Which gold is the best and why: review of all samples with cost + reviews

The question of which gold is best to buy will never lose its relevance. After all, the number of lovers of this noble metal is growing every day. In addition, there are also more and more types of this precious metal, and products made from it are becoming more sophisticated and varied.

To choose the right aurum jewelry, you should follow some simple principles that will allow you to choose not just a beautiful product, but a quality product that will last you for many years.

What is a sample?

Gold in its pure form is soft and ductile, so a product made from it quickly becomes covered with scratches and dents, but at the same time has a high cost. To impart hardness, a ligature or auxiliary materials are added to precious alloys, usually silver and copper, less often platinum, nickel, and cobalt.

Fineness is the proportion of noble metal in an alloy. Each piece of jewelry is stamped with a stamp indicating this value.

Leader in sales level

This honorable position belongs to products made from 750-karat alloys. Gold jewelry can be made using various technological techniques, such as milling and even pressure . Thanks to the rather high aurum content - 75% - the possibilities for creating unique works, characterized by a high degree of complexity and modern design, increase.

In many countries, for example in Europe and America, jewelry is made from gold-containing alloys of various compositions and colors. But for all these products there is a single requirement: aurum of at least 18 carats. So, in Italy, 750 standard is considered worthy of attention, and no lower. And in Switzerland, the law prohibits the sale of products whose purity is less than 18 carats.

Sample systems

There are different standards systems in the world, metric and carat are the most common. According to Russian legislation, all products made of precious metals have a mark, which, together with the product passport, serves as proof of their authenticity and legality. These issues are dealt with by the state assay supervision.

Metric

The metric system, in force in most European countries, was adopted in Russia in 1927 and replaced spool measures, which by that time had become obsolete. According to this system, the numerical number indicates the number of grams of pure substance in a 1 kg ingot.

Carat

In the USA, Canada and some European countries, there is an old carat system for grading alloys. An alloy of 24 carats is equivalent to pure gold; lower values ​​​​indicate the proportion of precious material. For example, a nine-carat mark means that the alloy contains nine parts of the precious metal, and 15 parts are occupied by the ligature.

Zolotnikovaya

The ancient spool system was used in Rus' from the 17th century until 1927. A spool is a measure of weight equal to 1.26 g. The highest grade was designated by the number 96. The mark 56 indicated that the alloy contained 56 parts of gold and 40 parts of impurity.

Sample correspondence table

Let's compare the sample values ​​of different systems:

What determines the color of the sample?

Pure gold has a yellow color. Other shades are obtained by changing the ratio of metals in the alloy. For example, silver gives the alloy a green color, copper - a red tint, nickel, platinum and zinc - white. There are lemon, pink, orange, black and even purple alloys. They are obtained by changing the ratio of additional metals.

High quality varieties are only yellow in color, because... the proportion of the ligature is so small that it cannot affect the shade.

What is the difference between white, yellow and red gold?

The main colors of gold jewelry are yellow, white and red. The shade of the alloy is not related to the grade. For example, a ring with the mark 585 can be of any color. The changes concern only the ligature:

To obtain a white tint, in addition to nickel, platinum and zinc are used.

Different colored alloys of the same grade have the same quality. However, the components of white gold - zinc and nickel - often cause allergic reactions. Jewelry with platinum is harmless and has a higher value than jewelry of other colors.

Blue, green and gray gold - truth or myth?

The high interest in gold jewelry of unusual shades has pushed jewelers to new experiments. With the help of various impurities, blue, light blue, gray, and black alloys are obtained. Sometimes yellow metal is coated with colored enamel, this simplifies and reduces the cost of obtaining a different color. However, such jewelry is short-lived and quickly becomes covered with scuffs and scratches.

Alchemists in the Middle Ages made blue gold by mixing the precious metal with iron. Modern experiments have shown that this alloy quickly rusts and turns brown.

Now blue and dark blue gold is made using iridium, gallium, and indium. This shade is also obtained using rhodium plating. Casting blue alloy is a labor-intensive and complex process and is more fragile than traditional jewelry. To obtain a gray color, jewelers mix pure precious metal with nickel and manganese.

A large amount of silver gives the metal a green tint. This alloy was found in the form of nuggets. Another name for this material is electrum. The first mentions of it date back to the 3rd millennium BC. Modern jewelers achieve a variety of shades from rich green to olive.

