A Guide to Gold

Gold is loved by all and has an extraordinary heritage spanning centuries. Gold is one of the very rare elements which naturally have a yellow colour. Gold is highly rust, tarnish and corrosion resistant. It is also a very heavy but malleable precious metal.

Purity

Pure gold is not strong enough for everyday wear. Pure gold is so malleable that you can mold it with your hands. Therefore, gold is mixed with metals like copper, silver, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability. A number followed by a “K” indicates purity. “K” here means karat and 24K is pure gold of 99.9%. It is almost impossible to find or make gold 100% pure. This also indicates how much of the metal used in jewellery is gold. Like 18K gold is made up of 75% gold and other metals to make it strong for everyday wear. Similarly 14k gold is made up of 58.3% gold and 41.7% other metals.

Colour

The colour of gold can change depending upon the metal used in it except in the case of 24K gold. The type of metal alloys included changes the colour of the gold to a slight degree. The expert mixture of copper, silver and pure gold gives the gold a warm yellow colour. This colour of gold is so signature that matching it with other metals or processes is almost impossible.

Pricing

Gold prices totally depend up the purity of the gold you choose. Lower purity gold is cheaper and also stronger for daily use. Jewellery normally attracts making charges which is over and above the gold price. Intricate jewellery attracts more making charges as well as stone studded ones. Weight of the total gold you are purchasing will also increase your prices.

Care

Though gold is unaffected by rust or environmental factors harsh household chemicals like chlorine and bleach can be harmful to your gold jewellery. Always try to remove your jewellery before working for your home and your garden. Any other work which may create a situation which can give a blow to your jewellery should be avoided while wearing jewellery. Use warm water and detergent-free soap with soft bristled brush for cleaning your jewellery. Your old toothbrush of soft variety may suffice. Also store your jewellery in their respective boxes if available. If boxes are not available use soft cloth bags for temporary storage.