Why is there a color difference in gold?

When most people think of gold, the image that comes to mind is of a metal with a soft, yellow glow. Indeed, the incomparable golden hue of this precious metal has been part of its appeal for centuries. But for the gold jewelry connoisseur, there are more shades of gold available than just yellow - and in a spectrum of different hues.

While pure gold is yellow in color, colored gold can be developed into various colors. These colors are generally obtained by alloying gold with other elements in various proportions.

For example, alloys which are mixed 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy create 14-karat gold, 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy creates 18 karat, and so on. This is often expressed as the result of the ratio, i.e.: 14/24 equals 0.585 and 18/24 is 0.750. There are hundreds of possible alloys and mixtures, but in general the addition of silver will color gold white, and the addition of copper will color it red. A mix of around 50/50 copper and silver gives the range of yellow gold alloys the public is accustomed to seeing in the marketplace. A small amount (0.2%) of zinc can be added to harden the alloy.
The most common grades of gold, in addition to pure 24K, are 22K (92%), 18K (75%), 14K (58%), 10k (41%) and 9K (38%).
Colored golds can be classified to three groups:

• the Au-Ag-Cu system, producing white, yellow, green and red golds; typically malleable alloys
• the intermetallic compounds, producing blue and purple golds, as well as other colors. These are typically brittle but can be used as gems and inlays
• the surface oxide layers, such as black gold; mechanical properties depend on the bulk alloy, and the colored surface is prone to wear

Modern alloys are available in many colors and shades with a listing of popular ones below:

Yellow gold

This is gold in its natural shade. Pure gold (which is always yellow) is too soft for jewelry use. The metals that are mixed with pure gold for strength can also modify the color of gold. It is by far the most common type of gold used in jewelry. Yellow gold used for jewelry is usually alloyed with copper and silver to strengthen it. The warm glow of yellow gold works with virtually any outfit, any skin or body type and any gemstone. How yellow a piece is will depend on its gold content. Generally, 14 karat gold has a brighter yellow than 10 karat gold; 18 karat gold has a deeper yellow than 14 karat gold, and so on.

White gold

White gold has become very fashionable in recent years as many consumers have opted for the cool, contemporary white look over the classic yellow look. A white gold setting can enhance the look of white diamonds and put a modern twist on a traditional standard.

White gold has the same properties as yellow gold, but is mixed with different alloys to give it its white color. Generally, white gold is created by using a nickel or palladium alloy, zinc and copper. White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel, manganese or palladium. Like yellow gold, the purity of white gold is given in karats.

White gold's properties vary depending on the metals and proportions used. As a result, white gold alloys can be used for many different purposes; while a nickel alloy is hard and strong and therefore good for rings and pins, gold-palladium alloys are soft, pliable and good for white gold gemstone settings, sometimes with other metals like copper, silver, and platinum for weight and durability, although this often requires specialized goldsmiths. Sometimes, white gold is plated with an even whiter metal, such as rhodium (a rare member of the platinum family) to enhance its appearance. The term white gold is used very loosely in the industry to describe karat gold alloys with a whitish hue. Many believe that the color of the rhodium plating, which is seen on many commercial pieces, is actually the color of white gold. The term "white" covers a large spectrum of colors that borders or overlaps pale yellow, tinted brown, and even very pale rose. The jewelry industry often improves these off-white colors by rhodium plating.

A common white gold formulation consists of 90 wt.% gold and 10 wt.% nickel. Copper can be added to increase malleability. A white gold setting can enhance the look of white diamonds and put a modern twist on a traditional standard.

About one out of eight people has an allergic reaction to the nickel in some white gold alloys when worn over long periods. A typical reaction is a minor skin rash. Because of this, many European countries do not use nickel white gold. White gold alloys made without nickel are less likely to be allergenic.

Rose gold

Rose gold is a gold and copper alloy widely used for specialized jewelry. It is also known as pink gold and red gold. By alloying just copper with yellow gold, metalsmiths can create gold with a pink, blush-like tint, which experts say lends a soft, flattering effect to the skin. As it was popular in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, it is also known as Russian gold, but this term is now obsolete.

Although the names are often used interchangeably, the difference between red, rose, and pink gold is the copper content – the higher the copper content, the stronger the red coloration. A common alloy for rose gold is 75% gold and 25% copper by mass (18 karat). Since rose gold is an alloy, there is no such thing as "pure rose gold".

A common formulation for red gold is 50% gold and 50% copper.

Green gold

Green gold alloys are made by leaving the copper out of the alloy mixture and just using gold and silver. Green gold was known to Lydians as long ago as 860 BC under the name electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of silver and gold.

