is 18/24 (75%) pure gold. 14K gold is 14/24 pure gold. 10K gold is 10/24 pure gold. The remaining parts are comprised of other fine metals.
Gold
Gold is the standard in fine jewelry, with a unique richness and brightness. Three fine varieties of gold are available for your high school class ring.
- Yellow Gold: Available in 18K, 14K, & 10K for all ring styles.
- White Gold: Available in 18K, 14K, & 10K for all ring styles
- Crimson Gold®: Available in 10K for all ring styles.
Unless otherwise noted, all ring crests, panels, vistatops, and settings are 10K gold.
Other Metals
- Extreme Silver Alloy® is an alloy that contains 54% silver, 25% palladium, and 3% platinum along with other metals.
- Extreme AuRista™ is an alloy that contains 19% gold, 17% silver, and 8% palladium along with other metals.
- Ultrium® is a non-precious metal alloy.
Metal Finishes
Herff Jones takes the extra step of electrolytically bonding metal finishes to its rings to give you a permanent, lasting finish that highlights the detail of your ring.
- Antique Finish: Applied by using an electrolytic process that results in a permanent dark finish to create design contrast.
- Gold-on-Gold™/Natural Finish: Highly polished without a finish applied. By request, a 24K gold finish can be electrolytically bonded to yellow gold rings.
Stones
The finest simulated and natural stones are available to accent your ring. Choose from a simulated birthstone, natural stone, or base and side stones in an array of combinations.
- Simulated stones include all birthstones (garnet, ultralite, aquamarine, white sapphire, emerald, alexandrite, ruby, peridot, blue spinel, pink sapphire, golden sapphire, and blue zircon), padparadschah, ocean teal, navy blue spinel, all cubic and royal cubic zirconias, and all hope star sapphires.
- Natural stones include jade, genuine mother of pearl, tiger eye, cat’s eye, all agates, and black onyx.
- Other stones – Certain ring styles accommodate crest, panel, base and/or side stones. In many cases, simulated birthstones or cubic zirconias are available. See your Herff Jones Representative for details on point sizes.