Gold Guide

A Quick Guide to Gold

If you’re not a jewelry connoisseur, it’s easy to be confused by words like ‘karat’ and ‘carat’.

Both are a form of measurement in the jewelry industry, but what’s being measured is very different. Carats are used to describe the weight of diamonds and other precious gemstones. In this case, however, we’ll be delving into the term karat, or the measure of purity when referring to gold, as well as which karat of gold would be best for you.

In its pure form, gold is a very soft metal. It’s too delicate for everyday wear, so it’s often alloyed (or mixed) with other metals such as silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to improve its strength and resilience.

The most common mixtures of gold are 14K, 18K, and 22K, but 14K and 18K are the most ideal for jewelry.

So, which one is the best?

Truthfully, there isn’t a clear answer — it depends. Your decision should be influenced by how often you’ll wear the jewellery, what you’ll be doing when you wear it, the colouring you prefer, and your budget. Gold isn’t a one-size-fits-all accessory and there are a few things to consider.

Here’s a quick guide to understanding the different karats of gold you’ll encounter when shopping for the perfect piece:

  • 24K (100% pure gold)
    Being the highest karat of gold, it’s easy to assume that 24K is the “best” gold to buy, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Pure gold can be easily scratched and bent, so it’s impractical for daily wear (yet the most expensive). You wouldn’t want to do housework while wearing a set of 24K bracelets, but if you’re planning on attending a red-carpet event and want to make a statement, it might be another story.
  • 22K (92% gold and 8% alloyed metals)
    Even a modest mixture of only 8% alloyed metal makes 22 karat gold a touch stronger and more durable than pure gold. Nevertheless, care will need to be taken with this blend as it’s still the softest form of mixed metal jewelry.
  • 18K (75% gold and 25% alloyed metals)
    This is the most traditional mix of gold and other metals. 18K pieces tend to have a deeper yellow tone than 14K. Because of the higher gold content in 18K pieces, it will also yield a higher price than 14K, and is usually a sign of a higher quality piece of jewelry.
  • 14K (58% gold and 42% alloyed metals)
    This alloy offers more resistance to wear and tear than either 18K or 22K. It’s ideal for everyday use and is the most popular choice for engagement rings and wedding bands.  If you have an active lifestyle (sports, regular exercise, manual labor, etc.), 14K jewellery would be the best option for you.

Buy anything less than 14K and the line between fine jewelry and costume jewelry becomes blurry. In fact, most fine jewelers don’t even carry 12K or 10K. Pieces of jewelry that are 10K or greater should be stamped with an engraved marker indicating its purity, so be cautious if you can’t locate a stamp.

With these considerations in mind, you should be able to maneuver your next jewelry purchase with ease and confidence.

 

Article Credits: https://www.brinkersjewelers.com

 

 

 

Solid Gold vs. Plated, Vermeil and Filled Gold

 

 X  Gold Plated

When something is gold plated, it means that a base metal like brass has been quickly dipped in a solid gold bath. The gold content is usually less than 1%. While they may possess the same luster and gold appearance at first, this layer is quick to fade when washed, rinsed, or rubbed too hard, leaving behind discolored skin and dirty looking jewelry. Most fashion jewelry is gold-plated, making the cost as low as possible.

 

X  Gold Vermeil

Gold Vermeil is a common type of gold plating, which uses sterling silver as the base metal. Vermeil is more hypoallergenic and has a thicker layer of gold than normal gold plating, which is why you'll see it in stores selling fine jewelry. However, with enough scuffs and scratches the plating can wear off.

 

X Gold Filled

Instead of being dipped in gold, Gold Filled jewelry undergoes a mechanical bonding process that melts a thicker layer of gold onto the base metal. By law, gold filled jewelry must contain 5% gold by weight to be categorized as such. Because of this, the inside of a gold filled jewelry piece will still be stamped with a karat number, however this is only for the filled coating. While filled jewelry will maintain its gold cast for longer, it will inevitably undergo discoloration and tarnishing after time.

 

 

√ Solid Gold

When jewelers simply refer to "gold," they are usually talking about solid gold. Solid gold's name is a bit misleading—while it's the highest quality type of gold, it isn't 100% gold element (or Au on the Periodic Table). In its most pure form (24k) gold is soft, almost orange in color, and altogether too weak to work with for jewelry. Because of this, alloys are added to create a more structurally sound metal that mixed together, is known as "solid gold."

Not all solid gold has equal proportions of pure gold, however. 14k solid gold, used in our everyday jewelry, has 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts other alloys, whereas 18k gold, used for our wedding collection, is 18 parts gold, 6 parts alloys.