Characteristics and Attributes of Gold

July 22, 2010 by cattleto
Filed under Jewelry Tips

Unquestionably, gold remains as the definitive medium of jewelry expression. For hundreds upon hundreds of years, gold has enticed man with its unrivaled charm and beauty, its glow and warm irresistible luster, and its remarkable attributes. Jewelers and artisans alike have crafted gold into very stunning pieces of jewelry that are not only inestimable but eternal. Gold is undoubtedly one of the most precious metals of the earth, the most ductile, malleable, and pliable metal ever known to man. A single ounce of gold has the ability to stretch into a thin wire of almost 5 miles.

Gold can be found anywhere even though it can be very hard to extract gold in its purest form. Even though platinum is highly priced when compared to gold, gold remains unrivaled as the most popular jewelry metal. Gold does not rust or corrode and jewelry made from it is exceptionally durable. In other words, the karat quality is used to determine just how pure gold is. For example, 14-karat gold means that 14 parts of that given piece is pure gold which is mixed with 10 parts of a base metal. The reason why gold is mixed with a base metal is to boost its durability bearing in mind that 24-karat gold, or pure gold is very soft and pliable.

Most gold jewelry pieces are always marked with the karat quality to help consumers verify that the product in question is truly made of gold. Rings, bracelets, chains, pendants, charms, earrings, and brooches are few of the countless jewelry pieces that gold can be crafted into. Further, thanks to its amazing qualities, gold can be used for other purposes such as in coinage, dentistry, and for industrial purposes. The value of gold has been used to form the monetary base of many nations today.

There is no investment that can be equaled to the investment in gold. You can never have a complete jewelry collection if you lack gold jewelry. Its sensual, radiant, and warm quality makes it a perfect gift for wedding rings or other jewelry gift for a loved one. Before buying gold, you have to be familiar with such things as the karat quality, and terminologies such as rolled gold plate, gold overlay, and gold filled. Note that when buying gold, you might find some piece plated with gold meaning that the base metal has a layer of gold. With time, the gold layer will wear away which will depend on how regular the piece if used.

When choosing to invest in gold jewelry, it is very important to understand the different characteristics and qualities of gold so that you can know exactly what you are getting. Generally, gold jewelry has several finishes such as matte gold. This finish is achieved by use of an abrasive which results in a dull, non-reflective surface. The second finish is the high-polish finish and as the name would suggest, the piece of jewelry is well polished to a nearly mirror-like shine.

Even though gold is stunning by itself, it is not uncommon to find gemstones inlaid with gold to augment a higher dimension of value and beauty. Whether you want to buy a simple gold chain, a chubby gold bracelet, or a gold ring beautifully engraved with your names or those of your loved one, ensure you select a piece of gold jewelry that matches your personality. Be sure to find one that perfectly matches your personality. Besides, wearing gold enhances your looks, giving you style and class. Undoubtedly, gold continues to beguile men and women, and is yet to be replaced as the ultimate metal for jewelry.