GOLD JEWELRY

Gold jewelry never goes out of style, and for good reason, because gold is as wearer-friendly as
it is beautiful. Pure gold doesn't react with other elements to create tarnish, the residue that
accumulates on some metals before transferring to your skin as a stain. Sometimes people have
allergy or staining problems with metals that are combined with gold, but the gold itself is rarely
a problem. Gold can be worked into nearly any shape, including tiny strands that do not break
easily. One ounce of gold can even be hammered into an ultra thin sheet that's ten feet square.
Gold can be manipulated nearly any way the artisan desires.

How Pure Is Your Gold Jewelry?

Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K, with the K standing for karat,
the system used to describe the percentage of pure gold an item contains. The higher the karat
number, the higher the percentage of gold in your gold jewelry.

24K gold is pure gold.

18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
75% gold.

14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
58.3% gold.

12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
50% gold.

10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals, making it
41.7% gold. 10K gold is the minimum karat that can be called "gold" in the United
States.

European Markings
European gold jewelry is marked with numbers that indicate their percentage of gold, such as:
18K gold is marked 750 to indicate 75% gold

14K gold is marked 585 for 58.5%

10K gold is marked 417 for 41.7%

Other Markings on Gold Jewelry

The karat marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark that
identifies its maker. The item's country of origin might also be included.

Why Are Other Metals Mixed With Gold?

You'll find examples of pure gold jewelry, but pure gold is soft and isn't practical for daily wear.
Other metals are mixed with it to make it more durable (and to lower its cost).
Adding other metals to the mix also allows metallurgists to change the color of gold. Palladium
or nickel can be added to create white gold. Adding copper produces a rose or pink tint, while
silver gives gold a greenish cast.
When metals are added to the gold the result is an alloy, a blended mixture of the metals that you
can think of as a very expensive cake batter. Solid gold is a term that can be used to describe an
item that's at least 10K (in the US) gold all the way through. Even though it's a gold alloy--18K,
14K, or anything down to 10K--it can be called solid gold.

When Gold Is Used as a Coating

There are many ways to mechanically apply a coating of gold onto a much less expensive metal,
reducing the item's cost. The thicker the layer of gold, the less likely it is to wear away easily and
expose the metal underneath.
Gold Filled Jewelry
Newer gold filled items have markings that indicate how much and what type of gold was used
for the layer. A marking that says 1/20 12K G.F. means that the jewelry is at least 1/20th 12K
gold by weight.
Gold Plated Jewelry
The gold layer in gold plated jewelry is typically thinner than the gold in gold filled jewelry, so it
usually wears away more quickly. Plating is done in different ways.
You might see terms such as gold washed used to describe a very thin layer of gold--one that
won't be very durable.

So What Should You Buy?

Solid gold is durable, so it is a better choice for jewelry you'll wear regularly. If you have
allergies to nickel or other metals, choose items that have high gold content, such as 18K or 22K
gold jewelry.
Gold filled or plated jewelry is suitable for jewelry that you wear occasionally. Everyday use
would eventually diminish the gold layer, exposing the metal below, which might stain your skin
or cause an allergic reaction.
For pieces that will last a lifetime and beyond, buy the highest quality gold your budget allows.

HOW GOLD CHANGES COLOUR

Have you ever been confused by the terms white gold, green gold, and rose gold? All real gold is
yellow, isn't it, so how do other colors fit in - are they imitations? No, they aren't imitations at
at all, those 'other' colors of gold are alloys, new metals that are created by combining two or
more different metals.

What's a Gold Alloy?

Differently colored gold alloys are just as "real" as their yellow golden counterparts. Pure gold is
generally too soft to be used for jewelry anyway, so other metals are nearly always added to it,
no matter which color of gold is being prepped for jewelry making (kind of like a cake batter
made with metals instead of flour, sugar and eggs).

Karat Content Plays a Role in Gold Alloy Creation

Chances are the ring on your finger is marked 18K, 14K, or 10K to indicate how much pure gold
is present in the mix. The K stands for karat, the system used to state how much pure gold is
found in an item.

24K gold is pure gold.

18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts of another metal(s), making it 75% gold.

14K gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal(s), making it 58.3% gold.

12K gold contains 12 parts gold and 12 parts of another metal(s), making it 50% gold.

