Post updated: Nov 16, 2015
Jewelry has been used by people since ancient times. They were used in religious rituals, they were the property of a clan or family, and served as amulets. Despite progress, the development of technology and great changes in human self-determination, jewelry made of precious metals still has a special place as luxury objects. The simplest and most common alloy is yellow gold, which looks good both in person and in photos.
Why is gold yellow?
The precious metal, mined from the depths of the earth, is distinguished by its rich yellow color, even considering that it is not found in nature in an ideally pure form. This is due to its optical properties and, in particular, to the structure of electronic levels. They completely absorb the total radiation of light waves, as a result of which a person sees the yellow color of the metal. When impurities are added in a certain ratio, the shade of the alloy changes.
Jewelry identification marks
Each product containing precious metals contains certain information. The process is called branding. This is a kind of quality guarantee for the buyer. The question of who carries out and controls the branding process is resolved in different ways. In the Russian Federation, these are functions of the state. The structure that carries out these functions is the State Assay Chamber. In its regional divisions, state assay marks are placed on products containing precious metals - marks that reflect the following information:
- try;
- identification mark;
- name tag (special sign of a factory, company or craftsman);
- information about the structure that performed the branding.
Nowadays stamps are used that differ from those in the Soviet Union. They have been introduced into the Russian Federation since 1994. The stamp is an image of a woman's profile wearing a kokoshnik. The woman's face is turned to the right, located inside two combined rectangles. The Russian letter indicates the code of the assay office, the numbers indicate the sample. The name tag is the manufacturer’s mark that he puts on the product; it can be located either inside the outline or separately. It can belong to both a legal entity and an individual master. Names are subject to mandatory registration and approval by the Assay Office.
There are countries, for example, Turkey, Egypt, in which the state does not carry out assay control, so all the marks are placed by the product manufacturers themselves. In this case, the compliance of the affixed sample with the actual content of the precious metal is entirely on their conscience.
As a result, the sample is often a fiction that does not correspond to the precious metal content in the jewelry.
Samples and composition of yellow gold
The sample height depends on the percentage volume of pure gold in the alloy. The metric system is used on the territory of the Russian Federation. It directly shows the percentage of gold in the product.
Depending on the type of additive, as well as its amount in the alloy, the shade also varies. 375 fine jewelry, due to the presence of copper, typically has a distinctive red luster. They almost never have yellow color. In addition to copper, the composition includes nickel and silver.
Jewelry marked 585 is the most popular on the jewelry market. If we compare the alloy used for them with a similar foreign one, it corresponds to 18 carats. In addition to gold, copper, nickel, silver, and zinc are used to make it. As a result, the color of the decoration is uniformly yellow.
750 standard is famous for its higher gold content than 585, and therefore has a brighter hue. Its composition contains 75.0% pure aurum, and the remaining mass is equally occupied by copper and silver.
The situation is similar with jewelry of 958 standard, only the total amount of impurities does not exceed 4.2%. Due to this, such alloys are considered almost pure. They are loved for the rich and bright color of their products, often having a lemon tint. However, 958 gold is not very popular due to its low wear resistance.
Comparative characteristics
As usual, let’s summarize everything said above. Our experts compared two types of gold, and this is what they came up with:
| Red | Yellow | |
| Composition (585 standard) | 58.5% gold, 33.5% copper, 8.5% silver | 58.5% gold, 22.75% copper, 18.75% silver |
| Application | Used as a working material when creating complex, patterned jewelry compositions | Suitable for making simple jewelry that is not “burdened down” by an abundance of complex elements |
| Color | Reddish, soft pink | Golden hue, as well as dark shades up to brown |
| Strength | High | Average |
| Practicality | Suitable for everyday wear | Due to its high plasticity, it is recommended to be worn on special occasions |
What other colors does gold have?
Most of the jewelry presented in jewelry stores is yellow in different shades. The vast majority of people know about the existence of white, pink and red precious metals.
In fact, the color spectrum of precious alloys is much wider. To obtain the desired shade, you just need to add impurities to the ligature in a certain proportion.
| Alloy color | Gold (Au), % | Silver (Ag), % | Copper (Cu), % | Nickel (Ni), % | Zinc (Zn), % | Palladium (Pd), % | Iron (Fe), % | Cobalt (Ar), % |
| Light yellow | 58,5 | 7,5 | 10,6 | 7,7 | 2,2 | — | — | — |
| Bright yellow | 75,0 | 12,2 | 12,8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pink-yellow | 37,5 | 24,5 | 38,0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Red | 58,5 | 7,0 | 34,5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Green | 58,5 75,0 | 41,5 25,0 | — — | — — | — — | — — | — — | — — |
| White | 58,5 75,0 | 28,2 — | — 15,9 | — 7,0 | 3,8 2,1 | 9,5 — | — — | — — |
| Blue | 75,0 | — | — | — | — | — | 25,0 | — |
| Black | 75,0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25,0 |
Tips for choosing gold jewelry
- Ask for a product passport and inquire about certification.
