When it comes to precious metals within jewellery, gold is definitely one of the most popular by choice. Although just like any other products there are different versions of this metal, meaning that some gold is more expensive than others.
In this guide we will walk you through the different types of gold as well as what you need to look out for when looking to purchase or sell.
Why is Gold used in Jewellery?
Gold has been used in jewellery for thousands of years because of its allure and colour. However, what is unique about gold is that as a metal it is highly malleable making it easy to shape. Importantly gold does not tarnish, rust or corrode unlike other metals, meaning that it stays aesthetically pleasing for a long period of time.
Types of Gold
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is traditionally the most popular gold. It easily goes with lots of different fashions and styles. However, the finish of the yellow gold will depend on the other metals that it is finished with. Some will appear more mellow and others very bright.
White gold
White gold is quickly becoming a more popular choice than yellow due to its modern and sleek look. This gold gets its colouring from mixing yellow gold with other white metals such as silver or palladium.
Red Gold
Red gold is yellow gold that has been mixed with copper. Red gold is commonly known as rose gold or pink gold due to the pink tone that the copper brings to the gold. Depending on the amount of copper in the alloy mix will determine its final colour. Red gold is also seen as a very strong type of gold due to the strength properties gained from the inclusion of copper.
Is Gold Hypoallergenic?
The purer the gold e.g. near to 24 carat then it is less likely to to cause any type of irritation to the skin. When metals are mixed together to produce an alloy then sometimes a reaction can occur. Although its rare for 24ct gold to be used as it is very soft.
Nickel is a common cause of reactions so please ask any jeweller or shop that you buy from what the alloy mix contains.
Understanding Gold Purity
When buying gold and gold jewellery it is important to know the purity and the quality you are purchasing. Therefore, it is important that you understand the purity scale and what the particulars on the purity scale mean.
- Gold purity is measured in carats
- Carat is a ratio measurement of gold to other metals within the alloy
- Carat and measured from 0 to 24 – The higher the carat number the purer the gold is
Gold Purity Chart
| Number of Karats | Parts of Gold | % of Gold Purity | Millesimal Fineness |
| 9K | 9/24 | 37.5 | 375 |
| 10K | 10/24 | 41.7 | 416/417 |
| 12K | 12/24 | 50.0 | 500 |
| 14K | 14/24 | 58.3 | 583/585 |
| 18K | 18/24 | 75.0 | 750 |
| 22K | 22/24 | 91.7 | 916/917 |
| 24K | 24/24 | 99.9 | 999 |
As mentioned all gold is measured out of 24 carats. Therefore if you want to work out the percentage of gold within a piece of jewellery you divide the jewellery’s carat by 24 and multiply by 100.
Sometimes on jewellery pieces there will be a carat mark stamped or there will be a number e.g. 375, 416 etc. As we have already found by doing the above calculation we can find the percentage of gold purity within the piece. If you remove that decimal place you will then have three numbers. When this number is stamped into jewellery it is known as its Millesimal Fineness number. This shows the gold purity in parts per thousand rather than carat.
Understanding Gold Jewellery Hallmarks
When looking at gold jewellery sometimes you may see small letters or symbols pressed into the underside of the item. These symbols can tell you about the purity, year and location of where the piece of jewellery was manufactured.
Components of a hallmark symbols may be the following:
- Who made the piece – known as the makers mark
- What metal the Jewellery is made from and it’s an assay mark
- Where the Jewellery was hallmarked
- Date of the article was hallmarked – known as a date stamp
Key differences between higher and lower carat gold
The definition of quality is subjective and is really down to the individual and what they think and feel about a piece of jewellery.
The higher quality of gold e.g. 24 carat the softer the gold will be, meaning that it can easily be miss-shaped or dented. The lower the carat means that the alloy mix of two metals will be more but will make the overall piece of jewellery stronger.
Some other key differences between high and low carat gold are:
- Lower carat gold will tarnish easily whereas higher carat won’t
- Lower carat gold is worth less in monetary value – which may come into play should you ever want to sell the item later on.
Another important point that people forget to ask themselves when buying gold is, are you going to be wearing the piece of jewellery everyday or just on occasions? If you’re going to be wearing an item of jewellery everyday for example a ring, which may get knocked against other objects, you may consider getting a lower carat. This would mean that you are getting a stronger alloy being able to withstand everyday wear and tear.
If you are just wearing the piece of jewellery for special occasions then you may choose to go with a purer form of gold which would be slightly softer. A lot of luxury jewellery is made of a higher purity.
How is the price of gold jewellery usually determined?
The price of gold fluctuates on a daily basis however the price is usually determined by four key areas:
- Purity of the gold used
- The quantity of precious metals and stones
- Detail and craftsmanship of a jewellery item (Manufacturing charges
- The current market value of gold
Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on how gold is used in jewellery making. If you have any further gold related questions then be sure to get in touch. We have different carats of gold in our jewellery section from which you can explore and even reserve.
Thank you for reading and we look forward to hearing from you soon.