10K gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal(s), making it 41.7% gold.
10K gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.

Even 18K gold, with its 6 parts of another metal, gives jewelers the opportunity to play around
with color.

White Gold Alloys

Nickel can be mixed with gold to create a white (or gray) color, but be aware that nickel
can cause dermatitis in some people (nickel is a fairly common allergen).

Palladium is another metal used to create white gold alloys. Related to platinum, it is
more expensive than nickel, but is less likely to cause allergic reactions than nickel.

Rose & Pink Gold Alloys

Copper is added to make many gold-colored alloys, but additional copper creates pink
and rose tones -- the more copper, the deeper the effect.
Green Gold Alloys
Greenish shades are created by adding silver to gold.
Black Hills Gold
Black Hills Gold jewelry is a good example of a colored gold alloy. Most Black Hills Gold
jewelry uses 10K or 12K gold alloys in shades of yellow, pink, rose, and green. The photo on this
page illustrates a few examples of this colorful gold jewelry.
Making alloys isn't as simple as it might sound. Before they create a new alloy, metallurgists
have to consider how the metals will react with each other. Adding too much of one metal or
another can make the mixture brittle, too hard, or difficult to work with. Some ingredients could
also result in a mix that's too soft.
Metallurgists fine-tune their recipes to produce combinations that are attractive, durable and can
be successfully worked into pieces of jewelry.
GOLD PURITY
Gold has an extraordinary heritage with unique qualities. As an enduring element found naturally
in a distinct yellow color, gold is resistant to rust, tarnish, and corrosion. Although gold is very
strong, it's also the most malleable of all precious metals.
Purity
Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver,
copper, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability.
Karatage, denoted by a number followed by "k" indicates purity, or how much of the metal in a
piece of jewelry is gold. Karatage is expressed in 24ths, making 24k gold, 100% gold.
We craft our jewelry using both 18k and 14k gold. 18k gold is composed of 75% gold, which is
alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough for everyday wear. 14k gold is composed of
58.3% gold and 41.7% of other metals.
Color
The color of gold is determined by two factors:
The type of metal alloys included
The percentage of each metal alloy
Yellow Gold
Natural gold and color-saturated alloys are what give yellow gold jewelry its rich shine. The
alloys most commonly used, are copper with a red hue, and silver featuring a green hue. An
expert mixture of copper, silver and pure gold gives this precious metal its signature warmth.
White Gold
A silvery white character is what makes white gold jewelry so appealing. In order to make the

gold white, it is combined with metal alloys that are white in nature and plated with an extremely
hard element called rhodium. Although strong, rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is a
simple process that can be done to restore whiteness to your jewelry.
White Gold with Black Rhodium
Black rhodium is plated to white gold creating a rich black appearance that is extremely hard and
strong. As with traditional white rhodium, black rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is
a simple process that Blue Nile offers to restore your jewelry's black finish.
Rose Gold
The beautiful pink hue of rose gold jewelry is created by using a copper alloy. Again, the overall
percentages of metal alloys is the same for rose gold as it is for yellow or white, there is just a
different mixture in what alloys are used.
Vermeil
Rich in golden color, many of our fine jewelry pieces are crafted with vermeil. Sterling silver is
plated with 10k gold that is a minimum of 2.5 microns in thickness for longwearing durability.
Pricing
Gold jewelry prices are dependent upon the purity of the gold used or karat weight, the market
value of gold, and the level of craftsmanship and design of each jewelry piece.
Care
Since gold is a natural element, it is affected by harsh chemicals such as chlorine or other
cleaning products. We recommend that you remove your jewelry when using chemicals to reduce
daily abrasions and prolong the luster. To clean gold jewelry, use a solution of warm water and
detergent-free soap with a soft-bristled brush. When not worn, store your gold pieces in soft cloth
bags or the original box to protect them from the elements of daily exposure.
There is no such thing as white gold!
Gold is yellow. In fact all metals are silvery gray in colour, with just two exceptions, copper and
gold.
There are however gold alloys which appear white, silvery, or grey.
When jewelers speak of white gold, they mean white gold alloys. In most other major languages
these alloys are described as grey rather than white. We will stick to "white", although gray
would be a more accurate description.
What is White Gold?
Rather than repeat ourselves, please take a look at our "What is White Gold?" page, then come
back to this page.
Now that you know what white gold is, you will realise why it turns yellowish.
Rhodium Plating
It is common practice to rhodium plate all white gold jewellery, and some platinum. Rhodium is
very bright, and highly reflective. When the rhodium plating wears through, the colour of the
actual "white" alloy can be seen. This varies from gray through to distinctly yellowish gray. On
some cheap jewellery, yellow gold alloys are rhodium plated, so that when the plating wears out,
the natural yellow colour of the alloy appears.
In other cases, cheap diamond rings are made in low carat (9, 10 or 14) yellow gold alloys,

