Complete Guide to Gold: Differences between 18k Yellow, White, and Rose Gold
Jewelry is given as a gift on important life events not only for its beauty but also for its durability. A piece of jewelry endures over time, along with the memory of the moment it was received, whether it be a wedding, baptism, graduation, or retirement.
Jewelry is made from the most precious metals known: gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, and so on.
Pure gold does not have the mechanical qualities desirable for use in goldsmithing or jewelry, which is why alloys with other metals are used to give it qualities such as rigidity, strength, and color.
Gold quality refers to the proportion of pure metal found in the alloy. Thus, a 750-milligram gold ingot (this percentage of gold in the alloy is also known as 18-karat gold) is composed of 750 parts pure gold, with the remainder (250 milligrams) being other precious metals.
WHY IS PURE GOLD NOT USED IN JEWELRY?
Pure gold does not have the mechanical qualities desirable for use in goldsmithing or jewelry, which is why alloys with other metals are used to give it qualities such as rigidity, strength, and color.
Gold quality refers to the proportion of pure metal found in the alloy. Thus, a 750-milligram gold ingot (this percentage of gold in the alloy is also known as 18-karat gold) is composed of 750 parts pure gold, with the remainder (250 milligrams) being other precious metals.
THREE TYPES OF 18-KARAT GOLD
YELLOW GOLD: The classic choice
8-karat yellow gold is composed of 750/1000 parts fine gold, 125/1000 parts fine silver, and 125/1000 parts copper.
ROSE GOLD: Contemporary Romance
18-karat red gold is an alloy of 750 parts fine gold and a quarter part copper. To give it a more pinkish hue, the alloy is made up of 50 thousandths of fine silver and 200 parts copper. To lighten the tone, the alloy is varied by adding a little more silver and less copper.
WHITE GOLD: Modern elegance
In 18-karat white gold we find 750 parts of fine gold, between 100 and 160 parts of palladium and the rest of fine silver.
HOW TO IDENTIFY AUTHENTIC GOLD: Hallmark
All pieces must be hallmarked, meaning they must bear a 750 stamp (equivalent to the proportion of pure gold). This applies to all precious metals, regardless of their percentage of pure gold, so the stamp will vary depending on the karat.
9-karat gold has a proportion of 375/1000 parts of fine gold, while 14-karat gold has a proportion of 585/1000.
