If you’re interested in buying gold jewelry, you should know that all gold is not the same. To choose what’s exactly right for your tastes and budget, you need to learn about the different types of gold.
To help you get the information that you need, we’ve compiled a helpful quick guide. Once you’ve discovered some practical information about the various forms of gold, you’ll be ready to make a wise and informed decision about what type of gold jewelry suits your needs.
How to Choose the Right Karat Value
A karat is a 1/24th part of pure gold, measured by weight. Pure gold will have a 24k karat designation. The degree of karat fineness in every piece of jewelry will dictate its karat value. In the UK, gold is classified by the amount of grams of gold in a kilogram of alloy.
Gold comes in a wide range of karat values, such as 24k, 18k, 14k, and 10k. The higher the karat value, the purer the gold piece will be. Since higher karat values demonstrate more gold per piece, designs with bigger karat numbers will have more inherent value, and they will very likely cost more as well.
Properties of Gold Jewelry
Gold is prized because of its unique properties. For example, gold jewelry will never rust or grow tarnished. When you choose a high-quality, genuine gold piece, you’ll be able to enjoy its sheen and glow for a lifetime. Typically, gold of very high karat value is softer than gold of lower karat values. Pure gold will scratch easily. That’s why alloys are added to gold jewelry designs. These alloys harden gold, making it more resistant to damage that may mar its beauty.
Which Color of Gold Jewelry is Right for You?
Gold comes in different finishes, such as yellow gold, white gold and rose gold. In addition, many pieces of gold jewelry feature two-tone finishes. The most common two-tone finish is yellow gold, combined with white gold. As a rule of thumb, your own skin tone will dictate what looks best on you.
People with cool skin tones that have blue or pink undertones will look great in white gold, whereas those with warm complexions (which have yellow undertones) will look wonderful in yellow gold or rose gold. However, when it comes to finding gold jewelry, you don’t need to follow the rules. If you love a piece, wearing it will make you feel more attractive and confident.
Two-toned designs offer a lot of versatility. For example, if you choose a two-tone wedding band, it will match any wristwatch or other gold jewelry that you wear. That’s why plenty of people opt for two-toned jewelry designs.
What is Rhodium Plating for White Gold?
Rhodium plating for white gold is a process that is designed to enhance the shine of this type of gold jewelry. Coating white gold in rhodium gives white gold an appealing, mirror-like finish. In particular, white gold jewelry that feature gemstones will benefit from rhodium plating, as the higher reflectivity that it brings highlights the beauty of gemstones.
What are Hallmarks for Gold Jewelry
The Celtic jewelry designs that we offer feature hallmarks that denote their levels of purity. Hallmarks are stamps that classify precious metals. For example, when you choose a 14k piece of jewelry, you’ll notice that it carries a hallmark of 585.
Here is a full listing of hallmarks, or assays, for gold jewelry:
9 karat is assayed with the number 375.
10 karat is assayed with the number 417.
14 karat is assayed with the number 585.
18 karat is assayed with the number 750.
20 karat is assayed with the number 833.
22 karat is assayed with the number 916.
Very high purity in gold is marked with the highest assays – 990 or 999.
Gold Jewelry Care Tips
To care for yellow gold, you should keep it in a velvet-lined jewelry box when it’s not being worn. To avoid scratches, separate your pieces, so that they don’t touch each other. Many jewelry boxes feature velvet compartments that are perfect for this purpose.
White gold should be kept away from fragrances that may mar its brightness. The alcohol in perfume tends to dull the surface of white gold jewelry designs.
Before cleaning your gold with cleaning powders or solutions, be certain that they are very safe.
Should you Have Your Gold Jewelry Professionally Cleaned?
Most jewellers have ultrasonic cleaning machines that are safe for gold jewelry designs. If you like, feel free to have your jewelry cleaned professionally. Just make sure that you’re working with a truly reputable jeweler who will ensure that your gold jewelry remains undamaged throughout the cleaning process.
To clean gold jewelry the natural way, use a boiling water and ammonia mixture (two cups water, a small amount of ammonia) as a cleanser. Apply this mixture to your gold jewelry with a soft toothbrush, and then wipe down the jewelry with warm water.
Now that you know more about gold, you’ll be ready for shop for jewelry with confidence.