The purpose of this guide is to give a little information on fine gold jewelry and what makes it such a highly valued, precious metal.

Gold is an attractive, ancient precious metal that has been highly valued for the past 5500 years. The reason being is that gold won't tarnish, rust, or corrode, and though it's very strong, it is also the most malleable or softest of all metals.

Purity of Gold

100% pure 24 karat gold is way too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with other metals like, nickel, copper, zinc, platinum, and silver to make it stronger and capable of being made into fine jewelry like the examples above. The actual purity of gold is measured by karatage in 24ths, meaning 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold. 14kt. (58.33% gold), 18kt. (75% gold) and 10kt. (41.66% gold) are the most common gold alloys used in American jewelry.

Gold Color

The color of gold is determined by the type of metal alloys included and the percentage of each alloy.

Yellow Gold: 18 karat gold is 75% pure gold and has a very rich yellow color to it. 14 karat gold is less precious at 58.3% gold and has a yellow color that is not as rich. 14k gold is most commonly used in cases where strength is most important, like in earring backs and bracelet clasps.

White Gold: This is an alloy of gold and either silver or palladium (platinum). Jewelry made with white gold will have a slight yellow color. Therefore the finished jewelry is plated with Rhodium, a shiny, white metal, to give it a white finish. The Karat percentages are identical for both yellow and white gold.

Price Of Gold

Gold has been consistently rising in value for some months now for many possible reasons. The price of gold jewelry is dependent upon the purity of the gold used or karat weight, as well as the design and construction of the piece of jewelry. Now would be a good time to invest in gold because I don't think it it going to get any cheaper any time soon!

Gold Care

Keep your gold jewelry away from harsh chemicals such as chlorine and cleaning fluids. This will reduce daily abrasions and prolong gold's luster. To clean gold jewelry, use a mixture of warm water and detergent-free soap. Wash gold gently with a soft-bristled brush. Store gold pieces separately in soft cloth bags or original boxes to protect them from the exposure to harsh daily elements.

Thank you for reading this guide. I hope that you have gained a little more information about fine gold jewelry