Long before the invention of the American Dollar, the Indian Rupee, or the British Pound, another form of currency was used by people around the world. Do you know what it was? It was gold, and it was a timeless way to denote how rich and powerful a person was. It’s both heavy and rare, and it has been used as a status symbol throughout the years. This is our free gold guide to beautiful heart jewelry. We hope that you enjoy this journey into the incorporation of gold into our beautiful jewelry items.
Gold is one of the worlds most valuable and precious metals. It is so malleable and soft that a mere ounce of this substance can be stretched into a 5 mile long wire. This same ounce can be hammered into a sheet so think that it could cover 100 square feet. Since it doesn’t corrode or rust, it can last indefinitely. It can also be found everywhere around us. It’s in the seas and rivers, in the crust of the earth, and in the plants as well. Alas, it is also very expensive and difficult to extract, and this is why it is so expensive. It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 tons of gold ore to extract one single ounce of pure gold.
Jewelry’s Most Popular Metal
The most popular metal in the modern jewelry of today is gold. More specifically you can find many different forms of heart jewelry that use gold. In terms of one single jewelry item, it is without a doubt the “simple gold wedding band” (since weddings are so popular). As we mentioned, gold is malleable and soft, it can’t really be utilized in its pure form. It must be mixed with other metals in order to make it more strong and durable. Do you know what combining two or more metals is called? The resulting metal is called an alloy, and most of the gold that we use in our jewelry today is found in the form of an alloy. What types of gold jewelry are there you ask? Consider: (1) 18k gold jewelry, (2) 14k gold jewelry, (3) Indian gold jewelry, (4) White gold jewelry, (5) Gold jewelry, (6) 24k gold jewelry, (7) Rose gold jewelry, (8) Gold body jewelry, (9) Wholesale gold jewelry, (10) Gold charm jewelry, (11) 22k gold jewelry, (12) Gold horse jewelry, (13) Gold plated jewelry, (14) Other cool gold jewelry items.
Karat (the word) comes from: “the word for the fruit of the carob tree”. Here are some examples: in Arabic the word qirat, in Italian the word carato, and in Greek the word keration. This all got started because the seeds of the fruit from the carob tree were used in ancient times for measuring precious gems. Since the pure gold Byzantine coin (i.e.: the solidus) weighed 24 karats, the 24 karat mark (24 KT or 24K) became the mark used to indicate that an object was one of pure gold.
Karats or Carats?
When we talk about gold we often hear the term carat (or karat). Bugs bunny preferred to be paid in carrots, but that’s another item all together. When you are paid in carats, well, then you are really talking about some major money. In jewelry terms, the carat has a double meaning. It is used as a measurement of weight for gemstones (one carat is usually equivalent to 1/5 gram), but in some countries it can also be used to denote the amount of pure gold in a piece of gold jewelry. In the United States, when we want to indicate the gold content rather than the weight, we use a “k”, such as “karat”, to avoid any confusion that may arise.
24K gold (in most instances) is too soft to be used in jewelry. In some areas of the world they prefer to use 18K or 20K because of its brighter yellow color and for the simple fact that it is closer to being pure 24K gold. In the United States 14K or 18K is preferred above the rest because it is more durable.
What is Gold 990?
Gold 990 is on its way. It is an alloy of pure gold and only a small amount of titanium. And this means? This means you can have “almost” pure gold, but with greatly increased durability. This “straw colored” alloy is very similar to the look of 14K gold, so if you are looking for that 24K gold look should look a bit further. If color is not that important to you, and if you are looking for a way to have “almost pure” gold but with better durability, this alloy may be just what you were looking for.
Can you answer the following question? In order for something to be called gold, how many carats must the item be? The rules calling something “gold” vary from country to country. In the United States of America, in order for something to be called “gold” it has to be at least 10K gold. In Canada and England the number is 9K. In France and Italy it must be 18K.
Is All Gold Yellow?
