Gold 101

     Pure (24K) gold is way too soft for everyday wear.  That's why gold jewelry is made of a mixture of gold and other metals; silver, copper, nickel and zinc.  The K (karat) number tells us what fraction of 24 parts of the alloy are pure gold.  For example 14K is 14/24 or 58.33% or a little over half pure gold. 

     The metals (silver, copper, nickel or zinc) used in the alloy also determine the color of the gold.  A high percentage of nickel gives white gold its color.  A high percentage of copper provides the reddish tone to rose gold.  Gold itself does not tarnish but these alloying metals can sometimes cause a piece to darken with time, or leave a dark residue on the skin. 

     Gold is marked differently in Europe.  It's marked with a number indicating the gold content as parts per thousand.  This means 18K gold, which is 75% pure gold, is stamped 750.  I actually found a couple of rings marked with 496 in a box of "junk jewelry".  The gold buyer confirmed them as 10K gold, a little less than half pure gold. See how that works?

       With all the attention gold has been getting these days, I've heard some folks asking if they can melt and then re-cast their gold into another piece of jewelry.  They want to hold on to the memories, not just the gold.  I am not a jeweler but I ask a lot of questions and have done a lot of research on the subject.  It is possible to melt the metal and reform it, but the alloys that are present may not "re-form" with the gold for a good result.  You never know for sure how it will turn out.  What I have been told is, many times the gold shows porosity and is not as strong.  They don't advise mixing it with "new gold" either. 

     The best procedure is to refine it, which means stripping the alloy from it and then recasting the gold with new alloy.  A jeweler usually can't do this.  A refiner works with such large quantities that just wouldn't be possible to get your gold back.  If the sentimental value of your gold is important, consult a jeweler with design and manufacturing experience about turning your gold into a nugget to be worn as a pendant.  It never hurts to ask and that's where you'll get some good advice.

     I hope this information will help all those "gold diggers" out there.  Listed below are some other articles you might find of interest on the subject.

     Good luck on your treasure hunt.

Related articles

• What alloys are in yellow and white gold? (since1910.com)
• White Gold is Not Antique (rubylane.com)
• Tiffany Creates New Pink Jeweler's Metal Called Rubedo (shoppingblog.com)
• What Is Gold-Filled Jewelery? (nyfitkoa.wordpress.com)
• A Brief Overview of Different Metals (hammermarks.wordpress.com)

Is There Any Other Jewelry Metal Besides Gold?

     Of course there are other metals besides gold.  Gold is all we here about these days.  I know it's valuable.  I know it's pretty.  But there are other metals.  Some with value.  In some opinions there are others even prettier.  I'm going to list a few that maybe you haven't got sick of hearing about.  Some you probably have never heard about. 

     Pinchbeck is an alloy of copper and zinc.  Discovered by Christopher Pinchbeck (1670-1732).  Although rarely seen today it was very popular in the eighteenth century as a gold look-alike.  Quite often ladies had their favorite gold pieces reproduced in pinchbeck to take on their travels.  The legalization of 9K gold and the invention of the electroplating process contributed to the demise of its popularity in the mid-1800's.

     Vermeil was popular in eighteenth century, France.  Vermeil pieces were made of sterling silver and coated with gold, "silver gilt".  Production was banned in the early 1800s.  It was discovered that the mercury used in the process caused the craftsmen to go blind.  Oops!

     Palladium is a member of the platinum metals group.  It is harder, lighter and less expensive than platinum.  It was used in jewelry manufacturing during WWII as a substitute for platinum, which was restricted.  Platinum was considered a strategic metal.

     Silver is not considered an ideal metal for setting precious stones because it tarnishes and is less durable.  Until the introduction of platinum and white gold alloys in the late 1800s and early 1900s, silver was the only white precious metal avaiable.  It remains popular as a jewelry metal because it is more plentiful, an therefore much less expensive.  Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver and such pieces are often marked "SS", "Sterling" or "925".  Coin silver is 90% silver and is sometimes marked "900".  German silver and nickel silver are misnomers for alloys of other metals that contain no silver at all.

     Platinum is rarer and more expensive than gold.  It is grayish-white in color, does not tarnish and is very strong.  Very high temperatures are necessary to melt platinum.  It did not become a viable jewelry metal until advancements in jewelers' tools were made in the late 1800s.  It became the most popular jewelry metal in America in the 1920s.  It was the ideal choice for the lacy filigree styles of the period because of its durability.  Jewelry platinum is an alloy, usually 90% platinum and 10% iridum.  Typically stamped "Plat."

Related articles

• South Africa's PGM production plummets (business.financialpost.com)
• Types of Metals (preciousmetalinvestment.wordpress.com)
• Ajarn Donald's Blog: From Trash to Treasure (ajarndonald.wordpress.com)