Gold is an extraordinary, ideal metal for jewelry, with unique qualities. Gold won't rust or corrode, it's very strong, but in the same time the most malleable of all precious metals.
Please see below the main characteristics to have in mind before purchasing a gold jewelry.
Purity
Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear, this is the reason why it is alloyed with metals like silver, copper, and zinc to give it strength and durability. Karatage indicates purity, or how much of the metal in a jewelry is gold. The purity of gold is measured in Karat (K). 24k is 100% gold. At Valmand® , we create our pieces using both 18k and 14k gold. 18k gold is composed of 75% gold, which is alloyed with other metals to make it strong enough for everyday wear. 14k gold is composed of 58.3% gold and 41.7% of other metals.
Color
The color of gold is determined by two factors:
1. The type of metal alloys included in it
2. The percentage of each metal alloy
Yellow and rose gold
Natural gold and color-saturated alloys are what give yellow gold jewelry its rich shine. Rose gold is an alloy of yellow gold, copper and silver. These two types of gold color do not have to be rhodium replated, a new polish will restore their brilliant shine.
White gold
White gold is actually yellow gold which has been combined with a white metal to give it a white hue. After that, a rhodium plating is applied to brighten the alloy. Due to the rhodium wearing off, your jewelry will require re-plating in time. This is the reason why Valmand® offers you the rhodium coating service free of charge.
Please see below the difference beetwen gold with/without rhodium plating:
Platinum
Considered one of the most pure and precious metals used in jewelry making. Unlike white gold (yellow gold paired with a white alloy), platinum is naturally white and shiny and will not require a rhodium coat. Also, platinum is hypoallergenic and ideal for those with sensitive skin.
Platinum is the densest precious metal. Platinum is between 90 - 99% pure whereas 14K white gold is only 58.33% pure gold (the rest being alloys). In "950" platinum, 95% of the weight of the net alloy will be platinum mixed with 5 % of another metal.
Platinum is more expensive than gold because it is 30 times more rare, mining the metal is more difficult and requires a superior level of craftsmanship. It is though stronger, more scratch resistant than gold and does not need re-plating to maintain the bright white colour (rhodium plating is occasionally applied to white gold).
Care
Gold is a natural element and it is affected by chemicals like those from cleaning products. We recommend you to remove your gold jewelry before bathing or cleaning. The exposure to soap can dull it. In order to clean your gold jewelry, use a solution of warm water and mild dish detergent to carefully wipe down your jewelry with a soft brush or a cotton swab.
We highly recommend professional jewelry cleaning care.
