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How to Buy Gold
Jewelry
From
Carly Wickell,
Your Guide to
Jewelry / Accessories.
FREE Newsletter.
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Understanding
Gold Terminology
Gold jewelry
never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly
as it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create
tarnish, the residue that accumulates on some metals before transferring to your
skin as a stain. Sometimes people have allergy or staining problems with metals
that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely a problem.
Gold can be
worked into nearly any shape, from tiny strands that do not break easily to very
thin sheets. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet
that's ten feet square. Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan
desires.
How Pure Is
Your Gold Jewelry?
Chances are the
ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat,
the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The
higher the karat number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.
·
24K gold
is pure gold.
·
18K gold
contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
75% gold.
·
14K gold
contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
58.3% gold.
·
12K gold
contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
50% gold.
·
10K gold
contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the
United States.
European
Markings
European gold
jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:
·
18K gold
is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold
·
14K gold
is marked 585 for 58.5%
·
10K gold
is marked 417 for 41.7%
Other Markings
on Gold Jewelry
The karat
marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark
that identifies its maker. The item's country of origin might also be included.
Why Are Other
Metals Mixed With Gold?
You'll find
examples of pure gold jewelry, but pure gold is soft and isn't practical for
daily wear. Other metals are mixed with it to make it more durable (and to lower
its cost).
Adding other
metals to the mix also allows metallurgists to change the color of gold.
Palladium or nickel can be added to create white gold. Adding copper produces a
rose or pink tint, while silver gives gold a greenish cast.
When metals are
added to the gold the result is an alloy, a blended mixture of the metals
that you can think of as a very expensive cake batter. Solid gold is a
term that can be used to describe an item that's at least 10K (in the US) gold
all the way through. Even though it's a gold alloy--18K, 14K, or anything down
to 10K--it can be called solid gold.
When Gold Is
Used as a Coating
There are many
ways to mechanically apply a coating of gold onto a much less expensive metal,
reducing the item's cost. The thicker the layer of gold, the less likely it is
to wear away easily and expose the metal underneath.
Gold Filled
Jewelry
Newer gold
filled items have markings that indicate how much and what type of gold was used
for the layer. A marking that says 1/20 12K G.F. means that the jewelry is at
least 1/20th 12K gold by weight.
Gold Plated
Jewelry
The gold layer
in gold plated jewelry is typically thinner than the gold in gold filled
jewelry, so it usually wears away more quickly. Plating is done in different
ways.
You might see
terms such as gold washed used to describe a very thin layer of gold--one
that won't be very durable.
So What Should
You Buy?
Solid gold is
durable, so it is a better choice for jewelry you'll wear regularly. If you have
allergies to nickel or other metals, choose items that have high gold content,
such as 18K or 22K gold jewelry.
Gold filled or
plated jewelry is suitable for jewelry that you wear occasionally. Everyday use
would eventually diminish the gold layer, exposing the metal below, which might
stain your skin or cause an allergic reaction.
For pieces that
will last a lifetime and beyond, buy the highest quality gold your budget
allows.
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