Post updated: May 26, 2020
Medical gold is noble jewelry that is very similar to the real product. This is an imitation jewel. The price of this alloy is very favorable and affordable. Medical gold contains nickel, magnesium, molybdenum, manganese, sulfur, phosphorus and chromium. Such materials have a natural shine. In medicine, this metal is called a surgical alloy. Titanium is used to obtain white color. It looks as impressive on the human body as real gold.
Medical gold and metals used: does it contain gold?
Few people know, but all gold jewelry and other products are made from alloys. As already mentioned, the metal itself is too soft, it is impossible to produce any product from it. In addition, pure metal is incredibly expensive. You can imagine what the real price of such jewelry is.
Gold is called medicinal, first of all, because of its active use in medicine. Moreover, a medical alloy is a combination of various metals, but not gold. To produce so-called medical gold, different metals are used in a certain ratio:
- nickel;
- titanium;
- silver;
- zinc;
- manganese;
- chromium;
- copper;
- molybdenum;
- magnesium;
- brass.
Medical equipment, such as surgical instruments, are actively produced from these alloys. Hence the familiar name to everyone: medical gold.
Women's medical gold chains
It is worth highlighting the advantages of honey alloys:
- availability: metal products are inexpensive;
- durability: medical instruments do not break, dental crowns, dentures do not wear off or crumble;
- durability: products made from medical gold have a long service life;
- variety of shades: the prevalence of one or another metal allows you to make products of different color shades.
Also, each of the metals that the alloy contains has certain beneficial properties.
How to clean medical gold: care recommendations
Ordinary gold is a soft metal, it has to be constantly polished and cared for in certain ways. And silver jewelry does not tolerate moisture and turns black. But jewelry made from jewelry steel does not darken, you can play sports and swim with them.
Cleaning medical gold is easy; you can do it at home using liquid soap or shampoo. Clean with soft bristles or wipe with a cloth. A vinegar solution is also suitable for restoring shine. The easiest way is to clean it with regular chalk. Rub the decoration and remove any residue with a damp cloth.
Read the article: How to clean gold
Perfume and hairspray are bad for your products, so try to put them on last. By following these simple rules, your jewelry will always shine in the sun and lift your spirits.
Author of the article: Alexandra Naumenko
Methods of gilding products for precious metal
Gilding of jewelry steel to imitate precious metal is the main process of jewelry production. The jewelry itself is made from different alloys: bronze, brass, nickel silver, zirconium or cupronickel. Gilding helps to make the product look like gold.
There are two main methods:
- Gold Filled – by rolling method. In America this method is called Goldfield. In Europe and Russia - rolling. The metal obtained by this method is called rolled or fused gold. The product is placed in an airless environment, heated to 900 degrees and then compressed under hydraulic pressure. The result is a high-quality alloy with a guarantee of up to 5-10 years. Moreover, products gilded by rolling are hallmarked. In Europe and America, the GF mark is placed next to the number of carats. For example: GF14k. The carat system has standards of 9, 10, 14 and 18. In the CIS countries, the amount of gold (grams) contained in the copper alloy is noted. Among gold-plated products, 375, 583, and 750 samples are common.
- Gold Plated – galvanization. Electroplated gold is a gold-plated alloy. The process itself can take place mechanically or electrochemically. The mechanical method involves gilding with gold leaf. The thinnest gold sheets are glued to the surface of the product. To obtain a matte finish, the sheet is applied to an oil base. The polished surface of the product is obtained when gluing occurs on polyment. The electrochemical method is the application of gold plating using electric current, as if the gold is sprayed. The main thing when gilding this type is to properly prepare the surface of the product. It must be well polished and cleaned.
As can be seen from the characteristics, rolled gold has the best quality. But any of these methods helps to obtain high-quality medical alloys for gold.
Areas of application of medical gold
Even ancient people began to use gold for medicinal purposes. This is evidenced by the discovery of gold crowns in the mouth of the Egyptian pharaoh Khafre. Today, the scope of use of medical gold is quite wide.
Medical instruments and prostheses
All instruments used in medical procedures and operations are made of surgical steel. Scalpels, clamps, tweezers, spatulas, needles, syringes - all this and much other equipment is made of medical metal. Its use for the manufacture of medical instruments is primarily due to its strength and durability.
