06-24-22 Metal Markets
Gold $1,825.45
Silver $20.86
Platinum $911.00
Palladium $1,861.00
Iridium $4,900.00
Ruthenium $615.00
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Home | Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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Metal Alloys

White Gold

Does Hoover & Strong have an extra white gold alloy or Bright White Alloy on the market?

Hoover & Strong does have a high white gold alloy in 14K (14H) and 18K (18H) white gold, called Brilliant White gold (please note, available in casting grain only). However, jewelers need to be aware that all of these products contain a high amount of NICKEL. These alloys may be slightly more hypoallergenic than its predecessors, but these alloys still have the same problems of all high nickel alloys. They are harder to work, harder to cast and more prone to prong failure. Hoover & Strong promotes 950 palladium as a better option - TruPd is pure, white, precious and strong. 950 palladium is naturally white, needs no Rhodium, is malleable and is similar in cost to 14K gold.

Do you have a new and improved 18K white alloy suitable for rolling?

Hoover & Strong's Brilliant White gold offers jewelers a high white color. However, because of the high nickel content it is not suitable for rolling. Hoover & Strong recommends their 14K & 18K palladium white gold or 950 palladium for rolling, because of its malleability.

Is WCA alloy suitable for rolling?

WCA is a casting alloy to make 18k white gold; it is very difficult to work with because of the high nickel content. However, it can be rolled with effort and care. This is the reason that we suggest that you order Hoover & Strong's 18k white fabricated material.

What percent of palladium does your 14K and 18K palladium white gold have in it?

Both of our palladium white gold alloys have 13% palladium included.

Yellow Gold

Why does your 14KY gold stock have a reddish tint?

Hoover & Strong offers two 14K yellow gold alloys; 14K Yellow and 14K Royal. Some customers see these alloys as more toward the pinkish hue and greenish hue respectively. These alloys expand our precious metal offerings to our customer base to meet their design needs.

Fancy Colored Gold

How can you make a darker green alloy than your 14 and 18 green?

Green gold color is dependent on both the gold and silver content to achieve its maximum green color. Therefore, you cannot get as green of a color in 14K as with 18K. Hoover & Strong's 18k green is as green as you can get, unless you alloy 75% gold and 25% silver. However, the 75/25 alloy too malleable or soft for most jewelry use. If you add more silver to our 14k green alloy it will not get greener, it gets paler.

What makes green gold green?

Platinum

Hoover & Strong adds iridium to platinum to harden its platinum. Is iridium by itself harder than platinum?

Yes, Iridium is extremely hard. Customers have asked if they could make a ring out of iridium. It would be very difficult to cast a ring in iridium (although Hoover & Strong has done it) and it will crack very easily.

What is 585 platinum?

585 platinum is a platinum alloy that has 58.5% pure platinum. Some jewelry manufactures were trying to produce and market a 14K platinum alloy to lower the cost. Hoover does not supply or sell this product, and does not know the formula of this material.

What alloy would make platinum magnetic?

Some casters use Cobalt in their platinum to make the alloy easier to melt and cast. However, Cobalt is magnetic and will cause a slight oxidation when the metal is melted and annealed.

Silver

Does Deox Sterling Silver hold up for as long as a year without tarnishing?

It depends on the environment. If you live in Palm Springs or Phoenix for instance, it may last up to a year without tarnishing. But if you live in New Orleans or somewhere that is humid or has more pollution, it will not hold up that long.

Can you make your fine silver more pure than .999?

Technically yes, but for jewelry purposes it is not economically practical. Hoover & Strong will not guarantee better than .999 pure silver.

What is the difference between TruSilver and Argentum silver metals?

.935 Argentum Sterling contains germanium which leads to embrittlement, making the alloy more difficult to work with, cast and fabricate. TruSilver contains no Germanium thereby alleviating these issues and making the alloy easier for the designer to fabricate.

