Why is it necessary to combine pure metals with additional metals?

Pure metal jewelry, such as platinum, is available, however pure gold is delicate and not suitable for daily wear. Gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength (and decrease its price). For instance, pure gold can be made into white gold by adding platinum or nickel, copper generates a rose or pink hue, and silver gives gold a greenish tinge. Although gold may vary in carat weight, it is still regarded as solid gold.

A base metal (copper, brass, nickel, or silver) is covered with a thin layer of gold to create jewelry with a beautiful appearance, but one that requires upkeep. Due to the plating peeling off and the underlying metal becoming visible, gold-plated jewelry can be the main cause of allergic responses. To lessen the possibility of allergic responses, Jens Hansen employs Sterling Silver as the base metal.