Pure gold is soft and will not withstand the stresses of every-day wear. For this reason, gold is alloyed with a mixture of metals such as silver, copper, nickel, and zinc. This gives gold strength and durability.
Karatage indicates gold purity or how much of the metal in a piece of jewelry is solid gold. Karatage is marked with a number followed by "k." This marks the exact purity of gold. Karatage is noted in 24ths. This means that a gold piece of 24k gold is actually 100% pure gold.
Gold color is considered using two factors:
- The specific metal alloys included in the gold
- The percentage of each metal alloy found in the gold
In jewelry of all kinds, you can find 18k and 14k yellow gold. 18k gold contains a higher percentage of precious metal than 14k gold. It is made up of 75% gold, which is then alloyed with other metals. This is to assure that the piece will be strong enough to withstand everyday wear.
14k gold is made up of only 58.3% gold and 41.7% other metals. This gives the gold piece its strength. This means that the gold color for a 14k gold piece is not as rich as the 18k gold. 14k gold will be found more often in pieces where strength is most important, such as with earring backs and bracelet clasps.
More Gold Facts
The element for Gold is Au.
Gold is considered to be one of the first metals known to man.
It is the gold standard that defines our world's currency system.
Money represents a value in gold.
24 karat is 100% gold.
Too soft so not considered suitable for jewelry
22 karat is 91.7% gold
Again, too soft so not considered suitable for jewelry
18 karat is 75.0% gold
Used successfully in fine jewelry
14 karat is 58.3% gold
Used successfully in all jewelry
12 karat is 50.0% gold
Not used for jewelry
10 karat is 41.7% gold
his metal is the defined karat limit legally considered to be real gold in the United States.
18k white gold is 75% gold, and 14k white gold is 58.3% gold. You will find that the jewelry made from these metals have a slight yellow color. To further enhance the purity of whiteness in white gold, this metal is plated with rhodium. Rhodium is a shiny, white metal and is particularly hard. In some cases of wear, the rhodium plating will wear off some jewelry. This then reveals the original metal color. In such cases, re-plating can be done. This simple process will restore the jewelry's whiteness.
Rose gold finds its color from a larger percentage of copper in the metal alloy. This gives the gold a very lovely pinkish color.
The pricing of gold jewelry is defined by the purity of the gold used or by the karat weight of the piece. Pricing is further determined by the design and construction of each piece of jewelry.
To avoid daily abrasions of your gold, be careful to keep your jewelry away from harsh chemicals like those found in chlorine and other caustic cleaning fluids. Doing this will prolong your gold jewelry's luster.
To clean your gold jewelry, simply use a solution of warm water and mild, detergent-free soap. Wash each gold piece gently using a soft-bristled brush or a new, soft toothbrush.
You can keep your gold pieces free of the harsh daily elements if you store them separately in soft cloth bags or in the original boxes.