Customer Reviews

Zhanna: I like to buy jewelry on vacation abroad, they often sell yellow gold there. I like it better, since I associate such jewelry with pleasant moments.

Lyubov: I’ve never thought so seriously about what kind of gold to buy, it all depends on how much I like the product itself. It seems to me that this is what is important to all girls.

Veronica: I’m used to the fact that jewelry has a reddish tint; I like such products more and first of all attract my attention.

Where is pure gold found?

There is no absolutely pure precious metal in nature. Nuggets contain impurities of other metals (silver, copper). Sample 999.9 is obtained only under industrial conditions. One hundred percent gold can only be obtained through a nuclear reaction by bombarding it with elementary mercury particles. The price of such an alloy will be astronomical.

Gold of 999.9 and 990 purity is used in the following areas:

1. Production of bank bars and investment coins.
2. To create a gold coating - gold leaf.
3. In instrument making and microelectronics, high-grade material is used, which is a good neutral conductor and a means of thermal insulation.

Characteristics of common jewelry markings

Depending on the ratio of pure precious material and alloy, the properties of the alloys change. Let's look at the features of common varieties.

375 sample

375 standard contains only 37.5% pure gold, the rest being impurities (usually silver and copper).

Main features of this material:

1. Has high strength.
2. It oxidizes quickly and darkens. Jewelry of this type requires regular care.
3. It can be of different shades, most often yellow, red and white. The pink metal is the most durable compared to the others.
4. The price of low-grade jewelry is lower than that of higher-grade jewelry.

375 standard is quite common; all types of jewelry are made from it, which are in stable demand.

500 sample

An alloy with this value is almost never used in the production of domestic jewelry, because it is of low grade and contains 50% pure gold. It is difficult to cast due to the high risk of defects. However, the five hundredth alloy is popular in other countries. Items such as cufflinks, brooches, cigarette cases, pens are made from it, and used as gilding.

Thanks to the large volume of the ligature, craftsmen obtain different shades: dark yellow, orange-red, white. In Russia, this metal is used as a standard during examination.

585 sample

The most common 585 variety in Russia officially appeared in 1994, replacing the common 583 sample, which did not meet international standards. The popularity of the alloy is explained by the ideal combination of quality and price. The material contains 58.5% pure gold - this is enough to prevent products made from it from darkening.

The high copper content provides the necessary hardness. 585 standard allows you to obtain all possible shades of gold alloys.

750 sample

Grade 750 is also widely used for making jewelry and contains 75% pure precious metal. Unlike 585, this alloy is softer; products made from it require special care and careful handling.

The ligature allows you to achieve different shades.

958 sample

958 alloy contains 95.8% gold and is practically not used in jewelry. Jewelry made from it is made only to individual order; it turns out to be massive, without small details; scratches and abrasions quickly appear on the surface.

More often, grade 958 is used to create the thinnest plates - gold leaf, which are used to cover luxury items. Products 958 are only available in yellow.

999 sample

The highest grade is as close as possible to pure gold. It is not used in jewelry because of its softness. The main application is the casting of bank bars and investment coins.

Tricks for buying gold jewelry

A distinctive feature of gold jewelry is the presence of a special marking on the inside of the product, which characterizes the amount of pure metal in relation to the proportion of the ligature - sample. The higher the sample value, the more gold the product contains. When choosing which gold is better - red or yellow, you should focus on the purpose of the purchase. If a single or infrequent appearance is meant, then items made of yellow gold will favorably emphasize the dignity of its owner. But they are not suitable for frequent wear: the physical properties of yellow metal lead to the gradual appearance of damage on the metal surface, which reduces the cost of the products and their former attractiveness.

Red gold does not have the effect of being expensive; they are not designed to attract attention, but to surprise with their durability. The ideal option is gold elements on cutlery, furniture, and accessories. They will highlight the best aspects of objects without stealing all the attention, and will serve for a long time without requiring repair or polishing. It is recommended to avoid spectacular earrings, bracelets and other massive jewelry made of red gold: they look cheap.

When choosing which is better - white or yellow gold, you should be guided by aesthetics: not everyone suits sunny gold products. The cold shine of metal is preferred by people with fair skin, bare eyes and light brown hair (Scandinavian type).

Which products should you avoid purchasing?

