Gold is found everywhere, in plants, in the earth, our bodies, in rivers and oceans, in telephone and electronic circuits, yet it is so rare. Gold having special properties and being so rare, helped create a mystical aura that led ancient cultures to use it for temples, tombs, palaces and ornaments. Their are many different properties of gold that differentiate it from other metals.

    Gold in its pure state:

  • Does not corrode, tarnish or rust. Gold coins and jewelry found in sunken ships are as bright and shiny as the day they were made. Gold can last forever.
  • Can be flattened and stretched more easily than any other metal. One ounce of gold can be stretched into a wire 50 miles long. Entire palaces can be covered with gold leaf using just a small amount of gold.
  • Has a deep yellow color and a high luster. This yellow color led ancient civilizations to link gold to the sun, the giver of life.
  • Is softer than most metals. It has a hardness of 2 to 2.5 on the Mohs’ scale of hardness. Gold can be easily scratched and scraped. Gold becomes harder when alloyed with other metals.
  • Is heavy compared to most other metals. Pure gold is almost twice as heavy as silver and lead. Alloying it with other metals decreases its weight.

Real Gold

When buying gold jewelry always look for a karat mark, such as 24K (or the European stamp would be 999), 18K (750), 14K (585), 10K (417).

24K is 100% pure gold, or 24 parts gold, which is generally considered too soft for practical use in jewelry. 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts metal; 14K is 14 parts gold and 10 parts metal; and 10K is 10 parts gold and 14 parts metal.

Which is better?

Because of higher gold content, 18 karat gold is worth more. It has a brighter yellow color than 14 karat gold, but over a period of years, the gold can wear away because of its softness.

14 karat gold is less expensive, but usually wear better and hold gemstones more securely. 14 karat gold have a tendency to discolor or tarnish because of the higher percentage of copper. Sometimes, the metals alloyed in 14 karat gold and 10 karat gold can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Gold Colors

Gold in its pure state is yellow. However it is possible to buy it in a variety of colors, such as white, pink, green, blue, black and purple. These colors are produced by mixing other metals with the gold in prescribed proportions. White gold is a mixture of gold, copper, nickel, and zinc.