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[M602]Money For Gold Jewelry

by Ian Maher, Ian

Gold has been sought, utilized and glorified throughout ancient times, and has found innumerable uses in our society today. Highly valued for purposes ranging from the crafting of fine jewelry to circuitry, gold continues to play an integral role in both the culture and advancement of the world today. Alongside the ever increasing uses for gold have evolved varying methods of crafting this precious metal into gleaming art and jewelry. Some of the methods that have evolved as people have strived to craft durable, affordable gold jewelry have spurred the terminology you will undoubtedly encounter when shopping for jewelry such as gold charms, earrings or . Let us take a look at some of the most frequent terms you may encounter when shopping for gold jewelry-gold plated, gold-filled and solid gold:

-Gold Plated: Gold plated jewelry is comprised of a metal base with a coating of at least 10 karat gold applied to the outer surface. Gold plated jewelry may be indistinguishable from solid gold jewelry to the untrained eye, but gold plated jewelry is only protected by a thin sheet of gold, which has a tendency to wear away with use over time. Thus, gold plated is not typically the most desired option for heavily worn jewelry such as wedding bands and eternity rings.

-Gold-filled: In order for a piece of jewelry to be designated as gold-filled, gold must constitute at least 1/20th of the weight of the piece. Gold-filled jewelry is comprised of a base metal coated with one or more layers of gold that have been mechanically bonded to the outer surface.

Jewelry that is gold-filled strikes a middle ground between gold plated and solid gold jewelry. Gold-filled jewelry is enveloped in a significantly thicker layer of gold, giving it less tendency to wear over time than its lightly plated counterpart. For many jewelry consumers, gold-filled jewelry is a desirable alternative to solid gold jewelry due to its strength, resistance to tarnish, cost effectiveness and resemblance to solid gold.

-Solid Gold: Any jewelry or other article claiming to be 'solid gold' or 'pure gold' must be comprised of 24 karat gold throughout. Solid gold's resistance to corrosion and enduring brilliance have made it a desirable metal for jewelry and art throughout ancient history. However, the softness of pure gold makes it practical in many situations to mix pure gold with other metals, increasing its strength for intricate jewelry designs and lowering its cost to end consumers. Today, gold jewelry usually includes a mark designating its karat weight, with 24 K representing solid gold.

Now, if you own a piece of personalized gold jewelry, you would need to make sure that you know just how to ensure its beautiful and pristine appearance. Here are a couple of tips.

A popular jewelry metal, gold in its pure form is actually very soft. It is hardened during manufacturing by adding different metals. The purity of gold is often measured by Karats; the higher its Karat value, the purer it is. Softness is gold's major flaw, but its strengths are its resistance to tarnish and corrosion, making them ideal for everyday wear. However, gold must be taken care of properly in order to avoid dents and scratches on the piece.

Gold should only be purchased from honest, trusted retailers. Scammers have taken advantage of the popularity of gold by getting just about any metal, plating it, and selling it with an inflated Karat value.

Jewelers would recommend not letting gold come in contact with hard substances such as diamonds or other precious stones because these can scratch the surface of the gold piece. Some gold enthusiasts would even recommend storing gold jewelry individually and in separate containers so that they won't do any damage to one another when accidentally moved or shaken.

One of the most common chemicals that can prove damaging to gold is chlorine. Gold should not be worn while cleaning anything with chlorine or while swimming in pools or Jacuzzis that contain high concentrations of this chemical. Chlorine has proven to weaken gold's structure, thus making it prone to breaking or cracking.

Oils, lotions, and perfumes can cause the luster of gold to fade. Gold enthusiasts advise that gold wearers should put on very little lotion or perfume on areas where gold jewelry will be worn. If you can't avoid putting on perfume or lotion, at least let them dry first before putting on your gold jewelry. Oil and grease marks often make gold less beautiful than it really is, but this problem can easily be solved by cleaning the gold piece with a few drops of rubbing alcohol. In no time, the original luster will return.

During gold shopping, take note of the Karat value of the gold piece you're eyeing. Pure gold has a Karat count of 24. As this number goes down, the gold becomes less because it has been mixed with more alloys. The lowest acceptable gold Karat count is 10K. Those who have lower values are not considered gold by most countries due to the high concentrations of other metals it already has. Carat and Karat is different, so don't be fooled. Carat is typically used in considering the weight of gemstones, particularly diamonds, while Karat is used specifically for gold.

The market sells a lot of gold jewelry, including gold-filled pieces and gold-plated ones. Manufacturers of gold-filled jewelry will typically include an indicator that shows the customer how much weight is due to gold, and how much is due to other metals mixed with it. Gold-plated items are relatively popular, but they are only covered by a thin coating of gold, thus it might easily lose color as time passes.

Article Source : How Much Has Gold Gone Up

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Both Ian Maher & Jennifer Cook are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Ian Maher has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diamonds, Jewelry and Diamonds. About the Author: Ian Maher is the CEO of Maliere, a leading provider of and other diamond platinum rings and gold rings. For more information, please vi. Ian Maher's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.

Jennifer Cook has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diamonds, Gold Jewelry and Jewelry. For More Information Visit :- . Jennifer Cook's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.