Gold along with platinum and silver is one of the most popular components that is used to make jewelry. Jewellers use distinctive kinds of Gold in creating fine jewellery pieces depending on the type of jewellery prepared, the pieces that will be used in it, the diamonds that are being set, and the taste or requirement of the person who will buy gold jewellery online or at their store.
Introduction to Gold as a metal
The first perspective that we are exploring in this article is not about gold jewellery shopping online but from the chemical standpoint, for after all, it is a chemical element. The chemical symbol used to denote gold is Au. This precious metal is a ductile metal whose properties remain when exposed to water or air.
Coming to the appearance of this metal that people most definitely invest in when indulging in some jewellery online shopping. Gold is not like other metals which are mostly gray, silver, or silvery white. In fact gold in its natural form is yellow in color. This is one of the factors that sets gold apart from other metals, and makes it unique. Although gold is considered a strong metal, it is also impressionable. In fact more than any other precious metal which makes it ideal for jewelry making purpose?
Gold Karats
Similar to the mannerism in which $c’s define a diamond; gold is measured in karats, similar to the way in which diamonds are defined by the 4 Cs. The karats for measuring Gold are much more distinctive than the carats that jewellers use to measure diamonds. Gold is defined by its purity which is also a ratio that is divided into 24 parts.
The 24 karats gold (also known as 24K) that we often hear about is gold in its pure form and is 100% natural gold. Despite being the purest form of gold, 24 karat gold is too soft to create a jewellery piece and so is 22 karat gold.
Therefore the gold used by jewellers that people often invest in during their jewellery shopping online or in store is 18K gold. This 18K gold comprises 75% gold, and 14K gold, which contains 58.3% gold. Gold with a very low percentage of actual gold, such as 10K gold (41.7% gold), is also used for jewelry.
Since pure gold is too soft to construct jewelry, it is combined with additional metals such as silver, copper, zinc, and nickel. The addition of these metals provides a gold jewellery piece with the necessary strength and sturdiness that is required to create a fine master piece that does not lose its charm over years.
Besides the level and prestige that comes from the genuine percentage of gold present in a jewellery piece, this percentage of genuine gold also contributes to the color. The quantity addition of each metal alloy, paired along with the type of alloy used, contributes to the final color of the gold. 24K Gold can only be yellow, but other karat amounts are white, rose, or yellow gold. The other colors of gold developed by jewellers such as green gold and black gold, which are alloys that contain gold in them and other, additional elements to produce the color.
Gold Colors
When someone says gold, yellow is the color that comes to any person’s mind or vision. However, in reality, gold comes in distinctive colors than one standard color yellow that it is most commonly known for. When you buy gold jewellery online or at the store, you can see jewellery displays of yellow gold, white gold and rose gold jewelry.
Yellow Gold – As mentioned earlier in the article, natural gold is yellow in color. When a craftsman adds alloys to strengthen the gold, they have to maintain the yellow color of the gold by adding copper, and silver with a green tint. A bright and deep shade of yellow gold is created when the alloys are successfully combined.
White Gold – Amongst one of the many popular colors of gold is white gold. One of the most unique qualities assessed for white gold is that it has the clean and simple beauty of silver and at the same time the strength and prestige of gold. Pure gold is combined with alloys such as silver and nickel, and plated in a material called rhodium, before it is transformed into white gold. Although quite durable, the rhodium coating can rub off from time to time. It can easily be restored with a quick rhodium treatment at the jewelry store.
Rose Gold – Rose gold, is another popular color belonging to the gold family. It is a unique and really beautiful alternative to other more common colors of gold. This color of gold consists of natural yellow gold that is further mixed with a copper alloy. The reddish metal provides a stunning pink hue to the jewellery piece and turns it into what we know as rose gold.