Gold Alloys Are the Real Thing!
Jewelry made from gold alloys may also be called “gold-filled” jewelry. This is not to be confused with gold-plated (costume) jewelry, which usually is made by covering very inexpensive metal with a thin coating of a gold alloy.| Common Alloys by % of Gold |
|
|---|---|
| K | % |
| 9 K | 37.5 |
| 10 K | 41.6 |
| 14 K | 58.3 |
| 18 K | 75.0 |
| 20 K | 83.3 |
| 22 K | 91.6 |
An ounce of solid gold is very expensive. Although gold prices fluctuate from day to day, in recent times the price of an ounce of gold has soared past $900. In addition, pure gold is also very soft and easily dents, scratches, and abrades.
The solution to making gold consumer-friendly is to mix it with another metal, creating an alloy that results in a sturdier and frequently less-expensive piece.
What we commonly call solid or pure gold is 24 carat (kt) gold. Carats (also written as karats and abbreviated as kt) are the measure of the ratio of gold to other metals contained within the alloy. The more gold an alloy contains, the higher the caratage is.
Gold jewelry alloys typically span a range from 8 to 18 carats. An 8 carat alloy means that the gold content is 1/3 and an 18 carat piece is 75% gold. Other common caratages of gold jewelry alloys are 10 kt and 14 kt.
So, How Do I Pick the Right Gold Alloy?
In answering the above question, ask yourself several other questions.- How often will I wear my gold jewelry? Alloys made by combining gold with stronger metals can better handle the bumps of daily wear for jewelry like wedding rings.
- What color of gold should I select? Depending on the ratio of gold to other metal(s) contained in the alloy, you’ll find gold jewelry in a large array of colors from white to black — yellow, to pink, to rose, to purple, and even green! Both the amount of gold and the other types of metals that make up the alloy determine the color of gold jewelry.
- How will my gold jewelry react with my body chemistry? Gold jewelry that blackens your skin or turns it green is usually gold-plated (costume jewelry) rather than gold-filled (fine jewelry). Although many people believe they are allergic to gold, actually gold is one of the least allergenic metals.
It Doesn’t Have to Glitter to Be Gold!
Gold is yellow, and because gold alloys are at least 1/3 gold, they always retain a hint of yellow. Often white gold alloys are additionally electroplated with rhodium (another platinum relative), which is very hard, completely tarnish resistant, and extremely reflective to further conceal the glimmer of yellow gold.Copper is the only other colored pure metal and is responsible for pink, rose, and red gold alloys. Yellow gold alloys are made with copper and zinc. Green gold adds silver and/or iron to the mix.
The colors in popular “Black Hills” gold items come from alloying gold with copper (red, pink, rose), iron (green), aluminum (purple), or platinum (white). Alloying gold with a combination of silver and natural bismuth creates black “Black Hills” gold.