Gold and jewelry made from it have been valued all over the world since ancient times, giving the owner a respectable appearance and emphasizing his status in society . But unfortunately, not everyone can afford to purchase products made from this precious metal due to its high cost.
The composition of a medical alloy can include various metals in different proportions: titanium, silver, molybdenum, chromium, brass, copper, zinc, nickel. For example, when titanium is added, the alloy has the color of steel and is widely used in the manufacture of surgical instruments for operations or for dentures. By adding other components, you can achieve different shades of the alloy: yellow or slightly red. Modern technologies make it possible to make jewelry from two colors, combining them, for example, white and yellow gold.
Many people wonder why there is no hallmark on medical gold products. This is explained by the fact that the smallest standard among precious metals is 375 , and if the product contains a smaller amount of gold, then it already belongs to the category of costume jewelry and is marked in its own way.
At first glance, it is difficult to distinguish jewelry made from medical alloy from gold. The reason is that a high grade coating is applied to the surface. Such coatings come in 2 types and determine the durability of the product:
- At a temperature of 900°C, a gold coating is applied, which is firmly bonded to the base metal. As a result, the product is resistant to corrosion and does not cause allergic reactions. The coating itself is durable and does not change its properties for many years. This application method is called Gold Filled . Jewelry with this type of plating is most similar to gold, but you won’t find hallmarks on them. But companies that produce high-quality jewelry and use Gold Filled coating, for example, the Xuping company, put their logo, thereby confirming the high quality of the jewelry.
- A spraying method in which gold plating is rolled into a thin layer. This method of coating is less reliable and products with it are not able to withstand long-term use, and are also susceptible to environmental influences. This method is called Gold Plated .
What is it and why is it called that
There is an opinion that pure gold of the 999th standard is called medical. This is wrong. Pure gold is too soft a material, and its cost is high. All gold products in the world are various alloys of the main element and auxiliary ones.
Composition and properties
The alloy usually contains metals that have a shine. Sometimes it doesn't include a single ounce of AU. They try to combine in different proportions:
- zinc;
- copper;
- nickel;
- chromium;
- molybdenum;
- manganese;
- magnesium;
- titanium;
- silver;
- brass.
The alloy does not have a single composition; variations are possible. To obtain the white metal, titanium is added. This alloy is also called surgical; surgical instruments and dentures are made from it.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
The main advantage of the alloy is its availability and durability. The variety of combinations of metals allows us to produce jewelry that closely resembles precious ones.
Strength
Items made from medical alloy have increased strength. Jewelry has to be produced in simple shapes. But surgical instruments have the necessary hardness, and dental crowns do not wear out.
Shade range
The combination of components gives the medical alloy shades from light yellow to reddish. The use of different technologies for coating objects allows you to choose two colors. The decoration can copy white or yellow gold.
Does the sample
The test is applied to products made of precious metals. There is no sample less than 375. Jewelry containing a smaller amount of AU is classified as costume jewelry and is assigned a different label.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
The term “gold” for such an alloy is an advertising ploy that attracts buyers and inspires consumer confidence. The steel used for production is marked 03Х17Н14МЗ or 12Х18Н10. Products from America and Great Britain are marked with the mark 316L. The product must have a stamp, article number, and manufacturer's mark.
Does honey gold turn black?
Products made from medical gold retain their appearance for a long time. They do not darken when exposed to salt water, which can be a good solution for lovers of jewelry on vacation by the sea. The sun's rays also do not cause noticeable harm. Many women have had annoying troubles associated with the loss of their favorite ring or chain at sea. I think it’s a great idea to buy a couple of beautiful jewelry before your vacation that you don’t mind losing because of their low cost.
Jewelry is not affected by chlorinated tap water, which allows you to fearlessly wash your hands without removing the rings.
The only enemy of products is time. They simply wear out, steel begins to show through the coating, and they have to be replaced with new ones. The alloy cannot completely replace noble metals.
