Understanding Gold
What gold is, why jewellery is alloyed and how purity changes colour, feel and value.
What Makes Gold Different?
Gold is valued because it is rare, workable, resistant to corrosion and visually distinctive. Pure gold is naturally yellow and extremely malleable, which is useful for making jewellery but can be too soft for many everyday designs.
Jewellers therefore mix gold with other metals to create alloys. The alloy affects hardness, colour, workability and price while the carat tells you how much of the alloy is gold.
Carat and Fineness
Carat, written ct in the UK, expresses gold purity out of 24 parts. 24ct is essentially pure gold; 18ct is 18 parts gold out of 24; 9ct is 9 parts gold out of 24. Hallmarks often use a millesimal number showing parts of precious metal per thousand.
Gold purity comparison. UK hallmark standards should always be checked on the actual item.
Why Higher Carat Is Not Automatically “Better”
Higher carat means a greater proportion of gold, but the best purity depends on what you value. 22ct is prized for rich colour and high gold content, while lower-carat alloys can offer greater hardness for certain settings and daily-wear designs.
22ct needs sensible care 22ct gold is softer than many lower-carat alloys. Delicate chains, hollow pieces, fine claws and lightweight designs should be treated carefully to reduce bending, stretching and impact damage. |
Gold Is a Market-Priced Material
The underlying gold price changes throughout the trading day. Gold Factory refreshes gold-rate data frequently, approximately every minute, but jewellery prices also include manufacturing, design, stones, finishing, VAT where applicable and other product-specific factors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 24ct gold always suitable for jewellery?
It can be used for jewellery, but its softness means it is not ideal for every design.
Why does 22ct gold feel softer?
It contains a high proportion of pure gold, which is naturally malleable.
Does all gold jewellery have to be hallmarked?
In the UK, articles described as gold generally require a recognised hallmark when the precious-metal weight is 1 gram or more, subject to legal exemptions.
Can Gold Factory test unknown gold?
Yes. We use professional testing and assessment methods, which can include XRF and other checks.
Ask Gold Factory If you would like help applying any of this information to a real piece of jewellery, visit us at 294 Farnham Road, Slough, SL1 4XL, call 01753 536800 or contact us through www.goldfactory.co.uk. Jewellery can vary, so our team can explain the options for the actual item you are considering. |
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