Working with Tru-Silver and Argentium Silver? Both TruSilver and Argentium silver are tarnish resistant alloys of sterling silver and can be hallmarked as such. Both alloys have the same color because of high silver content. Both alloys can blackened using liver of sulphur however the process takes quite a bit longer and results achieved are not as dark as standard sterling. Being of Sterling quality most applications resemble working with standard Sterling silver.

The differences are below:

Tru-silver +/- Ease of fabrication, superior tarnish resistance 4-5 times better than that of traditional sterling. Good solderability any silver solder can be used, superior surface finish due to tighter grain structure, metal recyclability is 50% higher. Does not fuse and is not firescale resistant.

Argentium silver+/- Can be used to fuse, is firescale resistant, can become brittle after heating, lower soldering temps. Use H&S hard, medium or easy Argentium solders only.

Many jewelers feel that dealing with fire scale is the most difficult part of working with sterling silver. Argentium is tarnish resistant and heat treatable.

What is Argentum Silver?

Argentum Sterling silver is a tarnish resistant sterling silver. Many jewelers feel that dealing with fire scale is the most difficult part of working with sterling silver. Argentum is tarnish resistant and heat treatable.

What percentage of copper is in sterling silver?

Sterling silver is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Tru-silver and Argentium Silver are 92.5% silver with less copper and other metals in the alloy to resist oxidation.

Metal Fabrication Troubleshooting

White Gold

I'm having problems casting with 14k white. Have to cast twice and still have pitting?

Nickel white gold alloys can be difficult to cast for several reasons. Firstly, nickel can oxidize, and this is very difficult to reduce, meaning the oxide gets included in the casting, making it brittle. Secondly, nickel white gold alloys react with investment, generating from it a gas which can make the surface of the casting rough and porous. Careful monitoring of melt protection and casting temperatures is needed to avoid these problems.

Why does 14k white and 18k white crack and become brittle when shaping into a design?

White gold contains gold, copper, nickel and zinc. Most alloys use nickel as the whitening agent. These metals are whiter than palladium white gold, but are not as malleable. Nickel white gold is difficult to forge, and will crack if the metal is not annealed long enough or if not annealed at a high enough temperature. To anneal, the metal should be heated to a cherry red (1500 f) and then allowed to air cool. White gold should not be quenched. White gold is hard, but annealing too frequently can cause cracks. Hoover & Strong offers 14k palladium white and 18k palladium white which are much more malleable.

Having trouble with 18k white sheets being too hard; ordered sheets annealed, and annealed them again myself?

Once a piece of metal is annealed re-annealing it will not make it noticeably softer. The piece must be forged or work hardened before it can be affectively annealed again. 18k white is just a very difficult metal to work with due to the nickel content and difficult to over anneal. 18k palladium/white gold and 950 palladium are much more malleable.

What is the annealing process for palladium white gold metals?

Palladium white gold may be annealed similar to traditional white gold with a torch or furnace. Heat metal to a cherry red color, 1400 - 1500F, for 30 seconds and let the metal air cool, or quench the 14K alloy to achieve maximum softness (quenching has little to no affect in 18K).

Yellow Gold

Why is the 18 yellow "D" casting crumbling or brittle?

"D" or Deox alloys usually will have silicon in them to help casters reduce oxidation and porosity. However, these deoxidizers will generally increase the metals temper, making them slightly harder. If the metal is over-heated, this will make metal harder to the point of brittleness. Remember Hoover & Strong does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

When using 18 royal alloy, casting ring had holes. Why did this happen?

Royal yellow and green gold alloys have more silver that yellow gold. If these alloys are cast at too high or too low of temperatures they will have more porosity. First decide which type of porosity is on your castings. If the porosity is sinkage porosity, raise your casting temperatures by 25 degree Fahrenheit until the problem is resolved. If the porosity is due to over heating the metal, lower your casting temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit until the problem is resolved. Remember Hoover & Strong does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

Fancy Colored Gold

When working with 14k pink casting grain, had a poor casting. Cast material was dark colored and porous. Why?

