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GOLD The allure
of gold At various times it has been accorded magical and mystical properties, has been fought over, prized as a medium of exchange, has had the badge of royalty and wealth and has lured people of all cultures to vast unknown lands in quest of it. Over centuries of growing sophistication and technology, gold has assumed many additional roles. Not only is it still prized for jewellery, it also has many new applications in contemporary modern day life. Gold soared into space with the astronauts, it's reflective ability used on the heat shields that are crucial to life in space. This same ability to reflect the sun increases the aesthetic and practical and beauty of today's glass skyscrapers. The gold in tinted windows makes the difference obstructive glare and glamorous gleam. Among the many other specific applications gold is used in telephones and telecommunications, T.V.sets, computers and calculators. It also has important applications in medicine and dentistry. But, above all, gold has enjoyed it's finest glitter through the ages in it's ultimate form - jewellery. In fact, the wearing of gold for personal adornment may actually be our oldest surviving tradition. Every day, virtually each one of us continues the centuries old ritual of gold adornment. Men, women and children of all cultures are caught up in gold's allure through the acquisition and wearing of any number of pieces gold jewellery, whether it be a ring, chain, earrings, watch or bracelet. The uniqueness
of gold Lustrous Beauty - The naturally intense colour and distinctive lustre of gold combine to give this precious metal it's unique and lasting beauty. Gold's natural beauty is further enhanced by the soft and exquisite shades of colour achieved by combining it small amounts of other precious and base metals. The many colours of gold include, yellow, white, pink and green, and to a lesser extent, shades of blue and purple. All are exquisite in their own right. There is always fashion acceptance of all the colours, and colour combinations of gold. A popular current trend in jewellery is the combination of yellow, white and pink. Rarity - Although gold is everywhere around us - in the earth's crust, in our seas, rivers and plants - the difficulty and expense of obtaining gold from these sources makes recovery of any substantial amounts unlikely. Where gold is found to exist, several tonnes of ore may be required in order to extract just one ounce of this precious metal. This rarity alone is enough to bestow a certain symbolism and status to gold, but when combined with it's other inherent characteristics, this lustrous and beautiful metal becomes an even more desirable possession. Durability - Gold virtually lasts forever. It does not tarnish or corrode. An example of it's incredible durability is evidenced in the gold coins found in centuries old sunken galleons. Each coin is as bright and shiny as the day it was made. Another familiar example which has overwhelmed millions of people are the treasures of King Tut. When the boy King Tutankhamen died in 1350 B.C. he was buried with vast quantities of gold artefacts and jewellery. Today, more than 3,000 years later, viewers marvel at the breathtaking array of items, as gleaming and lustrous today as they were buried with the young king. Today, when you buy gold jewellery, you are buying enduring beauty, that reflects the properties of this precious metal. A gift of gold has always been the symbol of lasting love and devotion. Ease of workability - Gold has the best working qualities of any metal, thereby making it the ideal precious metal for fine jewellery. To give you an ideas of it's workability, gold is so soft and malleable that one ounce can be stretched into a wire an incredible 80 kilometres long or hammered into a sheet so thin that it covers well over 9 square metres and becomes transparent. It is gold's workability that enables it to be alloyed with other precious and base metals to produce special qualities or to achieve variations of colour. Gold can be remelted and used again and again and it can be made into a vast array of jewellery items. From the most intricate baby bracelet to the heaviest chain gold's workability gives it the ability to exist in a multitude of forms and shapes. How do you know it is real gold? When purchasing an item of jewellery, you should always look for a carat mark which should be stamped on the item. The carat mark is a quality mark and refers to the proportion of pure gold in the item. Pure gold, which is 24ct, the metric equivalent being 1,000 is generally considered too soft for practical use in jewellery and is alloyed with other precious and base metals to increase it's durability and workability. Some of the common
markings found on jewellery (with their metric equivalents) are
as follows: Markings on jewellery items are not limited to the carat or quality mark. You may find a manufacturer's trade mark, logo or initials on some jewellery, particularly items made in the United Kingdom where a comprehensive hallmarking system is in place. If you are in doubt about the markings that appear on any piece of fine jewellery, ask our jeweller next time you are in our store. "I can't wear gold .... it leaves a black mark". Members of the Jewellers Association of Australia often hear this complaint. They call it "the mystery of the gold smudge". Gold under normal circumstances won't tarnish or corrode, but there are generations of old wives tales about "not being able to wear gold". Research into "the gold smudge" has revealed 5 down to earth reasons why gold can sometimes leave a black mark or rash.
How to care for your gold jewellery is located here.
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From
the beginning of time, gold has been one of the most highly
valued and most sought after of the precious metals.
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