Gold

Good as gold.  Rare as gold.  Precious as gold.  You've heard them all, but what exactly are you getting when you buy a piece of gold jewellery and what should you look for when you buy?

Basics

Gold's fineness is measured in karatage, with 24-karat being pure gold.  Twenty-four karat gold, while beautiful, is generally too soft for use in jewellery, so gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength.  Eighteen karat gold is 18/24ths, or three-quarters pure gold and jewellery of this fineness is marked 18K or 750, the European designation meaning 75% gold. 
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In the US and Canada, 14-karat and 10-karat gold are the most common and pieces are marked 14K or 10K.  Always look for the karat mark when buying gold jewellery.

Karat Parts Gold to Alloy Percentage Fineness:
10K   10/24   41.67%   417
14K   14/24   58.33%   583
18K   18/24   75.00%   750
22K   22/24   91.66%   917

Gold color is created by mixing in other various elements with gold to create a gold alloy with various colors.  No matter which gold color is created, the pure gold is always present in the correct percentage.

For example, 18K gold will always have 75% pure gold contained in the jewellery, while the rest of the alloy colors can be altered to create a different color.  One color for example is the popular white gold.  It is created by mixing in nickel to give it a whiter appearance.  For more information regarding the percentages and elements used, see the chart below.

When you are shopping, don't be tempted by "bargain" gold.  There are four factors that determine the price of a piece of gold jewellery: karatage, gram weight, design and craftsmanship.

The karatage and gram weight tell you how much gold is in a piece, but other crucial factors determining price are the piece's construction and design.  A price based solely on gram weight does not reflect the work that has gone into the piece.

Gold jewellery can come in a rich variety of colors.  What we call yellow gold is created by alloying the metal with copper and silver.  Prefer green gold?  It is made using silver copper and zinc.  Love the warmth of pink gold?  That's made using copper.  The currently popular white gold is made nickel or palladium, zinc and copper.

Gold can be found in rivers, seas and land in many parts of the earth, but it is not easily extracted.  Opening a mine is a time-consuming and costly operation and several tons of ore may are required in order to produce just one ounce of the precious metal.  Therefore, despite its universal nature, gold remains a precious and rare commodity. 

Five Easy Care Steps for Karat Gold jewellery

1.  To keep it looking fresh, try to keep your gold jewellery free from dust, moisture, perspiration and makeup.

2.  Don't wash gold jewellery with ordinary soap and water, as these will leave a dull film on the surface.  Instead, clean gold jewellery with a jeweler-recommended cleaning solution or an ultrasonic machine. After cleaning and rinsing, dry and polish your jewellery with a chamois or soft cloth.

3.  Avoid wearing gold jewellery when using harsh chemicals or doing rough work.  It's a strong metal, but it can still be scratched or dented.

4.  Protect your gold jewellery by storing it in a fabric-lined jewellery box or wrapping it in a soft cloth when not being worn.

5.  Always inspect your gold jewellery for weakness or damage and bring it to your jeweler for immediate repair.  For gold chains make sure you examine the clasp and the little rings that hold it together.  See if it is ring are wearing and that the clasp is strong enough to support the chain.  Run your hand over the chain and look for any rough edges.

A well-made piece of gold jewellery should look and feel like the quality piece it is.  And if you take the time to look it over, you will have a piece that, with good care, can last a lifetime.

Interesting Facts

Gold is the most ductile of all metals, allowing it to be drawn out into tiny wires or threads without breaking.  A single ounce of gold can be drawn into a wire 5 miles long.

Each ounce of gold requires the processing of over 6000 pounds of ore.

The gold rush of the mid-19th century expended 125 million troy ounces of gold, worth more than $50 billion by today’s standards. 

In 1854 the largest gold nugget ever found was in California at Carson Hill above the Stanislaus River.  It weighed 195 pounds and was valued at $43,534.00 in the currency of the day!

The main producers of gold are South Africa, the United States, Australia, China, Canada and Russia.

A cubic foot of gold weighs over 1000 pounds.

Gold was made into art objects and jewellery as far back as 4000 BC.

Gold is the most non-reactive of all metals.  It never reacts with oxygen so it does not rust or tarnish. The gold burial mask of King Tutankhamun looked as brilliant when discovered in 1922 as when it was entombed in 1352 BC.

Gold is among the most electrically conductive of all metals.