Informations
Gold
History of gold
The first and most well known use for gold is as jewellery. The Bible mentions gold being used as jewellery as far back as the time of Abraham. The ancient Egyptians wore gold jewellery and often buried important people with gold jewellery and masks. Gold is also known to have been used as jewellery in ancient Sumeria, Crete, Greece, England, and China. It is commonly accepted that gold was in fact used to make jewellery everywhere it was available. The metal was in high demand in ancient times and continues to this day for its intrinsic beauty both shiny and colorful. Additionally, like diamonds and platinum today, gold is also an assertion of wealth and status. Pure gold is very soft, making it an easy metal to work with to create intricate piece of jewellery. As a result of gold's softness, it is usually mixed with other base metals to increase its hardness.
Gold
Gold has an extraordinary heritage with unique qualities. As an enduring element found naturally in a distinct yellow colour, gold is resistant to rust, tarnish, and corrosion. Although gold is very strong, it's also the most malleable of all precious metals. 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.
White gold
White gold is not a special form of gold. White gold is a true carat gold, just like yellow carat gold jewellery. The white color is achieved by a careful choice of the alloying metals which bleach the deep yellow of pure gold. White gold for jewellery was developed in the 1920’s as an affordable substitute for platinum. It is often used is settings to enhance diamonds and other gemstones. White gold bridal jewellery is increasingly popular.
Rhodium
White gold and often silver and platinum jewellery are plated with rhodium. It is one of the platinum family metals. For good technical and economic reasons, many commercial white gold is not a ‘good’ white color. It is usually yellow-brownish tint and this is why jewellery is often rhodium-plated, to improve its appearance. Rhodium has a high reflectivity and a good metallic white color and is hard with good wear properties. Such a coating, if not subjected to undue abrasion or heat repairs, has a lifetime of 1-2 years before it wears through to reveal the gold alloy underneath. We recommend a good polishing and rhodium plating once every year.
Buying
Gold pricing is based on a number of factors, including karat amount (called karatage), gram weight, design and craftsmanship. The karatage and gram weight designate how much gold is in a piece, but are not the sole determining price factors. The craftsmanship and level of detail in a piece are also taken into account.
The most critical thing to look for in buying gold jewellery (aside from the style you like) is the purity of the gold. The higher the gold content, the more valuable it is.
The amount of gold in a piece is represented in the karat mark, usually inscribed on the back of the piece (e.g. 24K, 18K, 14K, etc.). The European system uses numbers representing a fraction of 1000, so "750" would be 75% gold, or the equivalent of 18 Karat. In addition to the karat mark, every piece of gold jewellery should be stamped with a hallmark or trademark of its manufacturer and sometimes its country of origin. In Canada, 14-karat gold, or 585 parts pure gold, is the most common degree of fineness and pieces are marked 14K.
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 jewellery when using chemicals to reduce daily abrasions and prolong the luster. To clean gold jewellery, 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.