Many think that gold’s only color is yellow. Well, they are partly correct. Pure 24K gold is always yellow in color. Since pure gold is too soft and malleable for jewelry use, and since countries have different standards for what “gold” means, you can change the color of “gold” by the alloys that you happen to add to it. Yellow gold is made up of gold, silver and copper. White gold is comprised of gold, zinc, nickel, silver, palladium and platinum. Green gold is made up of gold, silver, copper, and zinc. Pink (or red) gold is composed of gold, copper, and sometimes a small amount of silver.
Underkarating
Oh, one thing we should talk about before leaving this subject of carats and karats. When you are purchasing a piece of jewelry you should be aware of underkarating. This is a serious problem around the world, so make sure that you purchase your jewelry from a reliable jewelry store or reliable jewelry online outlet. Underkarating means that the jewelry item is marked to indicate a certain amount of jewelry content, but in actuality it contains less than the amount indicated. Jewelers who sell underkarated jewelry will sometimes boast about the fact that you are getting a bargain…but in actuality you are not. Since the jewelry item they are selling you contains less gold and more alloy than indicated, what kind of a bargain is that? As always, the buyer must beware. Only purchase your jewelry items from reliable sources.
Ever Heard of the Manufacturer’s Registered Trademark?
Another way that you can ensure that the gold jewelry item you purchased is legit is to look for a manufacturer’s registered trademark. It is stamped near the karat mark, and manufacturers take this trademark very seriously. As more and more jewelers get concerned about being held liable, they are willing to only purchase jewelry items from manufacturers who are willing to stand by what they sell. Since this trademark can be traced back to the people who made this jewelry, their reputation is on the line. They won’t dare mess up in this area.
How To Resolve Skin Discoloration
Have you noticed that sometimes when you wear your gold jewelry you have skin discoloration? What is that? It’s not the pure gold that is causing this reaction. Pure gold does not tarnish, and so it will not discolor the skin. It’s the alloys that are added to the pure gold that are causing this strange discoloration effect. This situation happens mostly under moist or damp conditions. These alloys mix with the fatty acids (that are present in your perspiration), and this can set up a corrosive reaction. This problem can be even worse in those areas with salt air, so if you plan a trip to the beach (with your gold jewelry)…beware.
Metallic abrasion that is caused by some makeup is another common cause of discoloration. Did you know that some makeup contains compounds that are actually harder than the jewelry in which they are coming into contact with? As these compounds rub against the jewelry they can cause some of the gold to flake off. This forms a dark looking “dust”, and when this “dust” makes contact with your sweaty skin, a black smudge is the result.
So, What’s the Solution?
So now we have identified the problem. So, what is the solution to discoloration resulting from jewelry? You should get into the habit of removing the jewelry often and washing the skin that it is coming into contact with. Use plain soap and water (the preferred solution). Remember to keep your jewelry clean. You should wipe the jewelry from time-to-time with a nice soft cloth (to remove any tarnish that may “build up”). It is also a good idea to use a body powder that is free of abrasions on those areas of your skin that will be in contact with the jewelry you wish to wear.
Why not check and see if a similar piece of jewelry is available from another manufacturer? You may find that one jewelry item causes discoloration while a similar looking one does not. This doesn’t necessarily mean that one piece is inferior to another mind you. Jewelry manufacturers often use different alloys (or different combinations of alloys) in jewelry development. Although the pieces may look the same, one piece of jewelry may cause discoloration while another may not.
Why not switch to a more pure form of gold jewelry? This could resolve the problem entirely. After all, it is these alloys that are causing the problem, and if remove more of these alloys, “problem solved”.
In Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our Free Gold Guide Tour into the World of Gold Jewelry and Skin Discoloration. If you would like to learn a bit more, please visit our blog on www.BeautifulHeartJewelry.com. We do focus on heart jewelry primarily, but we also provide general information regarding the history of jewelry, and where you can purchase other great jewelry items.
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