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gold jewelry facts

Some people write or call asking questions about gold or what they are purchasing. About half the population out there knows all about jewelry. The women! The other half, (men!) don't know as much. We know the important stuff. Like "buy it for the other half"!

Whether you buy it here or somewhere else, you need to know what you are buying. It is an investment. The scary thing is, you don't know what you don't know, until you learn it...

Charlie

Weight

Precious metals are sold by weight. The final price is determined by the base price of gold today in London; finishing cost per piece by weight; shipping, handling and insurance by weight.

1 Troy Ounce = 31.1033 Grams (gms)

1 Troy Ounce = 20 Pennyweight (dwt)

.9114 Troy Ounce = 1 Ounce Avoirdupois

1.5552 Grams = 1 Pennyweight

28.3495 Grams = 1 Ounce Avoirdupois

Gold Standards of actual gold content and the European symbol

8kt - 33.48% gold

10kt - 41.81% gold - Euro 420

14kt - 58.48% - Euro 580

18kt - 75.15% - Euro 750

19kt - 79.31%

22kt Coin - 90% - Euro 900

22kt - 92% - Euro 920

24kt - 100% - Euro 999.9

Silver

Fine Silver - 99.9% silver

Sterling Silver - 92.5% silver (usually the other 7.5% is copper)

Specific Gravity properties of metal

24kt yellow gold - 19.32

18kt yellow gold - 15.58

14kt yellow gold - 13.07

10kt yellow gold - 10.49

Fine Silver - 10.49

Sterling Silver - 10.36

What is gold fill, layering and plating?

Gold fill is made up of 1/20th 14kt gold or 5% x .5858 (14kt gold content) to equal 3% actual gold in a gold filled piece. A layer of 14kt gold is put over brass by heat and pressure bonding. Gold filled has an actual layer of gold, while gold plated merely has a microscopic film. Gold vermeil by FTC standards has a 100 millionths of an inch layer of 14kt gold over sterling silver.

How is gold made in other colors?

With the introduction of various metals to pure gold, the color can be altered. Believe it or not, gold can be yellow, white, rose, purple, green or blue! Here are the most common formulas of how they make yellow, white and rose colored gold.

18kt yellow gold - 75% gold + 12.5% silver + 12.5% copper

14kt yellow gold - 58% gold + 25% silver + 17% copper

18kt white gold - 75% gold + 5% copper + 15% nickel + 5% zinc

14kt white gold - 58% gold + 20% copper + 14.5% nickel + 7.5% zinc

18kt rose gold - 75% gold + 5% silver + 20% copper

14kt rose gold - 58% gold + 10% silver + 32% copper

Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia (CZ)

CZs are a very good manmade version of the natural stone, diamond. They look great in 14kt or 18kt settings. Obviously, the CZ is much heavier. Coloring is similar and the hardness is not far apart.

Diamond vs CZ vs Moissanite

Mohs Hardness

D - 10

CZ - 8.5

M - 9.25

Refractive Index (brilliance)

D - 2.417

CZ - 2.15

M - 2.65

Specific Gravity

D - 3.515

CZ - 5.8

M - 3.21

Dispersion (fire)

D - .044

M - .104

Luster

D - 17.2%

M - 20.4%

Moissanite

This is the one that was featured on 60 Minutes & 20-20 and fooled almost every jeweler tested. Without special testing equipment, distinguishing it from a natural diamond, is very difficult if not impossible. Green color is soon to be released and available.

Triplet

Opals are frequently created as triplets, meaning the stone is assembled from three pieces. Opal triplets are composed of a rock quartz layer over genuine opal joined to a base. Triplets resist marring, and the quartz acts to play up the brilliance of the genuine stone.

Birthstones

January - Garnet; February - Amethyst; March - Aquamarine; April - Diamond; May - Emerald; June - Alexandrite or Pearl; July - Ruby; August - Peridot; September - Blue Sapphire; October - Tourmaline (pink); November - Citrine or Topaz (golden); December - Zircon or Tourmaline (blue)
Ring Size Comparison Chart (approximate equivalents)

US/CA
Inside diameter mm/inches
Inside circumference mm/inches
British
French
German
Japanese