Gold dentures
This metal does not cause allergic reactions, does not cause corrosion, does not oxidize, which is safe for contact with the human body. For the same reasons, dentures are made from medical steel. Due to their properties, they can remain in a humid environment for a long time.
Surgical steel is also used to make manicure and pedicure instruments.
Medicines
Since 1929, gold has been successfully used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. Medicines are made using noble metal:
- "Krizanol";
- "Sanocrysin";
- "Myocrysin";
- "Auranofin";
- "Tauredon."
These drugs are used as prescribed by a doctor in cases of arthritis and rheumatism.
In addition, preparations containing noble metals relieve inflammation. In therapy, this is done by chrysotherapy, a separate area.
Criteria for distinguishing medical gold from real gold
Modern manufacturers produce such high-quality jewelry made from medical alloy that it is difficult to distinguish them from gold products. If you have any doubts about the composition, you need to look at the following characteristics:
- Try. If you have in front of you a gold product produced in Russia, then it will have a stamp in the form of the head of a girl in a kokoshnik and numbers - indicators of the standard. Soviet gold was branded with a five-pointed star with a hammer and sickle inside. Medical alloys are stamped with an alphanumeric value.
- Price. Gold items cannot be cheap.
- Stones. It is rare that medical gold products contain precious stones, unless we are talking about well-known brands.
- Weight. Costume jewelry is much lighter than gold jewelry. Due to this, massive jewelry is made from surgical steel.
- Shine. Pure gold does not shine brightly, its tint is muted. The medical alloy is usually polished to a perfect glow.
- Scratches. Jewelry metals, due to their strength, cannot be scratched, while gold is soft and easily damaged. But this method of verification is dangerous, as there is a risk of damaging the store’s jewelry.
- Reaction to reagents: iodine. You can leave a drop of iodine on the inside of the jewelry. Since surgical steel is coated with a protective film, the iodine can be easily wiped off. The substance will remain on the precious metal.
The most reliable way to check whether you are being deceived in a jewelry store is to use a special x-ray. Such devices are often used by pawn shops.
Characteristics and receipt
Jewelry uses special coatings that make surgical steel look like real gold. There are 2 main types of gold plating: Gold Filled and Gold Plated. The first method is more expensive and of higher quality. Gold is applied to a base made of base metal: brass, copper, bronze, nickel using a thermal method at a temperature of about 900 degrees. The appearance of the products is aesthetic, and the material from which it is made is corrosion-resistant and anti-allergenic. If you wear it carefully and treat it correctly, then it will last a very long time. The second method (Gold Plated) is galvanic coating, which is applied by rolling. In other words - spraying. It does not adhere well to the material, so it deteriorates more quickly and is not as durable as Gold Filled.
Gold Filled bracelet.
How to distinguish these two methods? You just need to look carefully at the appearance. When using simpler gilding (Gold Plated), any inscription will have shallow depth due to the small layer of sputtering. Gold Filled is more like a precious metal, as it is more ductile. Inscriptions with greater depth, making the edges clear and smooth.
Medical gold looks luxurious. This can be seen very clearly in the photo in our article. It is not too bright and visually does not differ from natural.
Advantages of medical alloy
- Attractive appearance, maximum resemblance to jewelry metals. Surgical steel jewelry can look no worse than gold or silver.
- Affordable price compared to precious metals. If you can't afford gold jewelry, medicinal gold is a great way to avoid draining your wallet.
- Wear resistance of medical alloy. By adding harder metals, the alloy is strong and therefore lasts a long time.
- Increased strength, resistance to darkening. To make surgical steel white, titanium is added to the alloy. It prevents darkening. It is from this alloy that medical instruments and dentures are made.
- Safety for children's health. In piercing salons, when children have their ears pierced, they wear earrings made of medical gold.
- Hypoallergenic. Since the composition includes hypoallergenic metals, medical alloys do not cause any allergic reactions.
Thanks to these characteristics, medical steel jewelry is an excellent alternative to gold.
Properties of surgical steel
So, there is no “surgical steel” brand. This is a general name for a group of alloys used for the production of medical equipment, instruments, and parts for prosthetics. The main requirement is that the steel should not be porous.
The holes make it difficult to disinfect appliances, making them a breeding ground for bacteria. The alloy should not rust. Therefore, for example, grades of surgical steel U7A and U9A are discarded. They are not resistant to corrosion.