Features of care
Jewelry made from medical gold is best stored in a separate container. For example, a large box in which things will not constantly touch each other is suitable for such purposes. This will save them from unsightly scratches and other damage that seriously spoil their appearance.
It is prohibited to store products in plastic boxes or cellophane, because this is a rather harmful environment for them. Because of this, they may darken. Before long workouts or regular jogging, you should remove all alloy jewelry. And you also don’t need to sleep with it: this can lead to unexpected breakage of the jewelry.
It is necessary to use various products such as perfume before putting on the product. It's better to do this at the very last moment. Avoid exposure to high temperatures or sunlight. Therefore, a person needs to remove all unnecessary items if he is going to the beach, bathhouse or solarium. When working with this alloy, it is prohibited to use products containing hard abrasives. They can cause serious damage and remove the characteristic shine. It is better to take a soft, finely dispersed composition used for cleaning metal. It contains wax, organic solvents and other substances.
One of the most gentle ways to clean such products is using ultrasound using a special device. The device can clean various expensive metals such as gold, silver or platinum. This method is used to restore the original appearance of jewelry with precious stones.
To clean, place the item in the device for a few minutes. After this procedure, the jewelry will look like new and will last for many years.
If your favorite earrings or chains made of medical gold have lost their shine, you can wash them in not very warm water with a washing liquid that should not contain any aggressive substances. Medical alloy sometimes requires cleaning to prevent it from turning black. There are ways for this that an ordinary person can use, and there are also various professional methods. If you take precautions and take care of your jewelry, it will last a long time and retain its beautiful appearance.
Professional cleansing
First you need to familiarize yourself with professional cleaning. The most gentle among all possible options is ultrasonic cleaning.
With its help, you can restore their original appearance not only to products made from medical gold, but also from real gold or silver, as well as jewelry with stones.
To carry out this procedure, you need to place the required item in the device for just a few minutes. This will be enough to make it shine with purity and brilliance. Thanks to this cleaning, the jewelry will be able to maintain its appearance for several additional years.
Experts do not recommend using products that contain coarse solid particles. After all, this can very quickly damage the decoration. Plus, it's guaranteed to take away the shine. A product with a finely dispersed composition, which is most often used for cleaning metal, is perfect. They contain a large amount of wax, as well as organic solvents.
If medical alloy jewelry loses its shine, simply rinse it a little in warm water , to which you need to add a few drops of detergent. After this, they must be immediately immersed in a light solution of sodium hyposulfite. The solution should be as follows: add 20 grams of this product to 100 milliliters of water.
Cleaning at home. All ways
If a person does not have the opportunity to use professional cleaning, then you can clean your jewelry at home. The most popular among them is the following solution:
- 500 milliliters of clean water;
- 5 grams of ammonia, it is best to use 10 percent;
- 15 grams of borax.
All ingredients must be mixed, and then wipe the darkened jewelry with the resulting mixture.
After this, they should be rinsed with clean warm water. Since borax is a poisonous substance, they are strictly prohibited from cleaning any cutlery that was made from a medical alloy.
Another effective remedy is regular chalk. To clean, rub the darkened jewelry with chalk and then remove all residue with a slightly damp cloth. also use the following solution:
- 20 grams of tooth powder;
- 25 grams of ammonia;
- ½ glass of clean water.
All components must be thoroughly mixed, and then wipe the surface of the product with this solution. Then it should be rinsed in slightly warmed water. In addition, you can use regular shampoo or liquid soap. A few drops should be mixed with ½ glass of water, and then cleaned with a regular brush, only a soft one. After this, the jewelry should also be rinsed with clean water. It is also necessary to dry the gold and only then wear it or put it in a box.
Another cleaning product is wine alcohol or regular beer. To achieve the desired effect, you should wipe the product with this product. After 5 minutes, be sure to rinse it off with clean water. In addition to this product, you can also use turpentine . The product works in almost the same way as all the others - applied to the jewelry, and then wiped thoroughly with a dry paper towel.