The black coloring is oxidation. The copper in pink gold will give you problems if you cast the piece the same way as yellow gold. With pink, the addition of copper causes the melt-flow range to be expanded, allowing the melt to improperly solidify while in this range. Increase the number of sprues and thoroughly heat the metal. It is critical to use a small amount of flux and a deoxidizing flame to protect this alloy. Remember Hoover & Strong does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

How do you anneal pink gold?

The Hoover & Strong Product catalog offers melt, flask & cast temperatures, Vickers hardness, and annealing temperatures & techniques. Pink gold anneals similar to yellow gold. Heat the metal to cherry red (1400 f) and then quench (for maximum softness) or let the metal air cool.

Platinum

Can a ring made of 95% platinum/5% ruthenium be sized with a piece of 90% platinum/10% iridium wire?

Yes, but please note that there is a subtle difference in the color, we recommend that you use our 95% platinum/5% ruthenium sizing wire that is now available. If the subtle color difference is acceptable, you can use the 90%/10% solution. Finally, the aforementioned suggestion assumes that the ring being sized is marked at 900. If the ring is marked at 950, Hoover and Strong recommends using 95%/5% to stay within hallmarking regulations.

How do you anneal platinum?

Annealing can be done using a hand held torch. We recommend oxygen/natural gas. Cleanliness at this point is very important. Use only a brick designated for platinum annealing. Minute quantities of lead, aluminum, steel, gold and silver should be kept away from the work to avoid contamination. Both Lead and silicon in particular will dissolve in platinum making it brittle and unworkable. Use a bright blue oxidizing flame in order to properly anneal. Softening occurs rapidly at 1800F or when the metal is bright orange in color. Once the temperature is reached annealing will occur rapidly. An average ring will require heating for 30 seconds. A 1" sq sheet 18ga will require 1 minute. Air cool or quench.

How long do you need to anneal platinum/iridium sizing wire before working with it?

The trick to annealing is reaching the proper temperature; the most common fault is that you will not heat the metal hot enough to soften it. Once the temperature is reached, annealing will occur rapidly. An average ring will only require heating for approximately 30 seconds. A good guide is a 1" square by 18 gauge sheet will require 60 seconds, increase or decrease the time according to the size of the piece. Platinum can be air cooled or quenched in water after annealing.

Is sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid acceptable substitutes for pickling platinum?

The Hoover catalog recommends sodium bisulfate as a pickling agent for Platinum however these two acids will remove oxidation.↵

What is the temper of your platinum sizing wire? Do I need to anneal it before rolling it down? Do I need to anneal my platinum before rolling, and if so at what temperature?

Platinum is very malleable and can be reduced, without annealing, further than gold. Platinum can easily be reduced at least 50% in thickness until annealing is needed. Rolling platinum can be done very easily with little stress to your rolling mill. If you begin with a thickness of .15", you can roll to .030" without annealing. The metal will roll out easily, but will be hardened enough in the process to get nice sharp pieces when blanking. However, if the metal is not going to be worked after rolling, anneal at .050" before rolling to .030".

Palladium

What is the annealing process for 950 palladium?

950 palladium may be annealed with a torch or furnace. Heat metal to a cherry red color, 1500-1550F, for 30 seconds and let the metal air cool.

Does 18K Palladium White need rhodium plating?

Our 18K Palladium White is a Grade 1 White alloy that does not require rhodium plating. However, our customer's personal preference sometimes requests us to add rhodium plating to finished jewelry for a rhodium whiteness effect.

Silver

Why are rings made from Deox Silver cracking after being quenched?

When doing ring casting, cast might have been too cold or quenched too fast casting temperature recommended is approximately 1850F. When working with Deox Silver, the castings must be air cooled for 15 - 20 minutes (not quench) before dropping into the pickle. If the castings are quenched immediately the casting will crack, or be brittle.

