This is more information about wire, but this time about what types you can buy.
Their are 3 different types of wire you can buy non-plated wire, plated wire, and filled wire.
Non-plated wire is the cheapest wire you can acquire. Generally comes in a mix of metals that form a wire, they could be coated or not. I would recommend this wire for practicing as it generally has the same qualities as the other 2 options however it is a lot cheaper option. Most people that are allergic to cheap jewelry will be allergic to this kind of wire.
Plated wire is a step up, it is where they electroplate gold or silver onto wire made from numerous metals to provide a tarnish resistant surface. This is a very tiny amount of material that is plated onto the wire though. This is what the lower end of jewelry is made from. Though less people will be allergic to this type of wire their will still be some that are.
Finally filled wire is the best you can get in term of quality for making jewelry. Gold-filled is constructed in two or three layers. The core metal is jewelers’ brass it is then bonded to the wire with heat and pressure. Gold-filled is legally required to contain 5% of its weight in gold so it typically comes in 12 or 14 kt gold. This is the type of wire that most people aren’t allergic to and the material you could find in jewelry stores.
Differences between Plated and Filled – Gold plating will wear off rather quickly and expose the brass base product. It does not stand up to heat, water or wear over time. By comparison, gold-filled contains 5% gold by weight; moreover, all the gold is on the surface which offers product protection from tarnish and wear.
There are also differences in the base metal which I will get into another time.
Cheers everyone hope this helped you out!
Crochet Wire Jewelry 