Gold is measured in karats and the purity of gold in karats will determine the value and worth of gold.
Evaluating precious gold jewelry the greater number of karat weight you have the greater will be its significance in worth and value. Therefore, while you are jewelry shopping you should always look for the karat hallmark of gold. Doing so will insure the value of its gold content for any specific jewelry piece since the higher the content of gold in any piece of jewelry the more value it holds.
- Pure Gold
Used by itself the term gold refers to pure gold or 24 karat gold. Because of pliable softness of pure gold it is commonly blended with other types of precious metals to increase stability and strength. The quality of karat should accompany any claim of pure gold or 24 karat gold jewelry. Jewelry pieces carry the hallmark of its quality of gold karat. These karat quality hallmarks enlighten you as what portions of gold is formulated with any of the other precious metals in an alloy.
The soft pliability of pure gold blends well in alloys of other types of precious metals. These various alloy formulas create a precious metal that is stronger and more durable. Blush tones are created by the different blends of alloy that can produce various color tones and hues in the appearance of gold.
- Gold Quality Hallmarks
24K or 1000 is 100% pure gold
18K or 750 is 75% pure gold
14K or 585 is 56.3% pure gold
10K or 417 is 41.6% pure gold
There are other means of hallmarking gold that provide you with a mark of manufacturing such as the Assay Office mark signifying the various countries other than the United States for its creation. Look for any type of quality gold mark and date stamp on any jewelry piece. Keep in mind that such markings will vary in appearance. Search for the gold quality mark such as a K and numbers to be stamped on the reverse side of any piece of jewelry. All gold jewelry are required to display a hallmark of gold karat quality mark of K stamp as well as the trademark of the manufacturer and the country of its origin when the manufacturer is outside of the United States. When you are jewelry shopping, remember that European gold karat quality marking will be different than those made in the United States.
Close to the karat quality mark you will find the name of the manufacturer or the US registered trademark of the manufacturer who stands behind the mark of gold karat quality. Trademarks are in the form of names, symbols or initials. If you find no trademark or hallmark of gold karat quality on any piece of jewelry you favor you should immediately begin looking for a real piece of gold jewelry. Nevertheless the gold portion of jewelry is established by its gold karat quality mark. You can be assured that you are making a purchase of karat gold jewelry when you find these various labeling marks. Keep in mind however that the heavier the precious metal piece the more it will consist of gold by weight.
© 2009 Sara Valor