- Carefully inspect the product externally - there should be no traces of polishing or hiding scratches. There should be no flimsy places, stones and links should be held tightly.
- Don't buy jewelry for the sake of "investing in gold." Firstly, this is a very unstable unit, and secondly, in this case it is better to open a metal account in a bank.
- Trust only papers with stamps, do not fall for folk methods of identifying real gold. Even an experienced jeweler cannot always determine which is a fake and which is the original.
Areas of application
Most of the gold mined in Russia is used to make jewelry. Also, a considerable share ends up in the state reserve. However, there are other options for using the precious metal:
- coating electrical circuit boards and creating gold conductors;
- production of targets for nuclear research and shells of neutron bombs;
- metallization of building windows;
- dental prosthetics;
- preparation of certain medications for the treatment of tuberculosis, cancer, arthritis;
- cosmetic facial cleansing, etc.
Advantages and disadvantages of yellow metal
The main disadvantage of pure gold is its fragility and low wear resistance. Products based on it quickly break, bend, scratch and deform in other ways.
Despite this, gold is still popular:
- It has an unusual, aesthetically attractive and bright color - products made from it attract the eye, regardless of the method of finishing and the addition of gems.
- It has a long service life - with proper care and careful handling, gold items will retain their integrity for many years; jewelry can be passed on for several generations.
- The metal is easy to process - after being extracted from the depths, the nuggets are cleaned of excess impurities and are ready for processing, without the need to immerse them in anti-oxidizing agents.
Strength
It is copper that provides this parameter. The more it is in the alloy, the more difficult it is to damage the product from friction. For example, “red” gold has a longer lifespan than its counterparts made from traditional alloys.
But this product will also develop cracks and scratches over time.
For an attractive appearance, constant care of the product is required.
Which gold is better: yellow or red?
On the territory of the USSR, jewelry of a red hue predominated. The habit of wearing red metal remained even after the collapse of the republics. Only in recent years has there been a shift in priorities towards the traditional golden hue. Experts recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of both options before purchasing.
Yellow decorations:
- attractive in appearance;
- have natural shades;
- blend harmoniously with dark skin;
- retain their shine for many years.
Red decorations:
- has a familiar color;
- have higher strength;
- do not deform over time;
- goes well with diamonds.
For wedding rings
Classic wedding rings were traditionally made from yellow precious metal. Today they are also at the peak of popularity. However, as an alternative, jewelry stores offer models that combine yellow with white. The sophisticated and sophisticated design of the products is created with the help of diamond inserts.
For jewelry
When choosing jewelry for every day, it is recommended to give preference to items made of red metal. Gold in combination with copper is more durable and wear-resistant, which means it will last longer. Jewelry in high-quality yellow tones is best suited for holidays and special occasions.
By the way, products made of yellow gold are beautiful in themselves and do not need sophisticated ornaments. It is better to leave them for precious metal in red shades.
Brand
This is the surest way to determine the quality of a product. Firstly, it confirms that the product is truly precious and not a fake. Secondly, it indicates its variety. In the Russian Federation, a mark for decoration is placed in the form of a woman’s profile, and a number corresponding to the alloy is pressed near it.
Products from the Soviet Union depict a hammer and sickle inside a large star. And the number indicating quality will be 583.
Where can you buy or sell
You should buy gold jewelry only in jewelry stores with a good reputation. And although pawn shops offer them at a lower cost, you won’t find the latest models there. Buying centers are good only in cases where it is necessary to sell gold that is damaged or if there are no documents for it.
Gold bullion coins are bought and sold through banks. It is advisable to carry out both operations within the same financial institution.
How much does 1 gram of yellow gold cost today, depending on the standard?
The amount of pure yellow metal in the alloy directly affects the price formation. Here are the current prices for basic samples:
| Price 999 standard according to the Central Bank | Market value of the sample today | Scrap price | Price in jewelry |
Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage
To maintain its presentation, jewelry requires care and cleaning. If the necessary standards are observed, it will last for many years.
- Finished products are stored in special bags or separate cases. It is better to store chains in an extended state.
- Wash your jewelry with warm water and soap from time to time. Do not rub them with brushes or put them in chemical mixtures.
- To return the original color, there is a special paste that can be bought in jewelry stores. If in doubt, you can take the product for professional cleaning.
- When swimming, physical work, or playing sports, it is better to remove jewelry.