Surgical stainless steel is also distinguished by its hardness. The material must withstand impacts, not scratch or crumble. Hardness allows the tool not to become dull for a long time. In addition, you can make the thinnest possible blade or part without fear that they will bend or break.
Manufacturers and exposure to chemicals are excluded. The alloy, as they say, is inert. Put it in either acid or alkali, steel will not react with them. The material does not react with the body. The alloy is non-toxic, although it contains chromium or nickel. Add manganese and chromium to the mixture of iron and carbon.
The photo shows surgical steel tunnels
Examples of brands: - 40X13, 65X13, 95X13. Products made from surgical steel from foreign manufacturers can be marked, for example, as follows: - SUS440C, AlSl420. The designations in the West are different, but the composition of the alloys is the same.
Disadvantages of Medical Gold
Despite the advantageous features, jewelry made from medical gold has a number of disadvantages:
- Poor assortment of colors: white and yellow. Those who like experimenting can only pay attention to the design, since there is no variety in colors.
- Rapid wear of the coating. The alloy itself is durable, but the coating wears off quickly, no matter whether it is gold-plated or silver-plated.
- More expensive than regular jewelry. Compared to ordinary jewelry, medical gold is expensive. But this can hardly be considered a minus when compared with the precious metal.
- Lack of sample and guest. Such jewelry is branded by the manufacturers themselves, since there is no single state standard.
- Lack of future value of the metal. If prices for pure gold are market prices, then medical prices are set only by the manufacturer, then by the seller. Such jewelry cannot be considered an investment.
Where can you buy and sell medical alloy
It’s easy to decide on the purchase of medical gold. Products can be purchased at any jewelry store or alloy jewelry department. Online jewelry stores offer a wide range of jewelry. Moreover, you can buy a product on the Internet by first looking at its photo, familiarizing yourself with the prices and order conditions. Jewelry can be bought wholesale and retail, they can be delivered from a store or warehouse. Orders are delivered in different ways: courier delivery, transport company, Russian Post.
But with the sale of costume jewelry, things are not so easy. You can sell medical gold only at flea markets or private classifieds websites.
Even if the jewelry is gold-plated, pawn shops will give you a low price for it.
Gold jewelry from a pawnshop
Price range
The price of a piece of jewelry depends on several factors:
- alloy composition;
- share of gold, gilding;
- design;
- weight.
You can buy such jewelry for about 150 rubles for small stud earrings or 2 thousand for a necklace with stones. The cost also depends on the design and the presence of additional elements. Today the average, reasonable price is 500 rubles per product.
How to properly care for and store copper alloy products
Jewelry will last much longer if you provide it with proper storage and care.
Cleaning methods using improvised means
If the product has darkened, lost its shine, or simply become dirty, you can clean it yourself. For these purposes, the usual available means are used:
- Natural chalk. You can simply rub a ring or earrings with a piece of chalk. Then remove the chalk with a clean damp cloth.
- A mixture of tooth powder, ammonia and water in proportions 15g/30g/50ml. Wet a soft cloth or sponge in the resulting solution and wipe the decoration with it.
- Beer or wine alcohol will gently remove dirt and make the product shiny.
- Vinegar. This substance, if you wipe the surface of the product with it, will return its shine.
- The soap solution will clean all dirt.
There is no need to use substances if you are not sure of their composition.
Soap solution for cleaning medical gold
Application for cleaning special equipment
There are special products used to clean copper alloy.
- Non-abrasive special products for cleaning metal. These are products that do not contain solid impurities, such as scrubs. Such substances contain ammonia, wax, and organic solvents. Sodium hyposulfite, Asidol and Jewelry pastes, and sprays are well suited. Price range: from 100 to 2 thousand rubles.
- Ultrasound machine. This is a special device that cleans things with ultrasound. It is enough to put a ring or earrings in the device for 2 minutes, and they will shine with purity and shine. Cleaning occurs even in hard-to-reach places, for example, where stones are located. You can buy such a device for an average of 5 thousand rubles.
- Have your jewelry cleaned by a professional. Jewelry stores often provide product cleaning services. They clean jewelry with special products or ultrasound. The average cost of cleaning one product: 100-200 rubles, polishing: up to 500 rubles.
Category: question-answer
What is the composition of ear piercing studs?
