Photo Courtesy of Cartier
Six times rarer than platinum and 18 times rarer than silver, gold is considered one of the most precious materials in jewelry making. In addition to diamond and other gems, women covet it for its shiny and sunny color that adds the exact feel needed to complete any of their outfits.
For it has that quintessential place in our hearts and lives, diving deeper into its characteristics and specifications could make us love it even more.
The gold carats
The gold carat can range between 9 and 24 and is measured according to the percentage of pure gold used to create it.
- The 24-carat gold is the highest and consists of 99.9% of pure gold. Very soft and malleable, it cannot be used to create intricate pieces.
- The 22-carat gold consists of 91.6% of pure gold. Also very soft, it cannot be used for stone setting, but rather for plain gold jewelry such as wedding bands.
- The 18-carat gold contains 75% of pure gold mixed with other durable metals that add strength to it.
- The 14-carat gold contains about 58.5% of pure gold. It has a warm yellow hue and is a popular choice due to its affordable price.
- The 9-carat gold has 37.5% of pure gold and is the most affordable. Light yellow-hued, it is stronger and more durable due its higher percentage of other metals.
The colors of gold
Gold comes in three colors, which are yellow, white and pink.
- White gold is a mix of gold and at least one white metal, usually nickel or palladium. The one obtained with nickel is hard and strong, which makes it good for rings and pins. For gemstone settings, white gold usually comes in a mix of gold and palladium, copper, silver or platinum.
- Rose gold, also known as pink or red gold, is a mix of gold and copper. In fact there is a difference between these three kinds of gold. While the pink gold uses the least copper, rose gold comes next then red cold consists of the highest copper quantity.
Can gold be destroyed?
Nearly impossible to destroy, it cannot rust nor melt below 1063 degrees Celsius. It can only be dissolved by cyanide. Many think that Mercury harms gold, but in fact it can be removed with pure coconut oil.
Mirella Haddad