Abroad - in Turkey, Egypt, local residents offer visiting Russians to buy gold at a low price. The visual appeal of the products is tempting, as is the reasonable price - it’s hard to refuse such a purchase. But you should be vigilant: Turkish traders like to put non-existent hallmarks on gold jewelry, convincing buyers of their authenticity. The result is that clients purchase counterfeit precious metal or low-quality metal.

A common trick used by deceivers is to apply a gold layer to a copper product. When worn, the gold plating will disappear after a month, revealing the metal from which the item is actually made.

What grade of gold is best to buy?

Any sample has advantages and disadvantages and its own area of ​​application. Let's consider which alloys are more profitable to buy.

Which is better for wedding rings

In Russia, wedding rings are made from 375, 585 and 750 varieties. In rare cases, this jewelry has a 958 hallmark - such jewelry is made to order, but is not practical, so it is not popular.

375 rings are the cheapest. They have sufficient strength and are less prone to bending and scratching. To maintain shine and color, jewelry requires regular treatment.

Rings of 585 and 750 varieties are popular in Russia. They have sufficient strength and do not darken for a long time. The shade of the product can be not only yellow, but also another, characteristic of gold alloys.

Which is better for jewelry

To create jewelry, 585 and 750 gold is used because they have the following advantages:

• strength;
• noble shine and color;
• do not darken, do not stain the skin, do not cause allergies;
• can be of different shades, combined with other precious materials;
• a high level of plasticity allows craftsmen to produce products with complex patterns and small details.

Which is better for investment and savings?

If the main purpose of buying gold is investment, I do not recommend going to a jewelry store. The price of jewelry consists of the cost of the material and the assessment of the craftsman’s work. Don't forget about the final seller's markup. As a result, gold items are quite expensive, and when sold, in most cases they will be valued as scrap.

Expert opinion

Lyudmila Pestereva

Our most experienced gold investor

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The best gold for investment are special 999 fine coins and metal deposits. It is not necessary to purchase a whole gold bar; the bank gives you the opportunity to become the owner of several grams of pure precious metal. The purchase can be kept in the bank, and you receive a profit when gold prices rise.

Compatibility with stones

Red metal goes well with almost all precious stones. If the product is richly decorated with them, the alloy “smoothes out” the quantity, the stones do not look pretentious.

Gold earrings with stones
Red alloy combines especially amazingly with garnet, ruby, pearl and emerald.

Pink shades look great with diamonds.

Important! It is better to combine stones of cool colors with light alloys; warm shades of stones will look more advantageous in red gold.

Where can I buy or sell?

Buying jewelry and investment gold involves risk. The safest option is to contact large jewelry stores and banks.

There are other places where you can not only buy, but also sell jewelry:

• private advertisements;
• pawnshops;
• market;
• small jewelry stores;
• Internet.

Such a purchase is fraught with risk: the product may be counterfeit, there will be no warranty, and if a defect is discovered, it cannot be returned. The purchase is justified only in the case of collecting antiques. It is better to sell jewelry in pawn shops or jewelry stores that buy metal.

The price of one gram of gold today depending on the standard

The price of the precious metal depends on the rate of the Central Bank, which determines the price of one gram of the highest grade metal. The assessment of lower samples is based on this cost. Let's look at current metal prices in rubles. The graph below shows the cost of 999 samples:

The price for the best one for jewelry is 750:

As a conclusion, it can be noted that any gold alloy has a scope depending on its properties. In Russia, 585 and 750 samples of precious metal are popular.

TOP 5 ways to clean gold at home

The best solution would be to regularly visit a jewelry workshop, where specialists will clean and polish the jewelry to a radiant shine.

At home, you can care for your products in the following ways:

1. Clean your jewelry periodically with soapy water. Use brushes with soft bristles, then wipe dry with a towel.
2. Mix a teaspoon of liquid soap with two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. The resulting solution must be boiled, then the product must be placed there for 20 minutes. Wipe dry.
3. Grind the chalk and mix with ammonia. You should get a thick mass. Use the resulting mass together with a soft brush. After cleaning, the product should be rinsed with water.
4. If the jewelry is inlaid with stones, it can be carefully cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.
5. Dissolve 3 tablespoons of sugar in 200 ml of water, place the product in a container for half a day. Afterwards, rinse with running water.