How do you heat harden sterling silver?

Sterling silver can be hardened by first annealing and then heat treating the metal. Anneal at 1200°F and quench. Place in furnace preheated to 600°F and heat soak the silver for one hour.

Casting

Alloys

When casting 18k yellow, can you heat-treat the piece to make it more durable?

Most alloys can be heat treated to some extent. See heat treating instructions in technical section to learn more. Silver offers the best results. 18k yellow and 18k green are the least (because of ratio of silver to copper). Hoover & Strong offers 14k yellow and 18k yellow spring gold alloys when the material needs to be harder.

Does Deox Sterling Silver hold up for as long as a year without tarnishing?

Why is the 18 yellow "D" casting crumbling or brittle?

Why are rings made from Deox Silver cracking after being quenched?

Can you fabricate Deox gold and silver alloys?

"D" or Deox alloys usually will have silicon in them to help casters reduce oxidation and porosity. However, these deoxidizers will generally make the alloy more brittle and therefore more difficult to work with and fabricate. With experience, these alloys can be fabricated, however they are formulated to enhance casting, not for sheet or wire fabrication.↵

When using 18 royal alloy, casting ring had holes. Why did this happen?

When working with 14k pink casting grain, had a poor casting. Cast material was dark colored and porous. Why?

When you are casting with our 18k white, can you use 50% new and 50% old metal?

According to the gold counsel, you should use at least 70% new gold.

General

What should be used to remove blackness or fire scale?

Most fire scale is removed by pickling in a sodium bisulfate based solution. A common pickle pot used to hold and heat the solution is a crock pot. The pickle solution works best at about 180F or 80C. Oxides that are harder to remove, such as those generated with nickel white gold alloys, can be removed by using 5% nitric acid. Fire scale is best removed from silver alloys by using a 10% sulfuric acid solution.

How much silicon can be added to sterling "d" casting before it gets brittle, or can it be done period?

We do not recommend adding more silicon to the sterling "d" casting. Without proper metallurgical or alloy experience you can quickly ruin the alloy. A little bit of silicon goes a long way and too much silicon will produce a brittle alloy. Remember Hoover does custom casting and specializes in unusual colors and metals.

What is a sprue? What is spruing?

A sprue is used to cast a piece of jewelry. The sprue provides a channel through which molten metal is fed into the mold. The sprue attaches the wax piece of jewelry to the tree stem. You should always sprue to the thickest part of your casting. The sprue should be at least 1.25X as thick as the thickest part of the casting.

What is a button?

A button is used to cast a piece of jewelry. The button is a cylindrical piece of metal used to push the molten metal through the sprue. It is designed to solidify last so that there is correct feeding to the sprue and therefore the castings take place.

What is an investment?

Investment is used to cast a piece of jewelry. Investment is gypsum, which is a plaster-like material that is formulated to withstand the necessary temperatures, and gives a good surface. The investment is poured into a flask around the wax tree. The investment solidifies and the wax is burned out, leaving a cavity in which the metal is poured into - producing a duplication of the wax tree in metal.

What is a good pickle to remove nickel oxide which can cause 18k white casting to be gray?

Oxides that are harder to remove, such as those generated with nickel white gold alloys, can be removed by using 5% nitric acid. Fire scale is best removed form silver alloys by using a 10% sulfuric acid. If you do not have 10% sulfuric acid, but a higher strength, always add the acid to a larger volume of water when diluting.

Solder Tips

Why doesn't Hoover & Strong make 14K pink solder?

Red golds are popular now and obtaining a red easy solder is a common problem. It is just not possible to formulate. Solders are formulated to melt before the gold that you are soldering. Typical metals used to lower temperature are zinc or cadmium. The high copper content and the high melt temperature for both gold (1945°) and copper (1981°) prevents the result of a lower melt temp solder. If the appropriate amount of zinc and/or cadmium is added, the resulting solder turns yellow, not red. Our recommendation for a lower melt temp solder is to use 14KY Medium.