1 1/2 12.78 / .503 40.2 / 1.580 C 40 1/2 12 3/4 ---

2 13.21 / .520 41.5 / 1.634 D 41 1/2 13 1/4 2

2 1/2 13.61 / .536 42.7 / 1.684 E 42 3/4 13 3/4 3

3 14.05 / .553 44.0 / 1.739 F 44 14 4

3 1/2 14.45 / .569 45.2 / 1.788 G 45 1/4 14 1/2 ---

4 14.86 / .585 46.5 / 1.836 H 1/2 46 1/2 15 7

4 1/2 15.27 / .601 47.8 / 1.888 I 1/2 47 3/4 15 1/4 8

5 15.70 / .618 49.0 / 1.941 J 1/2 49 15 3/4 9

5 1/2 16.10 / .634 50.2 / 1.992 L 50 1/4 16 ---

6 16.51 / .650 51.5 / 2.042 M 51 1/2 16 1/2 12

6 1/2 16.92 .666 52.8 / 2.092 N 52 3/4 17 13

7 17.35 / .683 54.0 / 2.146 N 1/2 54 17 1/4 14

7 1/2 17.63 / .699 55.3 / 2.196 O 1/2 55 1/2 17 1/2 15

8 18.19 / .716 56.6 / 2.249 P 1/2 56 3/4 18 16

8 1/2 18.59 / .732 57.8 / 2.300 Q 1/2 58 18 1/2 17

9 18.99 / .748 59.1 / 2.350 R 1/2 59 1/4 19 18

9 1/2 19.41 / .764 60.3 / 2.400 S 1/2 60 1/2 19 1/2 19

10 19.84 / .781 61.6 / 2.463 T 1/2 61 3/4 20 20

10 1/2 20.24 / .797 62.8 / 2.504 U 1/2 62 3/4 20 1/4 22

11 20.68 / .814 64.1 / 2.567 V 1/2 64 1/4 20 3/4 23

11 1/2 21.01 / .830 66.0 / 2.608 W 1/2 66 21 24

12 41.41 / .846 67.3 / 2.658 Y 67 1/4 21 3/4 25

"I don't live near a jewelry store. How can I measure my ring size?"

(this is only a guide for a rough guesstimate of your size)

Step One
Wrap a piece of string or a strip of paper around your finger.

Step 2
Mark the point where the two ends meet.

Step 3
Measure the string or paper against a ruler.

Step 4
A rule of thumb: 1 15/16 of an inch (49mm) equals size five. Every 1/16 of an inch thereafter equals a half size up from size five.

"My wife wants platinum instead of gold? What should I do?"

She is obviously talking about the new Penn fishing reels! You lucky dog! Buy her a bracelet, take her to dinner and teach the rest of us your secret!

Why does gold or silver discolor fingers?

Some customers may think that faulty manufacturing or underkarating might be the problem when a ring 'turns,' blackening or discoloring the skin and clothing, or the jewelry itself. The most common reason is metallic abrasion, caused by makeup on skin or clothing. Cosmetics often contain compounds harder than the jewelry itself, which wear or rub off very tiny particles. Very finely divided metal always appears black rather than metallic, so it looks like a jet-black dust. When this dust comes into contact with absorbent surfaces such as skin or clothing, it sticks, forming a black smudge. To prevent this, try switching cosmetics. If this is not possible, remove rings and other jewelry while applying them, and clean skin areas in contact with jewelry with soap and water.

Another cause is actual corrosion of the metals. Gold itself does not corrode, but its primary alloys of silver or copper do so - forming very dark chemical compounds - under moist or wet conditions. When a person perspires, fats and fatty acids released can cause corrosion of 14-karat gold, especially when exposed to warmth and air. This problem can be worse in seacoast semitropical areas, where chlorides combine with perspiration to form a corrosive element that discolors the skin. Smog fumes gradually attack jewelry and are evident as a tarnish that rubs off on the skin. Remove jewelry often and sue an absorbent powder, free of abrasives, on skin that comes into contact with jewelry. Remove all rings before using soaps, cleaning compounds or detergents and clean your rings frequently. As well as solving the problem, you'll be amazed at how much better the rings look!

Switching to 18kt jewelry has only 25% alloy versus 42% in 14kt and that significantly reduces the problem. The use of platinum should reduce it all together. (Stuller)

Why you should not wear your jewelry into the pool or hot tub.

Swimming and warm weather just naturally go together. But next time, be sure to remove your gold jewelry first. Most pool water contains chlorine, which is a useful disinfectant. However, even when highly diluted, chlorine can be harmful to all kinds of karat gold jewelry... yellow, pink and especially white gold. Studies have shown that even tiny amounts of diluted chlorine in pools, resort spas, whirlpools and hot tubs can erode the nickel alloy in white gold, and possibly cause prongs to snap and mountings to break apart. Chlorine is present in many ordinary household chemicals such as bleach, detergents, soaps and cleaners. They can leave chlorine deposits that could damage your gold rings. When using these products always remove gold jewelry or wear rubber gloves. (Golden Triangle News)

Gemstone Care

People often remark how beautiful a piece looks when they receive it or leave the jewelry store, but over time, the gemstones 'change' and become cloudy or dull. While your piece of jewelry is in the jewelers care, he/she is caring for it. That is why they spend so much time with you to be sure you are satisfied and happy before you walk out the door. Once you leave the premises, it is impossible to monitor your care and wearing of the gemstone. If you have a few other people examine it or 'clean' it before bringing it back to the original jeweler, it may not even be the same stone...

