Gold Jewelry

There are only two true colored metals - gold and copper. All other metals are various shades of grey. Not only is gold a precious, inert and highly reflective metal, it also possesses a naturally beautiful yellow color that has captivated man for thousands of years.

Are All Yellow Gold Alloys the Same Color?

The most sought after color for any karat gold jewelry is that of pure gold. The full lustered deep yellow is the natural color of gold, unsurpassed by any other. But this color is only possible with pure gold, which is too soft to be used for jewelry manufacture. Because of this, pure gold is alloyed with other metals to improve the mechanical properties of your jewelry - hardness and strength being the most important - so that it will withstand the rigors of everyday use.

The upside of alloying is improved properties, but there is a downside. Alloying will change the color of your jewelry, the resulting overall color depending on what metals are alloyed with gold to do this. If the alloy contains a high percentage of copper, the karat gold will possess a pink hue. If the alloy contains a high percentage of silver, it will be a greener shade of yellow. Adding equal amounts of copper and silver will give what is known as a neutral yellow.

The Color of Karats

As the karat level of an alloy decreases, so the yellow color is progressively removed away from that of pure gold. For 14 karat and below, the resulting color may require the addition of zinc to the alloy. This metal, when added to lower karat alloys of gold, silver and copper, helps restore the richness to the color.

22 Karat Gold

This high karat metal has an extremely desirable color, very close to that of pure gold, but it is generally too soft for use in jewelry applications. It is sometimes used in specific cases and one-off designs, particularly when the piece will be less susceptible to wear and tear, such as a brooch or pin.

Red, Pink and Rose Gold

These are all high copper karat gold alloys and all have similar properties. The difference between the three is usually slight and difficult to perceive unless they are viewed side by side. These colored karat gold alloys were very popular in the latter half of the 19 th century and the earlier part of the 20th century, and they are now enjoying resurgence in popularity, especially with the introduction of colored diamonds.

Elegant Engagement Rings, Diamond Wedding Rings and Anniversary Rings