To summarize, medical gold is an excellent alternative to precious metals. The main thing is to clean it on time and store the accessory in proper conditions.
Methods of obtaining
To obtain products that look like precious metal, the steel alloy is plated with gold. The most popular methods of gilding:
- Gold Filled – rolling. The workpiece is covered with the thinnest gold sheet, which is attached to an oil or adhesive base. To make the surface shiny, use glue, and if you want a matte surface, use oil varnish. On products coated with this method, it is necessary to indicate how many carats the gold leaf had.
- Gold Plated – by galvanic method. The product is polished, degreased and cleaned of the effects of oxidation. A thin layer of gold plating is then applied using an electric current.
To obtain a white tint, the object is coated with PVD. Vapors of precious metals are sprayed onto the product under vacuum, and it acquires a cool white shine.
In addition to spray-coated steel, various alloys are used. In Europe you can find an alloy of copper and zinc (9/1). Copper is cleaned, polished, and becomes like real gold.
If aluminum is used instead of zinc, the resulting product is called aural (aufor, aufir). In Germany this alloy is known as goldin.
There is a coating called music. It is based on tin and does not lose its qualities under the influence of environmental factors.
The combination of copper, zinc and tin is sold under the name Mannheim gold, and mosaic gold is a composition in which copper and zinc are almost equal.
The more copper, the lighter the resulting color. In French gold it is 80%, and zinc is only 15%. Decorations made from it are light yellow.
Alloy Application
In addition to the jewelry industry, the alloy is actively used in medicine. Instruments for surgical operations have the necessary strength, and dentures, thanks to the gold particles included in the composition, do not come off.
Now the latest developments make it possible to include small particles of AU in medications for oral administration as a cure for cancer and other diseases.
In cosmetology, gold threads are used to strengthen facial contours, masks and wraps with gold, and cocktails with AU inclusions.
The alloy is used to produce safe stud earrings, which are the first to be inserted into a fresh earlobe piercing. Wristwatches, men's accessories, and eyeglass frames are made from it.
Tools for manicure and pedicure made of medical gold are of high quality, durable and beautiful.
What is it used for in medicine?
Medical steel has been used to treat people for a long time. In the past, alchemists made golden water that was used to treat viral and infectious diseases.
With the development of technology, the use of gold in medicine has expanded significantly. Now gold nanoparticles are added to modern drugs for various diseases. Metal improves immunity and helps strengthen the cardiovascular system.
Radioactive medical gold is actively used in oncology. With its help, malignant tumors are treated and the condition of the skin is restored. However, only the attending physician can prescribe such procedures after an examination.
This alloy is used to kill germs and disinfect wounds. Due to this, it is used in the manufacture of instruments for performing operations. When working with various damage to the skin, such instruments cannot introduce infection into the body. Medical gold is also used to make jewelry. It is ideal for those people who are not suitable for any precious metals other than real gold.
How to distinguish a medical alloy from gold
I think that you can easily distinguish precious metal from costume jewelry. In large stores that care about their reputation, no one will try to sell a fake under the guise of a real product. Good jewelry is highly valued by women; it allows you to complement your look with jewelry at a budget price.
But if you are in doubt about an item, evaluate its parameters to understand whether this is a precious metal or a jewelry alloy:
- Availability of sample. Precious items will bear the hallmark of the Assay Office. Products of 585 fineness, beloved in Russia, will have an imprint of the head of a girl in a kokoshnik and the numbers - 585. For jewelry from the Soviet period, instead of a girl’s head, there is a five-pointed star, inside of which there is a sickle and a hammer, and next to it there are numbers indicating the fineness - 585, 850. For medical gold - stamp that looks like a line – 03×17n14mz.
- Price. For precious metals it is much higher.
- Stones. If the item contains diamonds or sapphires, the item is most likely gold. Expensive gems are not used in jewelry.
- Weight. Real gold is massive, the heaviness is well felt. Costume jewelry is much lighter, which allows manufacturers to produce large chains and earrings. This rule does not always work, because many non-precious products are heavy.
