Specific weight 19.3 g/cm³
Melting point 1064.18°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Au from Aurum (lat.)

Gold is the only yellow metal in the world. Pure gold is called fine gold. Many pieces of jewelry at ORFÈVRE are made of fine gold.  It requires a lot of know-how to make jewelry from fine gold. Other peculiarities of gold are that neither humid air, nor heat or acid can harm gold to it. It/the metal is ideal for wearing on the skin. White gold, yellow gold, rose gold and red gold are alloys. That means, fine gold is alloyed with palladium, silver and copper, for example. The common alloys at ORFÈVRE are: 900/1000 gold and 750/1000 gold.

Specific weight 8.96 g/cm³
Melting point 961°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Ag from Argentum (lat.)

Silver is a shiny white metal that reflects light more than any other metal. It is a millennia-old jewelry material that is elementally found in nature. It is 20 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than gold and about 700 times rarer than copper.
The name for pure silver is fine silver. Sometimes it is alloyed with copper to change its appearance. 925/1000 or 935/1000 are common alloys. Silver oxidizes with oxygen or hydrogen sulfide, both fundamental gases of our atmosphere, and develops a superficial yellowish-brown discoloration. This special feature is utilized in blackened silver.

Specific weight 21.45 g/cm³
Melting point 1768.3 °C
Mohs hardness 3.5
Element symbol Pt of platinum (lat.)

Platinum is a very heavy, gray-white metal with remarkable corrosion resistance. It is very malleable and ductile. Its hypoallergenic property makes it suitable for particularly sensitive jewelry wearers. The dignified metal is found in many countries of the world. Next to platinum in the periodic table are its secondary metals, some of which have similar properties and are also processed into jewelry; rhodium, for example, is used to refine white gold alloys because of its white color.  Other platinum by-metals are:  Palladium, Ruthenium, Iridium and Osmium. 
The name platinum (in Latin platinum) is derived from the Spanish word “platina”, as a diminutive of “plata” for silver.

Specific weight 16.6 g/cm³
Melting point 3020°C
Mohs hardness 6.5
Element symbol Ta of tantalum (greek)

Tantalum is a little-known, dark, purple-gray, steel-hard, heavy metal. Its specific gravity of 16.6 g is equivalent to that of 18 kt gold. Its percentage in the earth’s crust is only 0.0002%, making it similar to gold. Just these two metals — placed next to each other – exert a peculiar fascination.  Because of its special attributes during processing and its extremely high melting point, tantalum has not been processed much into jewelry. This gives tantalum a renewing role in current jewelry design and brings a refreshing accent to our visual habits.

Specific weight 8.96 g/cm³
Melting point 1,085°C
Mohs hardness 2.5-3
Element symbol Cu from Cuprum (lat.)

Copper is the only red metal on earth. 
It is a very soft metal, which can be deformed very well.  Over time, the copper surface oxidizes in the air to form a dark brown, dull protective layer. This is caused by the interaction of carbon dioxide and oxygen in a humid environment. Copper is often found as an alloying partner in metal

Specific weight 13.31 g/cm³
Melting point 2233°C
Mohs hardness 5.5
Element symbol Hf of hafnium (lat.)

Hafnium is a dark, greenish-silvery, lustrous, high-density heavy metal.
It is named after the Latin name of the city of Copenhagen, Hafnia, where the element was discovered. Due to its difficult extraction, hafnium is only used in small amounts. Its main area of ​​application is therefore nuclear technology.
Hafnium is very unknown and rare in jewelry making because of its extremely difficult processing methods. Since it does not react with oxygen in the air, it is particularly suitable for jewelry as it does not discolour the wearer’s skin.

Elforyn is an innovative ivory substitute which is very similar to natural ivory. The material is produced in Germany and consists of mineral plastics. It is very light and supple.

Jewelry bronze is an alloy of 60% copper and 10% tin. It has a warm reddish-golden color. When wearing bronze jewelry, care should be taken to keep the jewelry dry. Because when it comes in contact with moisture, the bronze reacts (similar to pure copper) and can discolor the wearer’s skin. Some jewelry designers also use this characteristic as a design feature.

Brass is an alloy of 50% copper and at least 40% zinc. It has a golden color. When wearing brass jewelry, care should be taken to keep the jewelry dry. Because when it comes in contact with moisture, the brass reacts (similar to pure copper) and can discolor the wearer’s skin. Some jewelry designers also use this characteristic as a design feature.

All gemstones at ORFÈVRE are of natural origin and carefully selected. Each stone is unique and is cut by hand. If the exhibiting artists use synthetic gemstones, this will be explicitly mentioned.