Does Hoover and Strong offer 14K Green easy or medium solder?

Hoover and Strong does not offer these solders, however, we do offer a 14K Green Hard Solder that has a flow temp of 1,450 degrees. Our 14K Green metal has a melt point at 1,595, almost 150 degrees higher than the solder flow point. This spread between flow and melt makes the 14K Green Hard Solder a reasonable solution for the vast majority of designer's applications.

What is the difference between 14K Yellow easy plumb solder & 14 Yellow Easy Repair solder as they are both used for general sizing and repair?

14K Yellow Easy Plumb solder is true 14K solder while the 14 Yellow Easy Repair solder is sub karat, hence the reason for omission of the "K" in the title used for Easy Repair Solder.

Does solder have the same percent of gold as jewelry?

If it is a plumb gold solder, then yes, it has the same gold content as the karat alloy, regardless of the grade (hard, medium, and easy). All repair solders are sub-karat. Silver solders have less silver content as sterling. None of the platinum solders are plumb but they have to have 95% precious metals.

When using 1600 platinum solder to repair rings and other jewelry, solder joints keep cracking and splitting. What can be done?

Platinum has a high melting temperature (3265°F) and is a poor heat conductor (gold is a great heat conductor). These two factors cause jewelers to have cold solder joints. Cold solder joints happen when the solder flows, but the joint was not heated enough to cause to joint to fuse together. When soldering platinum, heat the joint quickly using a hot flame directly on the joint and solder.

If someone wants to solder green gold to a 14k yellow band, should they use 14k green or 14k yellow?

Always use the solder to match the karat and color with the lowest melt point. In this case, 14k yellow (1500°F) has the lower melting point than 14K green (1595°F), so use 14k yellow solder.

Do any of your solders contain lead?

No, none of our solders or alloys contain lead.

When soldering with 1500 platinum solder, what can be done if solder does not flow and platinum glows red?

You must make sure that you use a hot flame directly on the solder and joint. Platinum is a poor heat conductor so the joint and solder must be directly heated. It's OK if the platinum turns red, it should to have the joint fuse properly. Remember, to melt platinum to molten you must get to white hot.

Are the melting and flow temperatures of solders the same as casting grain, sheet or wire?

No. Solders are designed to melt at a lower temperature than alloyed metals, so that the metal does not melt. Solder allows the jewelers to assemble jewelry without melting the pieces together.

What is brazing?

Brazing and soldering is accomplished using the same process by the user. The difference is the temperature that the material (solder or braze) liquefies. Below 840 degrees Fahrenheit, the process is considered soldering while above this threshold, the same process is considered brazing.

What solder do you use to attach a platinum/iridium head to a 18k yellow shank?

You use the solder that will melt before the metal of the lowest melting temperature. In this case, 18k yellow gold melts at 1580°F and platinum at 3270°F, use 18k plumb gold solder at 1525°F.

What solder do you use to laser weld platinum?

Hoover and Strong recommends to our customers to use the parent metal whenever laser welding Platinum. We offer a large selection of laser wire in various alloys. Go to the catalogue or website to see the selection. However, if solder is desired, use 1700 Platinum Solder.

What solder do you use to solder platinum/ruthenium?

Best results are achieved using platinum step solders. Hoover offers 1000 to 1700 platinum step solders

Mill Products

Bullion

Are Hoover & Strong coins and bullions priced for investment?

Hoover and Strong provides coins and bullions to our customers as a value added service. We believe that our pricing is competitive with the overall market when our customers are purchasing these items for longer term investing. Shorter term investing in Hoover and Strong coins and bullions is not common.

Can your bullion be engraved upon?

Yes, however the bullions are hand poured leaving the surface formed and not perfectly flat. Each bullion is individualistic.

Wire

Can you cut round wire to an exact length (example 2.8mm)?

