Gold - Purity, Colour, Price, and How to keep its shine

GOLD

Gold is the most widely used metal in jewelry. When it is pure it is extremely soft and so cannot be used to create jewelry. For this reason other base metals are alloyed with it to make it harder.

PURITY

The ratio between the quantity of gold and other metals is called the ‘fineness’. For example, for a piece of jewelry that is made with gold which has a fineness of 750 (or 18 carats), the alloy of 1000 parts will be made of 750 parts gold and 250 another metal.

8 carats = 333 thousandths of a gram
12 carats = 500 thousandths of a gram
14 carats = 585 thousandths of a gram
18 carats = 750 thousandths of a gram
22 carats = 916 thousandths of a gram
24 carats = 999 thousandths of a gram

COLOR

The metal that will be alloyed with the gold will not only make it harder but may also serve to alter the colour from yellow. For example, to obtain white gold the alloy used is palladium while rose gold is achieved by using copper and a small amount of silver.

Types of alloy:
Yellow gold: silver and copper
Rose gold: a lot of copper and a small amount of silver
White gold: palladium

PRICE

The price of gold depends on the purity and carat and is quoted in London based on the level of supply and demand.

HOW TO KEEP ITS SHINE

As gold is a natural element, it could be damaged by chemical substances such as chlorine and other cleaning products. We recommend you remove your jewelry when handling harsh chemicals to reduce wear and help keep its shine. To clean gold jewelry use only warm water, gentle soap and a fine brush. When not being worn, gold jewelry should be stored in a soft cloth or in its original box to protect it.

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