What To Look For When Looking For Gold Jewelry

You know how beautiful and rare gold is, so before you go shopping for that perfect piece of jewelry, you'll want to know what to look for when looking for gold jewelry. In the days of Cleopatra gold was valued for its rarity and its exquisite beauty. Gold is still cherished today for its value and great looks. Many of the world's countries monetary banking systems are backed by their gold reserves. Without gold, their money would be useless pieces of printed paper. Now that you are looking to purchase your own piece of gold jewelry for yourself or a loved one, here are some helpful tips you can use..

1. Gold's purity will be stamped into the piece of gold jewelry you are going to purchase. The trademark of the jeweler will sometimes be stamped on the gold piece of jewelry along with the country the gold jewelry piece was made in.
2. Pick out a piece of gold jewelry that is 18 karat or 14 karat if you have allergies to certain metals. The less metal in your gold jewelry you purchase the less chance you'll have of getting a skin irritation.
3. Gold plated jewelry is jewelry that is covered with a gold covering. Gold plated jewelry should be worn only occasionally, so that the gold finish won't wear off exposing the metal underneath.
4. Gold filled jewelry will be marked G.F. and the karat of the gold along with the amount of the gold used will also be marked, such as 1/10th 14K G.F. This lets you know that the jewelry is filled with 1/10th of 14karat gold.
5. Gold keeps it looks, its shine and its value. Purchasing quality gold jewelry will ensure that you or your loved one has a fine piece of jewelry that will be enjoy for a lifetime.
6. When looking for 24 karat gold jewelry know that 24 karat gold is gold in its purest form. In the United States gold's purity is measured in karats. 24 karats is gold that is 99.0 to 99.9 percent pure gold. 24 karat gold is very soft and pliable so it's very rare to find a piece of 24 karat gold jewelry. Pure gold jewelry is usually designed by an artisan, and is usually purchased as a monetary investment or is only worn on special occasions.
7. When looking for 18 karat gold jewlery know that 18 karat gold is eighteen parts gold and 6 parts of one or more metals. 18 karat gold is 75 percent gold. The additional metals that are added to gold make the gold stronger. These additional metals can also change the color of the gold to white, pink tint, rose, or a greenish look.
8. When looking for 14 karat gold know that 14 karat gold is fourteen parts gold and ten parts of one or more other metals to help strengthen and color the gold. 24 karat gold is 58.5 percent gold.
9. When looking for 12 karat gold know that 12 karat gold is twelve parts gold and twelve parts of one or more additional metals. 12 karat gold is 50 percent gold.
10. When looking for 10 karat gold know that 10 karat gold is ten parts gold and fourteen parts of one or more additional parts of metal. 10 karat gold is the strongest gold. Because 10 karat gold is only 41.7 percent gold, it is the least expensive to purchase.

Source: GoldPrice