Yes, we will cut up to 5 pieces or 2' for free. Multiple cut pieces of straightened round wire cost $.55/ft cutting charge. If ordering coiled round wire, we cannot guarantee exact cut lengths.

What temper do you use when making sterling silver jump rings out of sterling silver round wire (16 ga)?

Hoover uses regular temper sterling, which is 1 die hard, or annealed 1 die before the final diameter.

If ordering silver round wire for twisting, what temper should I get?

We recommend that for this application, you order the wire dead soft. This makes it easier to work with and you will put temper back into it when twisting.

Will we make triangle wire coiled? And if so, what are the requirements?

Yes, Hoover offers numerous sizes of triangle wire, configured straight, in up to 1 foot pieces. Hoover will manufacture coiled shaped wire over 2 feet. There is a 1 foot minimum for silver.

Sheet

When sterling silver sheet is hardened, is it skin-hardened with a soft core?

No. The sterling sheet is completely hardened.

Can you make sheets 4-6 inches wide?

Yes. We can cut sizes of gold, platinum, and palladium up to 6 inches wide. We can cut silver sheet up to 12 inches wide.

Can Hoover & Strong make sheet .005", .006", .007", .008", .009" thick?

Hoover can roll sheet down to .008" (32ga) thick, however, minimums do apply for this fine a measurement of gold.

Why might I ask for my wire/sheet to be hardened for springiness instead of spring gold sheet? What is the difference?

Work hardening a sheet or wire does make it springy. However, if the material is going to be annealed or soldered, the metal will become soft. The advantage of spring gold is that it can be heat treated to make it hard again.

Will you certify sterling silver sheet?

No. We will certify fine silver only.

Can you coil bezel strip?

We can only coil those sizes 2.5mm and smaller. The larger sizes are cut from sheet and cannot be coiled.

Sizing Wire

Do you make sizing wire in 14k royal?

Yes - we can make it for a special mfg charge of $19.50 per size. Because 14K royal sizing wire is special order there is an additional delivery time of approximately 5 days, depending on the time of year. 18K royal sizing wire is a stock item.

What type of sizing wire would you use for coin mountings?

Channel wire is commonly used for coin mountings.

Tubing

What tubing will fit inside of each other?

Hoover and Strong provides inside and outside diameters of the tubing in the catalog. Compare the outside diameter of the tubing with the inside diameter of the closest size to see which size will be the closest.

Can you supply 14k yellow square tubing in 1.5mm? Are there any additional charges?

Tubing can be special ordered. There is a 100 dwt minimum. Tubing can be made in lengths up to 4 feet. Special order tubing will cost approximately 25% more than standard tubing. TSL 1.5mm only available in 14KY (catalog item)

Refining

General

How do you remove mercury from gold?

The most important part of removing mercury from gold is to do it as soon as possible after the gold is contaminated. In a short period of time the mercury will absorb or bond with the gold, making removal difficult. Use a 50% nitric acid and 50% water solution to dissolve the mercury. Do not leave the gold in the solution too long as it will start to dissolve the gold. Another option is to heat the article to vaporize the mercury off the gold, use proper ventilation. Be careful not to melt the gold.

How do you remove lead from gold?

The most important part of getting lead off of gold is doing it as soon as possible after the gold is contaminated. In time the lead will absorb or bond with the gold, making removal difficult. Use 40-50% nitric acid with water to dissolve the lead. The higher the acid concentration, the quicker the gold will discolor. DO NOT HEAT THE LEAD - when heated the lead will amalgamate into the gold.

How do I send in my scrap?

We recommend that clean scrap is sent insured and securely packaged. In order to process your payment most efficiently, we recommend utilizing our payment processing form on our website or you may contact us directly at 800-759-9997. Our payment processing form provides options for your payment and maintains record keeping.

When I send in refining can I use the payment in-house toward paying down my current balance, or is it to be used as only credit towards new orders?

