subject: Types Of Gold Used For Rings [print this page] Gold is the most popular metal for ringsGold is the most popular metal for rings. It is a malleable, hypoallergenic, and durable element. Gold offers a resistance to tarnish, and does not rust in the course of time, which is a one of the reasons for its popularity.
When being used in jewelry, other alloys are added to gold to increase its strength. These include copper, nickel, silver and zinc. This fact forms the basis of the karat concept in gold. A 24 karat or 24k is the purest form of gold. Other grades are 10k, 14k, 18k and 22k. Addition of these alloys also changes the color of gold, but that does not matter much, because its value is also reduced.
Gold is available in many different types. Yellow gold and white gold are the most common, but colored gold also exists and is even used in rings and other pieces of jewelry.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is by far the most used type of gold. It is made by adding compounds of zinc and copper to pure gold. The higher the karat of the gold, the greater its color will be. High karat yellow gold lacks a coating because it has a very high resistance, and requires very little maintenance. The lower karat gold is not so rich in color, so it is often plated with higher karat gold to enhance the shade.
White Gold
White gold looks very similar to silver, platinum and titanium, because of its white color. It is an alloy of gold and silver, palladium or nickel. These other metals occur in grayish shades which reduce the yellow hue found in gold so much that it just becomes a yellowish tinge. It is further plated with rhodium to give it the brilliant white shade and sparkle. This coating wears off with time, and must be replaced after every few years. At times, a coating of palladium and platinum is also used to increase the luster.
White gold is also measured in karats. 9k, 14k, and 18k white gold is common. 18k gold contains 75% of pure gold and 25% of palladium or nickel. 9k gold contains 60% pure gold and 40% silver or another alloy. White gold is more expensive than the other types of gold.
One fact that must be mentioned is that white gold contains nickel, which can cause allergies in some people.
Colored Gold
Yellow gold is mixed with certain types of alloys which completely change its shade. This results in colored gold. A few examples are black gold, rose gold and purple gold.
Rose Gold
Rose gold exhibits a pinkish or reddish hue. It is formed by mixing gold with an alloy of copper. The generally employed composition is 75% gold and 25% copper, but this can vary. At times, silver may also be added to adjust the shade. Rose gold is also characterized by karats. However, 9k rose gold has more reddish color than 18k gold. Similar to yellow gold, rose gold offers a resistance and does not fade or wear off with time.
Black Gold
Black gold is manufactured by electroplating gold with black ruthenium or rhodium, but the former is harder than the later. It is also made by patination which uses oxygen and sulfur compounds. At times, gold is oxidized with chromium or cobalt. This also forms black gold.
Black gold can be made to look brown if copper alloys are added along with potassium sulfide.
Purple Gold
Purple gold is formed by adding aluminum to gold. The compound comprises of almost 80% gold so it is characterized as 18k. It is more brittle than other types of gold.
