Gold has been used in making jewellery for generations. Gold will not rust, tarnish or corrode. Its gleaming beauty, strength yet malleable nature makes it the ideal metal for jewellery making.

As pure gold is too soft for everyday wear, it is alloyed with mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability it needs. Karatage, denoted by a number followed by "k" indicates purity, or how much of the metal in a piece of jewelry is gold. Pure gold is expressed as 24K.

Gold is Available in the following Karats:

• 22 karat (91.6% gold)

  The softness of the gold at 22K purity does not make it an ideal metal for fine jewellery. However, beautiful jewellery still can be crafted. In many asian countries, baby bracelets are commonly made in 22K, and is deemed the ideal gift for its beauty, symbol of purity and investment value.

• 18 karat (75% gold)

  Ideal for use in fine jewellery with a rich, vibrant color. It’s strength yet malleable nature, coupled with its beauty and resilience makes it a popular symbolic choice in engagement jewellery.

• 14 karat (58.5% gold)

  Great in traditional jewellery where strength and durability are the most important factors.

• 12 karat (50% gold)

  Not acceptable for jewellery as it is dull in color and hue.

• 10 karat (41.7% gold)

  Not acceptable in jewellery, though it is the minimum legal karater to be called gold in the US.

Gold Colour:

• Yellow Gold

  At Lovida Diamonds, you will find all varieties of gold - 22k, 18k and 14k. Note that 22k is normally used in traditional jewellery, while 18k is used in fine jewellery while 14k gold is used where strength is most important. 18k is composed of 75% gold, which is alloyed with other metals to make it resilient enough to withstand every day wear. As 14k gold is composed of only 58.3% gold, and 41.7% other metals that give it strength, its gold colour is not as rich as 18k gold.

• White Gold

  As 18k white gold is 75% gold, and 14k white gold is 58.3% gold, jewelry made from these has a slight yellow color. To enhance the whiteness, almost all white gold is plated with rhodium, an hard, shiny, white metal. Eventually this rhodium plating may wear off, revealing the original metal color. Re-plating is a simple process that can be done to restore your jewelry's shiny white luster, and you can approach your trusted jeweler to do so.

• Rose Gold

  Rose gold gets its color from a larger proportion of copper in the metal alloy. This gives the gold a beautiful pink color.

Pricing

The price of gold jewelry is dependent on - The purity of the gold used (or karat weight), as well as the design and quality of craftsmanship of the piece of jewellery. The purer and heavier the gold, the more expensive it will be. The more complex a design, the better finishing of the jewellery all increases the cost as well.

Care for gold

Keep your gold jewellery away from harsh chemicals (e.g. chlorine). This will prolong gold's luster. To clean gold jewellery, use a solution of warm water and detergent-free soap and wash gold gently with a soft-bristled brush. Store gold pieces separately in soft cloth bags or original boxes to protect them from the exposure to harsh daily elements.