Gold is represented as a chemical element under the symbol Au (lat. aurum) and the atomic number 79 in the periodic table of the elements. The German name Gold comes from the Indo-Germanic word ghel, which means shiny or plain yellow. Gold belongs to the transition metal series and is one of the precious metals. Gold has been used and processed as a means of payment, jewellery and also for the production of cult objects for more than 2000 years. Because gold reserves are rare, the element is given its exposed position, which is of course particularly relevant for the production of high-quality jewellery. If all the quantities of gold mined so far were put together to form a single cube, it would have an edge length of just about 20 metres. This scarcity is responsible for the high price of gold and ensures that it remains stable even in times of crisis. In combination with silver and copper, gold occurs most frequently as 8 carat, 14 carat and 18 carat gold alloys, with the possibility of colour variation in addition to higher hardness. The numbers stand for the per mil value of the fine gold contained in the alloy, i.e. the proportion of pure gold. The best-known and most commonly used types of gold are the typical golden yellow yellow gold, the reddish rose gold due to its high copper content, and the very light white gold.
Characteristics of gold jewellery
| 333 gold | 8 K | 33.3% gold |
| 585 gold | 14 K | 58.5% gold |
| 750 gold | 18 K | 75% gold |
Difference between 8 and 14 carat gold
The main difference in rings and other jewellery made of 8, 14 and 18 carat gold is the purity or the percentage of fine gold used in the jewellery.
Rings made of 8ct gold have a fine gold content of 33.3%, rings made of 14ct have a fine gold content of 58.5% and rings made of 18ct have a fine gold content of 75%. The rest consists of copper, silver, palladium and other components. 8ct gold, for example, has a rather brassy colour (therefore usually consists of a large proportion of copper in addition to the 33.3% gold) and is not corrosion-resistant due to the composition of the materials (it can oxidise over time, i.e. "tarnish").
Rosé gold plating in jewellery
Rosé gold is not made of pure gold, as rosé gold does not occur in nature. To achieve the colour rosé, other materials are added, including silver. It is therefore perfectly normal for the rose gold to show oxidation residues, as the silver in the rose gold oxidises.
White gold in jewellery
White gold is not made of pure gold, as white gold does not occur in nature. To obtain white gold, other materials are added, including silver or rhodium plating. By adding silver, it is possible that the piece of jewellery may show oxidation residues, as the silver in the white gold oxidises. If the white gold has been achieved by applying a rhodium plating, this coating may also wear off and then the yellow gold would be revealed underneath.
Will there be scratches/wear marks over time
Jewellery is an object of daily life and therefore exposed to physical and climatic influences. These influences can be transferred to the piece of jewellery and leave marks.
Matt surfaces could get shiny marks and shiny surfaces in return matt spots. Depending on the material, deeper scratches are also possible (especially with rather softer materials such as silver, gold or similar). These wear marks depend on the activities of the wearer or on the objects the piece of jewellery comes into contact with, the period of time does not play a role here.
Wear marks are what make jewellery unique and thus make it a personal piece of jewellery. There is no material in the world that is used to make jewellery that does not show any signs of wear.
Here you can find our Gold jewellery.