Gold education

Gold is graded in purity called Karats, 24 Karat gold is pure gold, also known as fine gold with a purity of 99.9%. An 18 karat gold ring is 75% pure gold and 25% alloy; while a 14 karat gold ring is 58.5% pure gold and 41.5% alloy.

Hallmark Minimum Fine Gold Content Gold Markings Purity 24K 100% 999 18K 75% 750 14K 58.3% 585 10K 41.7% 417 9K 37.5% 375 Gold Colors and Mixture Yellow Gold Gold with Copper and Silver Alloys White Gold Gold Nickel, Zinc, silver Green Gold Gold with Silver, sometimes Copper and Zinc Red Gold Gold with Copper Pink Gold Gold with Copper

Platinum

Platinum is silvery-white precious metal and is usually more expensive than gold. Most platinum jewelry is 95% platinum and 5 %alloy. Platinum is heavier and more durable than gold with a slower wear factor.

Gold Education

Gold: A heavy, malleable metal element that is unalterable by heat, moisture and most corrosive agents. It is used in a wide variety of jewelry styles and processes. Too soft to be used alone, it is often combined with other metals. Gold à Quatre Couleurs: Gold in four different shades used simultaneously in one piece of jewelry. In some cases it refers to three or five different shades of gold combined in one jewelry item. Gold Alloy: Gold that is alloyed with a variety of other metals, including silver, palladium, copper, nickel, iron or others, all depending on the desired strength, color and intention of its final use. Gold Filled: Gold bonded to a base metal by electroplating. It is usually done to a layer of specific fineness. Gold Leaf: An extremely thin tissue of gold used for gilding. Karat: The measurement for the fineness and purity of gold and gold alloy, as expressed by a number (e.g., 24 karat, 18 karat, 14 karat). In appraising gold jewelry, the higher the number of karats, the greater is the value of the piece.

Platinum: A metal element whose rarity and unusual tensile strength make it extremely valuable, with a price exceeding even that of gold. It is a heavy, silver-white element that is malleable and ductile and does not corrode. Nor does it tarnish. It needs great heat to fuse, and this durability -- coupled with its harmonious color -- make it ideal as a diamond setting. When employed for jewelry, it is used in the form of a platinum alloy.

Purity: A measurement of the amount of pure gold in a jewelry item. 24 karat represents 100 percent gold; 18 karat has 75 percent gold, and 14 karat has 58 percent gold.

Quality Mark: By United States law, a "k" mark representing karat must appear on the back of an authentic gold piece, along with the manufacturer's trademark and country of origin to guarantee the authenticity of the gold.

Rose Gold: A gold alloy with additional copper added to it to give it a blushing hue.

Sterling Silver: An alloy of silver with a fineness of 0.925 parts silver (in Great Britain) and 0.075 parts copper. In the U.S.A. the measurement is 0.921 parts silver.

White Gold: An alloy of gold with a large percentage of silver or other white metals.

Yellow Gold: An alloy of gold mixed with silver and copper.