Gold Jewelry

     Gold was one of the first metals to be mined because it commonly occurs in its native form - not combined with other elements. As well, it is beautiful and imperishable, and exquisite things can be made from it. In ancient civilizations, gold was lavishly used to decorate tombs and temples. Gold objects made more that 5000 years ago have been found in Egypt.
     Pure gold is too soft, and therefore gold is usually mixed with other metal - gold alloys - to make it stronger and more usable for jewelry.

Karats:
     Karats indicate the amount of pure gold in metal. The higher the percentage of pure gold the higher the karat. In the US:
- 100% gold = 24 karats
- 75% gold = 18 karats
- 58.3 % gold = 14 karats
- 41.6% gold = 10 karats

The karat should be marked on the jewelry somewhere.

     Gold also comes in different colours - yellow, white and rose. Pure gold is always yellow. The metals mixed with pure gold to make it stronger alter the colour of the gold resulting in different shades of yellow, white and pink gold.

Related Links
gold-jewelry/pricing.html
gold-jewelry/care.html