![]() ![]() ![]() A gold alloy that is 50% gold and 50% other metals is 12 karat gold because it is only half pure gold. Pure gold, which contains no other metals, is termed 24 karat gold. When discussing gold and its alloys, the term karat is used to indicate the purity of the gold (Not to be confused with carat, which is a unit of measurement used to describe gemstone weight). While pure gold is also used in jewelry making, it dents and shows wear easily, which is why most people choose not to wear 100% gold jewelry on a regular basis. The reaction is not caused by the gold itself, but by the other metals it is mixed with. This is why some gold alloys stain people’s skin or cause an allergic reaction. Along with enhancing gold’s strength, alloying gold with other metals changes some of gold’s other properties as well. A variety of metals are commonly used to alloy gold, including silver, copper, nickel, iron, zinc, tin, manganese, cadmium, and titanium. By mixing gold with other metals, or alloying it, gold is made stronger, which makes it durable enough to wear more often without experiencing wear. ![]() Gold Alloysĭespite gold’s desirable properties, it does have one significant drawback. For example, old coins and broken pieces of jewelry can be melted down and reused to make a brand new piece of gold jewelry. Gold can also be reused by melting down old gold objects and reforming the gold into new pieces. It does not oxidize or corrode and only a handful of rare acids or hot chlorine bleach can damage gold. Recent studies show that gold originated in the far reaches of the universe billions of years ago and arrived on earth in its infancy. A single ounce of gold can be stretched into a thread more than 50 miles long or rolled flat into a sheet that covers 100 square feet in area!Īnother reason gold is coveted by both consumers and designers is that it lasts indefinitely, especially if properly cared for. Gold is perhaps the most workable metal, which is another reason designers enjoy working with it. Jewelry designers and makers find gold easy to work with and prefer it to other metals because it never tarnishes. Because of all of these properties, the Noble Metals – gold, silver, and platinum – are frequently used in jewelry making.Ĭoveted for its beauty, gold has long captivated the human psyche and is considered the most sensuous metal.
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