Yellow Gold Fine Jewelry
Jewelry made with yellow gold is common in necklaces, earrings, gold chains, bracelets, and rings. This type of material is also used for engagement rings. Yellow gold jewelry with diamonds or other precious stones is considered to be classic in style.
What is the difference between yellow and white gold?
Pure gold is yellow in color, but the metal is too soft to be used in bracelets, chains, and necklaces. To strengthen the gold earrings and other pieces worn on the body, other metal alloys are used.
- Yellow gold: This type of gold jewelry is often alloyed with silver, copper, and zinc to give it strength without changing the color.
- White gold: To give white gold its color, it is often alloyed with silver, zinc, and nickel, among other metals. Gold jewelry that has nickel in it will also be rhodium-plated to offer a silvery color that is durable.
What is 999.9 in gold?
The 999.9 denotes that a piece of metal contains 99.9% gold. Also known as "four nines" goldfine, it is most commonly used to make American Buffalo or Canadian Maple Leaf coins. When it comes to gold jewelry, you will most likely find 999 fine gold, which is more commonly called 24-karat or pure gold.
What is the karat value of pure gold?
Pure yellow gold is 24K. However, 24K gold is too soft to be used in rings, chains, and necklaces. It is also difficult to make outside of a lab, meaning you will most likely find 18K, 14K, 10K, and 9K gold in your jewelry.
How is the fineness of yellow gold measured?
The fineness, or purity, of the metal used in rings, bracelets, and necklaces can be measured in three ways: parts fine, percentage of yellow gold, and karats.
- Parts fine: Parts fine, or fineness, is marked as a series of numbers. For example, 750 is 75% or 18K gold. The number 999 is 99.9% or 24K yellow gold.
- Percentage: Pure yellow gold is 100% gold, which is equal to 24K. To find the percentage, use the number of karats divided by 24. For example, 23K gold women's earrings are 96.5% gold.
- K: This measurement, an abbreviation for karat, refers to the ratio of yellow gold found in a sample. Karats are also used to describe the purity of silver, platinum, and other precious metals. It is the best-known quality measurement for gold by consumers. It should not be confused with the similar term, ""carat,"" that defines the quality of gemstones and not metals.