Gold is one of the three previous metals in the world along with Silver and Platinum. If you remember your high school chemistry, Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (Latin: aurum) and an atomic number of 79. The metal occurs as nuggets or grains in rocks. Gold is a soft, shiny and the most malleable and ductile pure metal known. This means gold can be make pretty much into any shape you desire. This is why it is so popular among jewelry makers. The following article will give you some information you need to know before you buy gold.

Pure gold (24K) has a bright yellow color and luster which makes it attractive. Gold is also resistant to tarnish, basically it does not react with air, water or other chemicals such as acids and bases. That is why gold jewelry still looks good after many years of wear and tear. Just look at the wedding ring you wearing, it still looks as good as new, just a little worn down.

The color of gold can be changed slightly or a lot by mixing it with other metals in various amount to make a gold alloy. The only gold that is not an alloy obviously is 24K gold since it pure, the other gold karats are alloys. Lets look at the various alloys of gold in more detail.

Gold alloy can be made to contain different levels of gold, but keep in mind that pure gold is too soft to be worn as everyday jewelry. The starting point for wearable gold is 22K, followed by 21K, 20K and then to 18K the most popular among westerners. 18K gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metal usually copper, silver, zinc or nickel. You probably noticed that the karat number is equal to the number of pure gold parts added to the number of metal parts to get a total of 24 parts, e.g. 18 parts pure gold + 6 parts silver = 18K gold.

14K gold is 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts other metal. In most cases the other metal is copper and silver. 14K gold is more durable and generally appears more shiny compare to 18K gold since it is lighter in color.

Rose gold, sometime called pink or red gold, is created by increasing the copper-colored alloys mixed with the gold and decreasing the silver-colored alloys. 14K rose gold is slightly pinker in color compared to 14K gold because there is more copper in the alloy compared to the amount of copper in 14K gold alloy. The more copper you add to the alloy the deeper the color becomes approaching rose in color. Rose gold is available in both 14K and 18K.

White gold has a higher level of silver-colored alloys (zinc, silver, nickel) and a little less copper-colored alloy added with the gold compared 14K gold. White gold is nearly white (silver) in color with a very faint yellow tint. White gold is available both in 14K and 18K. The 14K gold has less of a yellow tint compare to the 18K since it has less gold in it.

Green gold sounds misleading when used in the same sentence with jewelry. Right away you would think the jewelry is no good or very old. 14k green gold is 14 parts 24k gold and 10 parts pure silver. Silver is what gives the gold alloy a greenish tint.

12K gold is half and half. It is 12 parts pure gold and 12 part of another metal or metals.

10K gold is 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts another metal or metals. 10K gold is the lowest karat designation that can still be called gold in the United States.

The following illustration shows the various percentage of the three metals needed to make the different colors of gold alloy.

As you can see there is a piece of gold to fit everyone's taste and wallet. Gold comes in many colors.