usually as one piece castings. The "head" or diamond set portion of the ring is then rhodium
plated to imitate a two part ring. When the rhodium wears off these rings, they usually look
dreadful.
How Long Will The Plating Last?
In the few weeks after we first published this page, we received quite a lot of e-mails all asking
basically the same question, how long would or should the plating last. It seems as if most of the
enquirers had bought white gold rings which had started to discolour within a few years.
Of course, there is no simple answer to the question. It depends on the thickness of the plating,
and the precise conditions under which it was applied. How bad the discolouration may be
depends on the colour of the substrate, that is the actual metal that the ring is made from.
One thing we told all these enquirers was "ask the store they bought it from."
Differing Trade Opinions
Some members of the jewellery trade believe that white gold alloys are now so good that they
are equal to platinum, others believe that platinum is superior. We would say that although
platinum is better for most purposes, white gold alloys have closed the gap cosiderably, and can
be almost as good as platinum.
Buying Advice
It is important to recognise that even the best "white" gold is actually gray, what you see when
new is probably rhodium plating. Even if you are buying platinum, it is distinctly gray, and is
often rhodium plated when new. Because it is not made from an intrinsically yellow metal, there
is no yellow to show through.
White gold alloys became fashionable in the 1920's, mainly as a substitute for platinum, which
had itself recently become fashionable. Platinum is quite expensive, needs greater temperatures
than gold, and is generally considered harder to work with than gold, although it is ideal for use
in diamond settings. At least three patents were issued for different "recipes" of white gold alloys
during the 1920's, using different components to produce the whitening or "bleaching" effect.
Simply mixing a white and a yellow metal together does not just produce a pale yellow colour,
alloying produces a difference in the atomic structure which alters the reflectivity of light of
different wavelengths.
The commonest metal which causes a significant bleaching effect in gold is nickel, which has the
great advantage of being inexpensive, and also providing, in 18 carat alloys, a good colour match
for platinum, however its colour matching in 14 and 9 carat alloys is poor. It also has the serious
defect that it commonly causes dermatitis, through allergic reactions when worn in contact with
the skin. It is also considered to be slightly carcinogenic. E.C. Regulations covering the use of
nickel in jewellery are being implemented, and soon all or most new jewellery sold in the
Community will have to be nickel-free, or at least "nickel-safe". Most American and Italian
white gold alloys use nickel.
A typical nickel containing white gold alloy might be, in parts per thousand:
Gold 750, Copper 55, Nickel 145, Zinc 50
White Gold Alloys with Palladium
The other metal which is ideal as a constituent of white gold alloys is palladium, which is a close
relative of platinum. Its main disadvantage is that it is quite expensive, indeed at the time of
writing this, the market price of palladium was higher than that of gold, due to Russian economic
and production problems. Its second disadvantage is the high melting point, although jewellery