Expert opinion
Maltseva Amelia
Specialist Krasnodar
To pierce the ears, a special gun is used, into which a stud-earring is inserted. It is made of surgical steel and does not cause allergies, so the puncture site heals quickly.
What kind of coating does medical alloy jewelry have? Can I clean with vinegar or toothpaste?
Expert opinion
Andrey Seleznev
Chemist-technologist, Volgograd
Gold-plated medical alloy jewelry. Therefore, they need to be cleaned with the same means as gold. These should be soft, non-abrasive or special substances. Vinegar and toothpaste are not recommended.
Is it possible to wear gold and jewelry steel at the same time?
Expert opinion
Kibantseva Elena Anatolyevna
Allergist-immunologist, “Movement” clinic, Saratov
If a person is not allergic to the metal contained in gold jewelry, then it can be worn in combination with any jewelry. Such a neighborhood will not harm anything.
Does medical alloy turn black or not?
Expert opinion
Andrey Seleznev
Chemist-technologist, Volgograd
One of the advantages of copper alloy is that it does not darken or turn black. You can safely take water procedures with it.
What is gold used for in medicine?
The use of gold in medicine has been practiced by people for many centuries. Golden water was also used for treatment. She treated colds, weakness, exhaustion, lungs, liver, heart, etc.
Modern science has stepped far forward. Now gold nanoparticles are used in many medications. For example, smallpox and skin diseases have been successfully treated in China. Thanks to this noble metal, the body becomes stronger and more resilient, and strengthens cardiovascular activity. In Japan, gold foil is added to drinks or food. They are believed to strengthen the immune system. Indian women rejuvenate the body. To do this, gold powder or tablet is mixed with medicinal herbs (up to 2 mg of gold per day). Regular use of this medicine promotes rejuvenation.
Experiments on animals have proven that they can even cure cancer. Instead of implants, it is necessary to introduce a serum containing nanoparticles around the affected areas. Electrons atrophy blood vessels and cure them of disease.
Medical gold disinfects and kills germs. The famous physician Paracelsus even came up with a medicine that could cure syphilis. Gold alloys are used in dental prosthetics. They eliminate unpleasant odors in the mouth and do not cause allergies. Dental gold has a number of benefits. They are not tested because the precious metal content there is extremely low. Such dentures have a long service life, they have anti-caries properties and many others. Medical surgical alloy is also used for instruments. After all, after using them there will definitely be no infection.
Gold salts have been used to prevent arthritis since 1929. This treatment is called aurotherapy. With long-term use, the condition of bone tissue improves.
Another important factor is that medical gold is cheap. The price varies from 150-500 rubles. This is 10-15 times less than real, pure gold. Therefore, every person who loves beautiful jewelry can afford it.
Reviews about medical gold are mostly positive. Girls who have had their ears pierced claim that the earrings do not rot and the jewelry does not darken for a long time. When the jewelry begins to change color, you just need to wipe it with a soft cloth and you can wear it again. Some people are allergic to metals, so they are happy to buy medical gold and wear it without any problems. Those consumers who ordered dentures made from this material were satisfied, as it is not only beautiful, but also high-quality and durable. Some women and girls put jewelry in sweetened water, they say that this way they can be easily cleaned.
Jeweler's comment
Molokanov N.M.
Jeweler, 26 years of experience in jewelry production.
According to jewelers, gold has always been valued for its high cost and presentability. Now that time has passed. Jewelry lovers give preference not to cost and status, but to design and uniqueness. For them, medical gold is a valuable find that allows them to save money and show aesthetic taste.
Steel Rage: men's cross made of surgical steel
It seems to me that the “Steel Rage” cross can become a universal gift for all males.
Personally, he simply saved me from such a long and painful procedure as choosing a gift. Just the other day I was faced with the problem of choosing a gift for my brother’s birthday. I really broke my head. The guy is 18 years old and wants to give him something memorable so that it will last a long time and, of course, he will like it. I know that on such a date they often give gold chains or crosses. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough money for gold, and somehow I didn’t want to give silver. In short, I suffered for a long time until I accidentally came across the “Steel Rage” cross using this link. This is the case when I saw it and realized that this was exactly what I was looking for. It looks masculine and is inexpensive. Looking ahead, I’ll say that my gift was received with a bang, my brother was pleased and now doesn’t take it off at all. And now a little more about the cross itself.
