stainless steel
introduction
Not only the common precious metals such as silver and gold are used, to make jewelry. Many pieces of jewelry are also made of steel, The use of stainless steel is particularly popular here. Stainless steel is a type of steel, which is particularly pure. In terms of its chemical properties, this steel is very stable, it can be edited easily and its appearance is appealing. All of these qualities ensure it, that high quality jewelry can be made with stainless steel.
history
Compared to stainless steel, the materials silver and gold have a thousand years of tradition, when it comes to making jewelry. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is still relatively new in jewelry production. Not until the year 1912 was for the steel, which is extremely corrosion resistant, the patent pending. But right from the start, stainless steel was used in a variety of ways. Stainless steel is a real all-rounder and is used in road construction, used in the furniture branch and industry. But the jewelry industry only realized the potential of steel relatively late.
Of course, the value of stainless steel is not as high as that of silver or gold. However, the look of necklaces is different, Wedding rings and bracelets made from the noble steel are unsurpassed. This is precisely why stainless steel is the first choice, when it comes to innovative and modern materials for jewelry. The material is also very popular in the area of wristwatches.
The 21. century
relies on stainless steel - The growing importance
The popularity of stainless steel continues to grow. Particularly with this material is, that it exudes delicacy and elegance, but is nevertheless very robust. In addition, the skin tolerance of the stainless steel jewelry is better, than with other precious metals or alloys. this leads to, that even people with severe allergies can wear the fine jewelry of the highest quality and benefit from the very good price-performance ratio. The most important argument in favor of stainless steel, however, is, that the wear on this jewelry is very low. There is hardly any wear and tear here. However, this advantage is also one of the main disadvantages of stainless steel. Because the material is extremely hard, why, for example, wedding rings, which are made of stainless steel, can hardly be changed afterwards.
Stainless steel in jewelry production
When making jewelry, high-quality and valuable metals are usually used. But not only the common precious metals like silver or gold are meant. Steel also plays a large and important role in jewelry production. Stainless steel is a very attractive and robust material, from which jewelry can be made. The term refers to all types of steel, which have a particularly high degree of purity. In this context that means, that sulfur- and phosphorus ingredients not in one concentration, the above 0,025 Percent is present in the alloy. As a rule, the stainless steel is rust-free.
As a feature for the classification, however, this is not decisive, because there are also stainless steels that can rust, as well as other steels, which can also be rustproof. Hence the decisive criterion, whether it is stainless steel, just about the respective concentrations of the substances in the alloy. Steels, which are particularly high-purity and during the manufacturing process other types of metal such as silicon and aluminum are separated out, are referred to as stainless steel. However, it is also possible, that a stainless steel is an alloy, here the components involved are usually Job, Titan, molybdenum, Nickel or chromium.
The chemical resistance of stainless steel is very high, therefore the processing is uncomplicated and the look is extremely attractive. These qualities make the material a perfectly suitable fabric, to make high-quality pieces of jewelry out of it.
General information on stainless steel jewelry
Jewelery is an object, which is often used in everyday life. Therefore it is constantly exposed to climatic and physical influences. These influences can cause scratches and signs of wear and tear on the jewelry, for example. surfaces, that were once dull, can get traces of shine, and shiny jewelry can lose its shine over time. Signs of wear can appear on any material. However, this makes the piece of jewelery unique and gives it its very own personal and individual look.
Rings for an eternity
Who decides on a wedding ring or an engagement ring made of stainless steel, certainly does not make the wrong choice. Not only is stainless steel extremely stable and of high quality, but also the color of the rings will not change over the years. The price for rings made of this material is much lower than rings made of silver or gold. So it's hardly surprising, that demand for marriage- or engagement rings made of stainless steel continues to grow. The very smooth surface of stainless steel means there is enough space for more, decorative elements are required, such as an engraving or a set with precious stones.
Advantages of stainless steel
Stainless steel is extremely resilient and can be used in many ways. So it is not surprising, that the material is enjoying growing popularity in the jewelry industry. The jewelery, which is made of stainless steel, is particularly scratch-resistant, because the material is very hard. It is much harder than gold or silver. In addition, the material has a high level of corrosion resistance and can, in contrast to jewelry made of silver, do not oxidize. In addition, stainless steel is very easy to maintain in daily use.
Another positive characteristic is the stainless steel: On the surface of steel is due to the outside environment, formed a layer like water or air, which consists of chromium oxide. This layer protects the steel from all other external influences. In case the surface is damaged, the protective layer of chromium oxide forms again automatically. One can speak of a kind of self-healing effect here.
Different finishes
In the field of jewelry, stainless steel has been an indispensable part of the jewelry industry for some time now. The popularity of this material continues unabated. Stainless steel has a gray-silver color, which goes with many different looks and styles. Since the coatings can, however, be made in very different colors, However, the stainless steel jewelry is even more changeable. Whether noble yellow gold, modern rosegold, Light silver or casual black - there are no limits to creativity when it comes to the surface coating of the steel. This type of coating is also known as plating.
Various techniques can be used to achieve this: The pouring on, the welding, dipping or rolling on a filigree metal foil. The very durable ion plating is particularly popular nowadays. Here, the surface is first cleaned by ion bombardment. An evaporator source then vaporizes the material, which is then to be coated with the corresponding metal. This creates a layer on the product. The metal, that is coated, is heated strongly during this process. In addition to changing the color, this also increases the resistance to wear and tear of the material.
Caring for stainless steel properly
The material is very inexpensive to maintain. A lint-free cloth, A little mild soap and conventional water are sufficient for this. Is the surface shiny?, the shine can be further enhanced by using cotton wool. If the surface is originally matt, which has become shiny over time, can be counteracted here with a matting fleece. Of course it is also possible, to clean the stainless steel jewelry in an ultrasonic bath.
Types of stainless steel
Chromstahl
Chromium steel is an alloy of chromium and iron. This is used in the manufacture of cookware, cutlery, Scissors and knife blades used. Chrome steel is very inexpensive.
Chrome-nickel steel
Chrome-nickel steel is an alloy made from nickel, Chrome and iron. This is particularly resistant to corrosion. This steel is used for the production of high quality cookware and cutlery, Dishwashers, Washing machines and sinks.
Chrome-manganese steel
This is an alloy made of manganese, Understand chromium and iron, which has a very high resistance.
Production takes place in complex mechanical and chemical processes. The iron is always the basis. In a first step, the iron is processed into steel. Im 18. In the 19th century, the big step in the development of the iron industry took place, when the blast furnace was invented. Today steel is one of the most important materials in people's lives. Several million tons of it are produced every year.
There is a suitable type of steel for a number of purposes. In industry in particular, steel is used in almost all areas, especially in the construction industry. This is not surprising, because this has a number of advantages. However, there is also the downside, that steel can rust and the surface can be damaged if it comes into contact with acid. This can be counteracted with an appropriate alloy composition.