Gold jewelry is our main area of expertise here at GoldenMine.com, and since we have such a wide variety of options available, the abundant options can be overwhelming at first. Whether you're looking for gold chains or other gold jewelry such as gold bracelets, earrings, or pendants, GoldenMine has something for practically everyone. The following are some of the things you need to know about gold jewelry:
Karats
The quality and price of gold jewelry are determined by karats. This measure (not to be confused with carats, which describe the weight of diamonds) is a statement of how much pure gold is in the piece. Gold jewelry ranges from 10 karat to 24 karat, with the higher the number, the purer the gold. The reason gold is mixed with other metals for jewelry is partially due to its fragility (pure gold bends and scratches very easily) and partially to reduce cost.
10 karat gold means that the metal has 10 parts of gold out of 24 parts of metal total (the gold is usually mixed with copper or brass). 10 karat gold is a popular choice for inexpensive pieces that give the look of fine jewelry with better durability than gold plated (a process in which ordinary metal is covered with a thin layer of gold) jewelry.
14 karat gold contains 14 parts of gold out of 24 parts of metal total. This is the most popular karat standard in the United States and is considered quality and durable. 14k gold jewelry are more than half gold.
18 karat gold is considered very high quality because it is three quarters gold. 18 karat is the standard in some foreign countries, such as Italy and India, and is considerably more expensive than the other karat weights because of the amount of pure gold included.
24 karat gold is pure gold. This is not usually used for jewelry purposes, because it is too fragile. As noted above, gold scratches and bends very easily. 
Color
Apart from 24 karat gold, the other gold weights are available in three different colors: yellow gold, white gold, and pink gold. Yellow gold mimics pure gold while white gold and pink gold mix metals of other shades to determine the color. These days, you will find more and more tricolor or two tone gold wedding bands, mens gold chains, and other jewelry made with multiple types of gold, making them more versatile to wear with other fashion accessories. Some people mistakenly believe that white gold does not scratch, but in fact any gold jewelry with a decent amount of pure gold in it can be prone to scratching. All your gold pieces should be handled with care. Whatever color gold you get is purely a matter of taste as color does not affect the value of a piece at all.
Whatever color or weight you decide upon, gold jewelry is an excellent choice for a gift because it retains or increases its value in today's uncertain economy.
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If you have any questions about jewelry, call Customer Service toll free at (888) 223-7056 during our business hours. We'll be glad to help.
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