- Shine. Non-precious products shine brighter and more easily, while precious ones have a noble, muted tint.
- Scratch. Gold is easily damaged due to its softness, while jewelry metals are durable and weakly resistant. It is better to scratch with a real ring with a reliably known sample. Remember: if you scratch your gold jewelry, you will damage an item that does not belong to you, and the seller will be entitled to claim compensation.
- When the decoration is already at home, you can test it with iodine. To do this, select an inconspicuous area on the product and place a drop of iodine. Real precious metal will oxidize and the stain will remain forever (so the area should be invisible!). Iodine can be easily wiped off from other formulations without a trace.
- The jewelry can be valued at a pawn shop. The technician will use an x-ray to determine the thickness of the coating and determine the cost of the item.
Advantages and disadvantages
Every woman decides for herself whether it is worth buying jewelry that is not precious.
The popularity of medical gold is due to its properties:
- It perfectly replaces precious metals as jewelry and looks no worse.
- It does not cause allergies, which makes it possible for people who are allergic to gold to wear items made of yellow metal.
- It doesn't get dark.
- It's inexpensive.
- Items made from it are durable and last a long time.
Despite such serious advantages, jewelry also has disadvantages:
- Abrasion of the surface layer over time. No matter how much you take care of your favorite chain or ring, sooner or later they will have to be replaced.
- The lack of hallmark on the product makes it not a good investment, as is the case with gold, but simply the purchase of a fashion accessory.
About those who imagine that honey is gold from the extractor
Medicinal gold is a bright alloy of decal metals, whose characteristic noble yellow shine cannot be distinguished from its natural analogue. Design your warehouse with alloys such as silver, copper, brass, and zinc. As long as there is a percentage relationship, it is strictly fixed, and there may not be any gold in the warehouse.
The current appearance of medicinal gold deposits practically visually differs in no way from expensive jewelry made from high-carat pure gold. The warehouse is considered ideal in a comprehensive manner: both in terms of its operational authorities, and in its appearance, and in terms of its quality. Decorations made from medical alloy are absolutely inexpensive, so they can be used for small children.
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Where can you buy or sell
You can buy jewelry in large jewelry stores in Moscow or other regions of Russia. They often have departments selling costume jewelry made from alloys with semi-precious stones. Online stores also offer a large assortment of medical gold; you just need to enter a query in a search engine.
The catalogs contain detailed photos, which allows you to choose jewelry without leaving your home. The order can be delivered by courier, transport company or Russian Post.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
But if you are not an entrepreneur, you can sell jewelry only through private advertisement sites. Pawnshops rarely take gold-plated items. In the best case, if the coating is significant enough, they give a very small price for it.
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.
Tips for choosing jewelry
When planning the purchase of jewelry, it is worth considering some points to minimize the risk of purchasing a low-quality item:
- Costume jewelry does not have the usual gold standard, but it has its own marking. A conscientious manufacturer will indicate on the stamp the amount of impurities and the number of carats of gold plating, if any. Carats are designated by the letter K and a number. 375 standard - the lowest for gold - is marked 9K (British system) or 36K (Russian system). Anything containing fewer gold carats is a jewelry alloy.
- The decoration is accompanied by a tag indicating the manufacturer, his details, and alloy composition. If stones are present, then information about them.
Reviews
Natalya “I decided to check my rings to see if they were gold. The iodine method works, there are traces left on mine. It’s good that I didn’t think of smearing iodine on a cotton swab, but used a thin needle!”
Olga “I’ve met such shops with medical gold. Somehow I didn’t trust it, I was afraid, I thought it was some kind of fake. Now I understand that it is not a fake, but simply something completely different than gold. I’ll have to buy a set for the holiday!”
Irina “I had a bracelet made of medical gold. I wore it for about a year, most often I wore it in winter, in summer I don’t like jewelry on the skin. The lock was wiped first, then the links that were located nearby. The metal itself under the gilding turned out to be dark. But I enjoyed the year.”
