Gold is a common choice for many pieces of jewellery. Opting for gold means your watch, ring or necklace won’t rust or lose its shine, and because this is a timeless metal, it will never go out of fashion. But how do you choose between different types of gold?
First of all, it’s important to know what makes up that difference:
Karat
Not all pieces of jewellery are created equal in terms of their gold content. Some have more than others and though the experienced eye can differentiate between different types of gold, it can be difficult, if not almost impossible, for the lay person. To measure the content of gold in a particular piece, you use a karat. Gold is too soft to make sturdy jewellery without adding another metal, so it’s necessary to complete a piece by mixing in silver, copper or zinc.
The most commonly used karat is 18 karats, which equals to 75% of gold in a piece; other values are 9 (37.5%), 14 (58.5%) and 22 (91.6%). 24 karats is used to designate pure gold.
Colour
Besides the karat, gold can also be distinguishable by colour. This colour is added by the extra metals in the piece, and the most common ones are white, yellow or rose. White gold is created by adding white metals to the gold, like silver and palladium. Yellow gold is made by mixing pure gold with metals like copper and zinc. The pink tonality of a rose gold piece is created by pure gold mixed with copper, for instance.
How to Choose
Since you’re going to have to use that piece, the best way to decide the type of gold piece you should buy is by choosing the karat size and the colour you prefer. That way you’ll always be happy with your choice. But even so you might want to consider the durability of the piece: the higher the karat, the better it holds up over time (and the better it looks).
Here at Martins of Glasgow, we pride ourselves on offering top quality services, and that extends to making sure your gold jewellery is in perfect condition. We’re also experienced with Rolex watch repairs and specialised barometer repairs, so if you need information on this, or on any of our other services, feel free to contact us or call us on 0141 946 6333. Also, you can check out our Facebook and Twitter pages.