Article Facts

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 our most valuable and precious metals. It’s also very malleable and soft. Did you happen to know that? A mere ounce of the stuff can be stretched into a fine wire about 5 miles long. If you were to pound that same ounce of gold, it would form a thin sheet that could cover 100 square feet. It won’t corrode or rust, so it will last almost indefinitely. It’s also all around us. It’s in our seas and rivers and bodies of water. It’s in the crust of the earth that is beneath our feet. It is also in our plant life. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to locate and extract, so it’s very expensive as well. It takes about 25 to 3 tons of gold ore in order to make 1oz of pure gold.

Jewelry’s Most Popular Metal

Do you happen to know what metal is the most popular in our modern day jewelry? Gold is the answer, and you can find many different forms of heart jewelry that use gold. In terms of a single jewelry item, it is without a doubt the simple gold wedding band. Since gold is so 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 durable and strong. Do you know what combining two or more metals is called? The result is called an alloy, and most of the gold that we use in our jewelry is found in the form of an alloy. What types of gold jewelry are there you ask? How about: (1) White gold jewelry, (2) Gold jewelry, (3) 24k gold jewelry, (4) Wholesale gold jewelry, (5) 22k gold jewelry, (6) 18k gold jewelry, (7) 14k gold jewelry, (8) Indian gold jewelry, (9) Rose gold jewelry, (10) Gold body jewelry, (11) Gold horse jewelry, (12) Gold plated jewelry, (13) Gold charm jewelry, (14) Other fine 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 refer to the term karat (or carat). Bugs bunny preferred carrots over carats or karats, but that is another topic all together. When you are going to be paid in carats, well, then you are really talking about getting paid in cold hard cash. In jewelry terms, the carat has two meanings. It is used to refer to a measurement of weight for gemstones (in which one carat is usually equivalent to 1/5 gram), but in some countries around the world it can also be used to indicate the amount of pure gold in a piece of gold jewelry. In America, when we want to indicate the gold content rather than the weight, we use a “k” (derived from “karat”), to avoid any confusion that may arise on this matter.

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.

Ever Heard of 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.

This brings us to the question “In order for something to be called gold, how many carats must the item be?” The rules for this vary, depending upon the country. In the United States, in order for an item to be called “gold” it has to be at least 10K. In France and Italy it must be 18K, while in Canada and England the number is 9K.

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

There is one more thing that we should talk about before we leave this subject of carats and karats. When you are purchasing a piece of jewelry you should be concerned about underkarating. This is a serious problem in many areas around the world, so be sure to purchase your jewelry from a reliable jewelry store or reliable jewelry outlet. Underkarating means that although the jewelry item is marked to indicate a certain amount of jewelry content it can contain less than the amount indicated. Jewelers who sell underkarated jewelry will sometimes boast about the fact that you are “getting a bargain” In actuality you are not getting anything of the sort. Since the jewelry item they are selling you contains less gold and more alloy than what is indicated, what kind of a bargain is that? As always, the buyer must beware. Only purchase jewelry items from reliable sources.

What is the Manufacturer’s Registered Trademark?

You should always look for a manufacturer’s registered trademark on any gold jewelry item you purchase. It is located near the karat mark, and manufacturers take this trademark very seriously. In addition, 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. This trademark can be traced back to the very people who made this jewelry, and their reputation is on the line. They won’t dare mess up in this particular area.

How To Resolve Skin Discoloration

Did you know what causes your skin discoloration with some forms of gold jewelry? It’s not the pure gold that is doing this. Pure gold does not tarnish, and will not discolor the skin. It’s the alloys that are added to the pure gold that are causing this effect. This happens mostly under damp or moist conditions. These alloys, along with the fatty acids that are present in your perspiration, can set up a corrosive reaction. This problem can be even worse in areas where there is salt in the air, so if you plan a trip to the beach…beware.

Oh and one more thing. 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? This is a true fact. As these compounds rub against the jewelry you are wearing they can cause some of the gold to flake off. This forms a dark looking “dust”. When this “dust” makes contact with your sweaty skin, a black smudge is the result.

So, What’s the Solution?

Now that we have identified the problem, what is the solution to discoloration resulting from jewelry? You need to get into the habit of removing the jewelry often and washing the skin that it is coming into contact with. Plain soap and water is the preferred solution. Oh and remember to keep your jewelry clean as well. You should wipe the jewelry periodically with a nice soft cloth to remove any tarnish that may “build up”. It might also be a good idea to use a body powder that is free of abrasions on all 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 try switching to a jewelry item that is made of more gold? Remember, it is the alloys that are causing the problem. As you remove the alloys, well, “problem solved”

Our 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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