Gold has been one of the earth’s most precious metals for centuries. Kings and queens have sanctioned its use in royal jewelry and entire cultures have built their economies based on its value and rarity. Many consumers are aware that gold is valuable but may not be as well informed about the properties and factors that influence value in jewelry such as gold rings or other decorations. Gold jewelry comes in a variety of different densities and purity ratings to make buyers and sellers aware of how much real gold is in the jewelry that they are dealing with. Not all rings made of gold are of the same purity and this is true for any other design of gold jewelry or gold bars. It is important to have some basic knowledge about how the purity of gold is determined as well as the spectrum of purity ratings that are applied to gold alloys. It is also essential as an average consumer to know that gold is not always yellow.
Carat is the term used for the measurement of the purity of gold. Carat used interchangeably with Karat is a unit applied to measure the purity of a gold alloy sample. Not all gold on the jewelry market is 100% pure and even the highest purity gold is an alloy, which means it is mixed with other metal elements. True pure gold is highly malleable meaning that it is soft and easily manipulated. This makes it unsuitable for use as jewelry. Pure gold is mixed with other metals to make it stronger and more durable. Purity in carats is then calculated by dividing 1 by 24 purity by mass. For 24 carat gold, the most pure form of gold alloy, the purity in carats is calculated multiplying the carat rating of the material by mass of the pure gold divided by the total mass of the material. Governments around the world have established strict laws governing the ratings that are stamped on genuine gold jewelry as well as measurement systems that generate purity ratings. The highest rating seen in jewelry is 18 carat, with the next lowest being 14, 10 and 9 carat. These are ratings largely seen in mainstream jewelry and carat measurements can go from 1 to 24 sequentially. A measurement system that has been gaining popularity is the millesimal fineness system, which calculates purity based on parts per thousand of the pure metal in the overall alloy.
That old practice of bighting a gold coin or piece of jewelry to see if it is real gold has long since perished. No longer are gold pieces produced of such purity that made it easy to put some teeth marks in it to test its genuineness. Consumers would break their teeth on modern day gold alloys before they left a mark on them. With gold jewelry being so heavily regulated by governments, consumers in most modern economies can simply look for markings on items marketed as genuine gold. These markings usually denote a carat rating of 18 and under and typically read 18k, 14k, 10k or 9k. Other ratings read 9k gold filled, millesimal fineness 999 for pure gold bars, or 22/22K which is a quality mark originating in India meaning 22 carat purity on the skin of the gold and 22 carat or 91.67% pure gold after melting. Other than these ratings, there are no other ways for average consumers to know what they are buying actually is. Any tips about scratching or biting gold are pure myth and in no way offer buyers sound identification of pure gold jewelry such as a gold ring. The purity rating of gold will drastically affect its price and value. For example, 18 carat gold rings will retail for significantly more than less pure 9ct gold rings.
Many consumers are accustomed to the yellow hue of traditional gold alloys, however pure gold can be mixed with other metals to create hues of green, red, silver or nickel colored gold. One of the most widely recognized altered colors of gold is white. Jewelry such as white gold rings, necklaces, earrings and pendants have become very popular accessories for women and even in mens gold rings. This is a blanket term that encompasses the colors previously mentioned however, it is also a common marketing term for gold that is silver or whitish in color. This is accomplished by mixing the metals of silver or nickel with gold usually in a 50/50 mixture. A small proportion of zinc can sometimes be added for durability. Some jewelers use a rhodium plating to achieve this effect. Gold naturally occurs in its yellowish form and these forms of gold are manmade. Based on whether a jeweler will be setting gem stones or needs the alloy to be malleable will determine what mixture of metals should be used to produce white gold. White gold or silver colored gold alloys are most popular for use in wedding rings or engagement bands because a diamond’s properties can be greatly maximized by the color of the metal it is encased in. A white gold diamond ring will shimmer and have much more fire than a similar yellow gold creation.
These basic properties and manipulations of gold are important basic information for consumers to know when shopping for gold rings. Knowing price in relation to carat ratings is crucial when trying to bargain fairly. Consumers should also be aware of the many different forms or colors that gold can come in and that white gold is a blanket term for many different hues of gold. When you hear white gold you should think of the mixture of metals that are used to accomplish the color and not necessarily that the gold is white or silver in color.