manufacturing and repair equipment has improved, so that most workshops can now cope. A
hidden factor in the high cost of alloy components is that there are large proportions of scrap
produced during jewellery manufacture. Because this involves expensive precious metal alloys,
recycling and reclamation of the precious metals is very important. When scrap contains high
levels of expensive metals like palladium, there are extra costs involved in recovering it, which
have to be added back to the production costs.
Other possible whiteners include silver, platinum, chromium, cobalt, tin, zinc, and indium. Silver
would be an ideal constituent, with excellent working properties, but unfortunately it does not
have a very great bleaching effect. Copper does not tend to whiten, but is used to improve the
ductility of most white gold alloys.
A typical palladium containing white gold alloy might be, in parts per thousand:
Gold 750, Silver 40, Copper 40, Palladium 170
We Use Nickel-Free Palladium White Gold
We use 18 carat white gold alloys for most of our diamond ring settings. Our policy is to use
only white gold alloys containing palladium, and which are nickel-free.
Black Humour or a White Lie?
I normally answer questions seriously, but do have a rather keenly developed sense of humour.
Once a nice couple asked me the usual questions about white gold, and I started with the slightly
facetious answer that most gold was yellow, and white gold was very rare. I then explained that it
was only found in small quantities in certain mines. By this stage, both of them had nodded and
followed the plot, so I was encouraged to continue. Most gold comes from South Africa, and
most of the mine labour is performed by low paid black workers. The white mine workers are
usually highly paid managers, supervisors, and technicians. The problem with white gold is that
it could become stained by perspiration from the black miners, and this ruined its marketability.
Therefore white gold seams could only be worked by the highly paid white workers. I managed
to continue inventing this mythical scenario expecting them to realise soon that I was leg-pulling,
but they continued to nod and make understanding sounds.
Coming to the end of about five minutes of sheer invention, they then said "Is that right", and I
laughed and said "No, not a word of it, but you seemed to be enjoying the story, so I carried on!"
I'm glad to recall that they joined in the amusement, and I then gave them a more accurate
account. I find it intriguing to wonder what would have happened had I left them believing the
original story.
1 Scrape the item across a porcelain tile in a straight line. If it leaves a black line on the tile, the item is
not real gold. If the line is gold colored, the item is probably true gold

2 Find an item that you are sure is gold and is exactly the same size as the item you are testing.
Hold one item in your left hand and the other in your right hand. The items will have the same
weight if they are both

Instructions
1
Look for a stamp or hallmark. Most gold jewelry has a stamp or hallmark in an inconspicuous area
such as the inside band of a ring. A hallmark is a mark that guarantees the quality and purity of a
particular piece of gold and may also indicate the date of manufacture, origin and the metal content of the

article. A stamp or hallmark indicates the karat amount of the gold and appears as a number followed by
the letters "kt" (for karat) stamped into the gold. Look for a stamp indicating 10kt, 14k,18kt or 24kt. Note
that custom-made gold jewelry may not display a hallmark, but this doesn't mean that gold jewelry
without a hallmark or stamp is fake. Some fake gold jewelry may also have a karat stamp or hallmark, so
you must be careful in checking. Even if the gold you are checking has a stamp, you should try other
methods to double-check that you are looking at real gold.
2
Use a magnet. Since gold is not magnetic, using a magnet can help you determine whether your
gold is real or is simply plated iron or steel. Hold the gold near the magnet. If the gold is attracted to the
magnet, it is not real. If you feel the gold pulling toward the magnet without actually sticking to it, the
gold may be real but have impurities or be alloyed with other metals. Pure gold will not be attracted to a
magnet and will not emit a pulling force when close to the magnet.
3
Test the gold's softness. If you are willing to make a dent on the piece of gold you're testing, you
can use any sharp knife such as a kitchen knife to poke the gold. Do this in an inconspicuous spot on the
gold. If the knife forms a dent in the metal it may be gold. If the gold is not dented then there is a high
chance that the gold you're testing is not real and has been alloyed with other metals to make it hard. Find
an inconspicuous place and scrape the with the end of a pin. Gold is a soft metal. If the pin makes a mark
with little difficulty, this is good news. If the pin simply jars against the item without really penetrating,
the item is made of some sort of base metal. Steps 2 and 3 are both quick unscientific tests, but taken
together, they are extremely helpful in identifying gold pieces and excluding those which definitely are
not gold. For a more scientific test, go to Step 4.
4
Examine the gold closely for discoloration, especially in areas where friction and rubbing is most
likely to occur. If you are checking a piece of gold jewelry you have worn and you notice a discoloration
on your skin, the item is not real gold. You can also rub the gold on an unglazed porcelain tile (available
at home improvement stores.) If the gold produces a black streak on the tile, the gold is fake. However if
it produces a golden yellow streak, it is most likely real.

Tips & Warnings

Visit a reputable jeweler if you are having trouble determining the gold's authenticity
yourself.

You can purchase a gold testing kit which includes all of the equipment you will need to
test your gold.