Even though your gemstone is an inanimate object, think of it as alive. It needs care and some need nourishment! The first thing to stay away from is the people in the aisles of the mall that want to clean your rings for free! Hold up a cross or crossed index fingers to keep them and vampires away! (Buffy wears a white gold Claddagh ring so she's ok!) Keep your gemstones out of the steamers and acid washes!

Amber - clean with a soft damp cloth. Never use steam or ultrasonic cleaning. Avoid alcohol, bleach and all harsh chemicals. Avoid prolonged exposure to hot water. The safest and best way to clean emerald jewelry is with lukewarm water, a very mild soap and a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. Store each piece separately so that other jewelry will not scratch it.

Amethyst - if properly taken care of, will last indefinitely. Amethyst should be protected from sharp blows and scratches but is otherwise quite resistant to normal wear. It may be cleaned with most any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap and lukewarm water using a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. Some amethyst may fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods. For this reason, it is recommended you do not wear it while sunbathing or using a tanning bed.

Aquamarine - should never be cleaned with a steam cleaner or ultrasonic cleaning machine. It can be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaners or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Citrine - the beautiful color in your citrine, if properly taken care, will last indefinitely. Citrine should be protected from sharp blows and scratches but is otherwise quite resistant to normal wear. Citrine can be cleaned with most any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap, lukewarm water using a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. Some citrine may fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods. For this reason, it is recommended you do not wear it while sunbathing or using a tanning bed.

Emerald - care should be excised when both wearing and cleaning emerald jewelry. The internal features found in most emeralds make them very susceptible to sharp blows and sudden temperature changes. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, steam, detergent or commercial jewelry cleaners. The safest and best way to clean emerald jewelry is with lukewarm water, a very mild soap and a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly. When it appears to be a little dull, bring it to your jeweler and ask him/her to oil it. Don't laugh...

Garnet - is both hard and durable. Garnet can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning machine, any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap and lukewarm water using a soft brush.

Opal - should be protected from heat and strong light due to their unusually high water content, or they can dry out. Opals also draw moisture from the air and therefore should not be stored for long periods of time in dehumidified environments such as a bank vault. Never clean an opal using chemicals, detergents, ultrasonic or steam cleaning machines. The safest and best way to clean opals is with lukewarm water, a very mild soap and a soft brush. Be sure to rinse and dry thoroughly.

Pearls - cultured pearls are softer than most gemstones but durable enough for everyday wear. Because oils, soaps and chemicals can damage the beautiful nacre, you should apply cosmetics, perfumes and hair spray before putting on your pearls. Wipe your pearls with a dry, soft cloth after each wearing. Never clean cultured pearls with any harsh chemical, and only use a commercial jewelry cleaner specifically made for cultured pearls. The safest cleaning method is using a mild soap and lukewarm water solution, wiping with a soft cloth. Always lay strands flat to dry to prevent the cord from stretching. To ensure years of enjoyment, be sure to have your pearl strands inspected regularly and restring as needed.

Peridot - does not react well to heat. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Peridot should never be cleaned with ultrasonic or steam cleaning machines. It may be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaning solutions or soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Ruby - is both hard and durable and can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning machine, any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush. Rubies with a glass like residue in surface-reaching fractures should NOT be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner or steam machine.

Sapphire - is hard and durable and can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning machine, any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Spinel - is hard and durable and can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaning machine, any commercial jewelry cleaner or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Tanzanite - is a relatively hard gemstone, but it is not equally durable. Tanzanite may chip or break if exposed to moderate blows or sudden changes in temperature. It should never be cleaned with an ultrasonic or steam cleaning machine. It may be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaners, or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Topaz - is a hard gemstone that is very resistant to scratching, but because of its internal structure it may break or split if subjected to a hard blow or sudden changes in temperature. It should never be cleaned with an ultrasonic or steam cleaning machine. It may be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaners, or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Tourmaline - is a hard gemstone that is resistant to both scratching and breaking, but it should be protected from sharp blows or sudden changes in temperature. Because of the natural internal characteristics found in some tourmalines, especially pinks and reads, ultrasonic cleaning machines should not be used. It may be cleaned with most commercial jewelry cleaners, or mild soap, lukewarm water and a soft brush.

Gemstone care tips provided by Jewelers of America

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gold jewelry facts

Ring Size Comparison Chart (approximate equivalents)