This alloy is created by mixing silver, copper and zinc to yellow gold.  It actually appears as a greenish yellow rather than green. Eighteen karat green gold would therefore contain a mix of gold 75% and silver 25% (or 73% gold and 27% silver). Fired enamels adhere better to these alloys.

Grey gold

Grey gold alloys are made by adding silver, manganese and copper in specific ratios to the gold.

To keep the classic appeal of yellow gold but update it with a more modern look, many women are opting for two-tone styles that combine white and yellow goldwithin the same piece. These types of pieces are considered very fashionable and have become particularly popular in bridal jewelry in recent year.
For an even more original look, some women are choosing jewelry which combines three colors of gold (most often yellow, rose and green) within the same piece.

Resources for this article include:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_gold

http://reviews.ebay.com/GOLD-Difference-in-Karatages-and-Color?ugid=10000000001613063

The Difference Between Carat and Karat

The Difference Between Carat and Karat

If you are in the business of using, buying or even wearing gemstones and precious metals, you should be aware that these two words mean very different things. Gold has been traded all over the world thousands of years. For centuries it was the only standardized exchange in commerce. Shopping for jewelry online or buy offline, findings and materials should make much more sense after you read this article about Carats vs Karats.

Carat

A Carat is a weight measurement in reference to precious gemstones such as Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies, etc. CT is the common abbreviation used by the jewelry industry. The actual word “carat” came from the carob bean. In ancient times, the carob bean was used to measure weight. Carat is the common unit of measurement for all gemstones and refers to it’s weight. Today, when we want to measure the actual weight of a diamond or other gemstones, we refer to their weight in carats. Each carat equals 1/5 of a gram or 5 carats = 1 gram.

Many people think a carat is referring to the size of the gemstones, however, it is a measurement of weight. While the weight does effect the size of the gemstones, a carat is not a measurement of length, mass or volume. The Carat, along with the purity of the gemstone is what determines the price of the precious stones.

Karat

Karat is the unit of measurement for GOLD . The word “karat” is used to indicate the percentage of pure gold in an article of jewelry. KT is the common abbreviation used by the jewelry industry.

Gold in its’ pure state is considered too soft for ordinary jewelry applications—it is generally alloyed with other base metals chiefly copper (but also nickel, silver and zinc). Pure gold is 24 karat; other alloys are simply a percentage of 24 karat.

18 karat gold jewelry is actually 18/24 pure gold or 3/4 pure gold and is often stamped .750. 14 karat gold jewelry is 14/24 pure gold and often stamped .585. 10 karat gold jewelry is 10/24 pure gold and often stamped .417. What do the markings on the back of jewelry actually mean?

The following defines the percentages in the most common denominations of gold:

24KT contains 99.9% pure gold
18KT contains 75.0% pure gold
14KT contains 58.5% pure gold
10KT contains 41.7% pure gold

You will see fine jewelry items marked either way signifying the gold content. Usually when marking jewelry, manufacturers omit the decimal point and stamp the item 585 or 750, depending on the gold content.

Gold itself is very soft, and like silver, it needs to be alloyed with other metals to make it stronger and less expensive. 24 karat gold is considered pure gold, or 100% gold. While many people think 24 karat gold is the best quality you can buy, the soft metal is less durable and it can scratch or damage easily. To prevent this, gold is alloyed with metals such as silver, copper and zinc. When producing white gold alloys, nickel, copper and zinc are used. So, the karat is measured by the ratio of gold to the alloyed metal. 18 karat gold is 3/4 gold or 0.750 gold, 14 karat gold is 14/24 gold or 0.583 gold, etc.

Although the karat does determine the value of the gold, it does not tell us the price we are paying for gold. After you have determined the karat of gold you would like, the final step in determining the price of your gold is it's weight, how much gold are you purchasing? Precious metals are measured in Troy Ounces, one Troy Ounce is equal to about 31.1 grams. There are 12 ounces per Troy pound. Oh yea, and did I mention that the price of precious metals is variable?

The stamping of gold in the United States with a mark declaring its quality is governed to be the U.S. Stamping Law. The U.S. Department of Commerce along with the National Bureau of Standards has set the regulations, violations and punishment for the stamping of precious metals. The United States requires jewelry gold articles to be accurately marked in reference to karat content which is known as “plumb gold”.

In general, carat refers to mass and karat to refer to gold purity. But, beware that in some places carat is the term compared to both mass and purity..

Also, don’t forget that there is a word caret that refers to spacing symbol or mark used in written or printed material to show the place where something is to be inserted.