Absolutely. The proceeds you receive from refining may be used to purchase new manufacturing materials or may be credited to an existing balance. Clients that utilize both services, manufacturing and refining, often receive additional discounts for loyalty business.

How can fine gold coins be appraised?

Contrary to popular belief, the value of most gold coins is in the intrinsic gold value only. To estimate the value of a coin, take the weight × the metal market price. Most dealers will buy fine gold at 1% - 5% under market price, depending on quantity and demand. Unless the coin is an antique, it will likely not have a collectible value above the metal price.

What types of metal do you accept?

We only accept precious metal scrap. This includes white gold, yellow gold, pink, red and green gold, platinum, palladium and silver. Examples are old jewelry including class rings, fashion and engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, chains, and any type of sterling silver from rings to silverware.

Finished Jewelry and Findings

Bands

What rings can a customer get undrilled?

We have thousands of ring options on our website, including several options for ring blanks. They can order Seamless Ring Blanks (WRB) in 14K, 18K, 22K, 950 palladium, 950 platinum in yellow, white, red and green from 2mm - 10mm. Hoover also offers undrilled Azure® bands (AZU) in multiple stone and finger sizes.

Can we make an AZU07 for 15 stones?

Yes. Since this is an undrilled band, a customer can make as many holes as the band's azures. In a size 6, you can have up to 22 holes.

Can you set jewelry components with my stones?

We offer a wide range of stone setting services, with expertise in all types of setting styles. From a simple four prong to the most difficult Micro-pave, our years of experience and dedication are unparalleled. Our trained setters are ready to help with all your stone setting needs, including prong, bezel, channel, burnish, pave and more. We can set and finish your jewelry with your stones or with ours. For additional information, call our customer service department at 1-800-759-9997.

How do you size your wedding ring blanks?

We size all of our bands to the leading edge for consistency and ease of communication.

What does EZfit mean?

This is a trademark of Hoover & Strong's bands. The rings are similar to comfort fit bands. They have a radius the inside of the band so that less metal is against the finger, giving additional comfort to the ring.

Can you do bead set bands in 18k white?

Hoover makes their 18K bands in18k palladium white gold, which allows easy bead setting. Our AZU02, 04, 07 and 12 complete azure/undrilled band is commonly bead set.

Settings

How do you set a cluster setting?

Open holes with the appropriate setting bur. Set the middle stone first. When setting the outside stones, center prongs are shared. Cut a notch inside of the center prongs. Cut seat in outside prongs. Fold over the stone to lock it into the notch in the center prongs.

Solitaires

What is a TruSeat Setting?

Our TruSeat settings and bands save jewelers up to 80% labor when setting stones. These are products with pre-cut seats in settings and channeled anniversary bands, allowing jewelers to set stones quickly. TruSeat® settings accomodate 90% of all diamonds and shapes. Less time is required by skilled jewelers and less skill in needed to produce consistent high quality results.

Do you offer a regular "Tiffany Style" solitaire?

Yes, our most popular selection is the six prong SHZK63/S616 and the four prong princess solitaire is the SHZK43/PPR46.

Definition of a Tiffany setting, from the Jeweler Dictionary: a six-prong setting generally round in shape and flaring out from the base to the top, having long slender prongs that hold the stone. Sometimes applied to four-prong settings as well.

How do you clean black from under the stone of an engagement ring?

A simple way to clean dirt from under a stone is to use a toothbrush with soap and water. Do not be too aggressive with the toothbrush as you don't want to loosen the prongs of the ring. An ultrasonic cleaner is less aggressive and easy to use. The ultrasonic uses vibration and a cleaning solution to clean behind the stone.

What percentage of metal is lost on a finished solitaire?

Hoover's finished solitaires have a 4-5% metal loss. Solitaires sent to jewelry contractors for finishing can have up to 10% loss if split lapping is used to finish their solitaires, which takes off more gold.

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