The Different Types of Gold Explained
Each year, 78% of the world’s gold is used in jewelry.
Tucked away behind glass cases, gold jewelry shimmers to catch the eye of passing customers. In the case of luxurious dining, some people actually eat gold on their food.
For centuries, humans have loved gold. It’s timeless and sophisticated. Did you know there are several different types of gold?
You’ll find a quick explanation of the types of gold below. Keep reading to see which type catches your eye.
Rose Gold
In the past several years, the rose gold color has become popular. People have used the color for hair dye, shoes, and makeup. It’s a fashionable gold with a pink tint.
True rose gold comes from alloying copper and pure gold. The more copper you mix in, the deeper the pink tint of the gold. On the market, you’ll typically see the use of 25% copper and 75% gold.
Copper is an inexpensive metal so rose gold is one of the cheaper types of gold. The copper makes rose gold durable.
Yellow Gold
Pure yellow gold is the most easily recognized type of gold. It’s the purest of the gold types because it’s naturally occurring. You may also hear it referred to as ’24-karat gold’.
In its purest form, yellow gold is extremely fragile, and you should handle it with care. It’s often used for plating and fancy food.
You might also find yellow gold alloys made by combining pure gold with either zinc or silver. Yellow gold alloys are much stronger than pure gold. It’s often used in jewelry, especially wedding rings.
Are you looking to sell your old wedding ring? Check to see what gold sells for.
White Gold
This type of gold is made by combining pure gold with alloy metals that have a silver color. Examples of these metals include silver or palladium.
Typically, white gold jewelry is coated with a metal called rhodium. It adds a beautiful sheen and extra durability to the jewelry. The rhodium will wear over time, and you’ll notice more of a yellow color.
Other Types
The three kinds of gold mentioned above are the most popular kinds, but there are a few more types available on the market.
You might notice black gold. It’s made by applying sulfur-oxygen-based compounds to the gold for oxidation.
Blue gold is produced by an alloy of either indium or gallium with pure gold.
Explore the Different Types of Gold
Gold is a wonderful metal that’s been used for centuries. Whether you’re shopping for new jewelry or genuinely curious, there are several different types of gold to explore.
The three main types of gold include rose, yellow, and white gold. Pure gold is often combined with alloy metals for durability because it’s fragile. Other lesser-known types of gold include black and blue gold.
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