Resources for this article include:

http://mayfairjewelers.com/index.php/jewelry/Earrings

http://unique-handmade-jewelry.blogspot.com/2006/11/carats-vs-karats-what-is-difference.html

http://wordsbybob.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/carat-or-karat-whats-the-diff/

Tips for Buying Gold Jewelry Online

Tips for Buying Gold Jewelry Online

 It is a fact that accessories form an integral part for women in order to complete their wardrobe. These days' people are much more concerned about the latest fashion, when they choose clothes and jewelry. They want to look trendy so that they can be in eyes of everyone. People are unaware, when it comes to shopping of gold jewelry. They don't have much knowledge of online gold jewelry and even are having very less information when it comes to cheap gold jewelry.

Think Before You Shop

When considering a major purchase like a piece of jewelry, it’s best to make a few decisions before you begin shopping. What’s your budget? Do you want a certain type of metal or stone? Or a certain brand name? If you decide what’s important to you up-front, you’re less likely to make an impulse purchase that could lead to buyer’s remorse.

Before you buy, do some research to make sure a company is legitimate, or shop with companies you know. You might check a store’s reputation by entering the outlet’s name and the word “complaints” in a search engine.

 

If you understand the terms that jewelers use, you’ll be better able to evaluate a piece of jewelry and decide for yourself whether it is worth the price.

You must have visited many jewelry websites or jewelry shops for searching good dealers. You may have seen that many online gold jewelry shops/dealers ask for fees to access the information provided by them and might be you have also paid to them. At last you found it was all useless and felt deceived. But buying jewelery specially gold is no more a difficult task now as you are about to get some useful tips for buying cheap gold jewelry.

Tips for search a reputed online gold jewelry store : First of all you must do a good research on internet to find a reputed online gold jewelry store that can fetch you a best deal. Whenever you visit any website, do read all the information provided by the owner like blogs, feedback, terms and conditions. Feedback will help you to understand about quality of product and service they are providing via the customers who have already purchased any jewelry from that online gold jewelry store.

If you purchase from the popular online gold jewelry store: You may find many online gold jewelry  stores providing you many offers and a good deal. You can have a wide variety of choice in online gold jewelry. These stores provide online gold jewelry with reasonable prices. Even there are auctions held by some online stores who can give you a good deal. But before going for final any shopping read all information and conditions. And you can always ask if there is any doubtful case.

Be cautious when you are dealing with gold: As you are going to purchase cheap gold jewelry the chances of being cheated gets higher. So be extra cautious and take good care while making final deal. Check for the authenticity and also get genuineness certificate. Also check for license stamp back side of the jewelry. If the license stamp is not there, then surely you are cheated in regard of its quality.

Get to know the common phrases and markings used to describe jewelry, when shopping online gold jewelry

·        Get the details about the product, as well as the merchant’s refund and return policies, before you buy.

·        Look for a street address or phone number in case you have a question or problem. Call the number to test it. You may want to know if the seller is in another country.

·        It may be wise to visit your local jewelry store to look at and try on something similar to what you want. This will give you an idea of size and other features of fine jewelry.

·        Once you've found what you want, take the online price to your local jeweler and see if he or she will give you a similar item at the same price. This can save you shipping and handling costs and the hassle of returning something that you don't like through the mail.

·        Remember that no matter how clearly a picture of jewelry appears on your monitor, it's not the same as handling or trying it on before buying. It's especially important to check online sites' guarantees and return policies, which will be extremely important if you are not happy with the item once you see it.

·        If you return a piece of jewelry bought online, items often must be returned within a limited amount of time, and you will need to insure the item being returned. While your purchase price may be refunded, insurance, shipping and handling charges are usually not refundable.

·        Familiarize yourself with how to measure quality in gold, diamonds or other items you may wish to purchase. Know the difference between carats and karats

·        Enter the word "jewelry" in a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. If desired, enter more specific words such as "rings," "diamonds" or "gold."

·        Browse sites for information. Some online gold jewelry offer jewelry made by known manufacturers while others have their own jewelers that make the pieces for sale

·        Read information on guarantees, secure ordering and returns. A piece of jewelry is a major investment, and you want to be sure your purchase is guaranteed and that your purchase price can be refunded if you want to return the item.

·        Check to see if certificates are given, particularly for diamonds

·        If you are confident that the site is secure and reputable, browse the categories ("diamonds," ,"gold," "watches," "rings," and so on) or do a site search using the key word or words of the item you are looking for ("gold watch," "diamond ring," and so on).

·        If you find a piece that interests you, you may have to click its image to make it larger so you can get a better look. While this is not necessarily a good substitute for seeing the piece in person, it will give you a pretty good idea of what the piece looks like

So always do your shopping from a reputed and popular online gold jewelry store. You can get a high quality  gold jewelry easily and conveniently available here. It is offering the best services in gold and jewelry market. They assure you a good gold jewelry at affordable prices along with it a smile of satisfaction on your face.

So if you really want to strike for the best deal then without any second thought just go for it and be a proud owner of gold

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