The Romans called it Aurum; the French call it Or and we call it "the perfect gift for any occasion". Gold and gold jewelry have been coveted since the dawn of time. The first gold jewelry dates back to around 3000 BC in southern Iraq. In Peru, goldsmiths were making ornaments by hammering and embossing gold as early as 1200 BC. And in China, gold was first legalized as money as early as 1091 as an alternative to silk.
Gold is believed to have the powers of healing, protection, wisdom, and success. When worn, it is thought to elevate your personal power. In ancient Mexico, gold was linked to the powers of the Sun. In the Middle Ages, gold tools were used while collecting herbs to make their powers stronger.
Gold alloys (gold mixed with other metals) are used in jewelry making because of their increased strength and their colors results from their composition. Yellow gold is gold, copper, silver, and zinc. White gold is gold, copper, nickel, and zinc. Pink gold (sometimes called old gold) is gold, copper, and zinc.
Jeweler's love gold which, though a so-called "hard" metal, is easy to work with and form. And, since gold doesn't oxidize, it's also a snap for jewelers to polish. Usually a quick rub with a cloth and a minimum of elbow grease is all that's necessary.
When it comes to karats, our pal Bugs Bunny is an expert. He knows that gold is mixed with various other metals (alloyed), in various percentages, to give it strength. The more gold that's present in the material, the greater its value.
The term KARAT defines how much gold is actually in a piece of metal.
10K - 41% gold
12K - 50%
14K - 58%
16K - 66%
18K - 75%
20K - 83%
22K - 91%
24K - 100% (24K gold is rarely used in jewelry-making because it is so soft.)
To determine if a metal is gold or something else, nitric acid is dropped onto the scratched surface. To determine which karat the gold is, samples of known karats must be used along with the nitric acid. (These tests are usually done in a testing laboratory or by an experienced jeweler.)
Th-th-th-that's all folks. (Straight from the Rabbit's mouth)
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