What Does Solid Gold Really Mean?
Jewellery is a versatile item that can be made using various materials. These materials range from metal to wood and even glass! Jewellery made out of metal is further divided into different categories. There is jewellery made out of precious metals and non-precious metals. Sometimes, jewellery is made out of a less expensive metal and then plated with gold. Fine gold jewellery or pure gold or real gold jewellery is also known as solid gold jewellery. Solid gold jewellery uses gold as the base metal.
Does Solid Gold Jewellery Last Forever?
Just like diamonds are forever, solid gold jewellery is forever as well. Solid gold jewellery is made out of gold as the base metal. The base metal gold is then alloyed with other metals to increase durability and strength.
Solid gold jewellery is jewellery which uses precious metal gold as the base. The gold is then alloyed for better strength. As gold is malleable, it can be hammered into thin sheets and bent into shapes you desire.
Solid gold jewellery can always be melted down. So you can create gold bars by using the melted jewellery (You would have to go through the process of refinement to achieve a pure gold bar of 24K). Similarly, you can melt your solid gold jewellery and create new pieces of gold jewellery. So the possibilities are endless, whether you want to create a solid gold chain or a solid gold bracelet from a solid gold necklace!
Gold is a lustrous metal. One of the advantages is its strength. It does not easily break.
Solid gold jewellery is also effortless to maintain. It can be easily cleaned at home. However, we recommend taking your solid gold jewellery once a year to a professional jeweller for repairs, cleaning and general upkeep.
Solid gold jewellery is easy to repair. So even if an unfortunate accident happens, you can always get it repaired at your jeweller.
Is a Solid Gold Chain Worth It?
Yes! Gold is a rare and precious metal. It takes a lot of human resources and industrial effort to extract gold. Gold is then refined to make bars and jewellery for jewellery and investment purposes.
Gold’s fondness goes back centuries. The alluring glow, its gentle weight of it, and its lasting value of it make gold a beautiful contender.
A solid gold chain is worth it, just like any other item of gold jewellery, because of its lasting value not only in monetary terms but also in terms of quality. Of course, diamonds last forever, but so does pure gold jewellery.
Solid gold chains are a classic part of your jewellery box. You can wear it on its own, or you can add in a pendant or two. In addition, you can layer it up with other solid gold chains. You can also style it according to the gold jewellery you’re wearing.
Like other real gold jewellery items, solid gold chains can always be passed down to your loved ones due to their lasting properties and easy maintenance.
Are There Any Forms of Jewellery That Are Made of 24K Gold?
No. There is no form of jewellery that is made of 24K gold. Gold, in its purest form, is a very soft metal. Gold that is used in jewellery is alloyed gold. This means that real gold is mixed with a percentage of other metals. It is mixed with other metals for better strength and durability. Gold on its own is a soft and malleable metal.
Malleability refers to the ability to be shaped into thin sheets. Gold is one of the most malleable materials. This is also why jewellery can be easily made out of gold. The malleability gives way to endless possibilities for creating delightful solid gold jewellery.
But what would happen if solid gold earrings or solid gold chains, or pure gold jewellery were made out of 24K gold? First, it would quickly get deformed with little, even slight, pressure. For example, if you wore a gold bangle made out of 24K, squeezing it little can deform the otherwise round shape. Additionally, if you were to stud it with diamonds or other gemstones, the gemstones have a good chance of falling out.
The next best option is 22K gold jewellery. This ensures that the gold has strength and durability and, at the same time, allows for more percentage of pure gold. 22K gold jewellery is made out of 22 parts of pure gold and two parts of other metals.
PureJewels takes pride in being one of the best gold jewellers in the UK. Our atelier has everything, from handmade gold jewellery to solid gold jewellery made using state-of-the-art technology. So whether you are looking for an everyday jewellery or occasion wear, we have you covered!
Is It Possible to Turn Old Jewellery Into Pure Gold Bars?
Yes! It is possible to turn old jewellery into pure gold bars. Pure gold bars refer to gold bars made out of 24K gold. This means that the gold is not alloyed or mixed with other metals. The process of converting your old gold jewellery into pure gold bars is through refinement.
The purity of your old real gold jewellery would first be checked. By law, gold jewellery in the UK has to be hallmarked by the Assay Office. Hallmarking your gold jewellery provides you with information on the purity of gold. This helps protect the consumer as well as the buyer. If your gold jewellery has any diamonds or gemstones studded, they would first be removed before the refinement process. Diamonds and gemstones are carefully removed to ensure they don’t get damaged or chipped and can be reused in the future for other articles of gold jewellery.
The next step is refinement. Refinement of gold jewellery can be done in various ways. There are many guides on refining gold and many Do-It-Yourself guides on the internet. We would strongly recommend not doing it at home as it can be hazardous. You can always contact your jeweller to do it for you.
Once the gold is refined, it can then be moulded into the shape of a pure gold bar by melting the refined gold.
So, whether you have solid gold necklaces, solid gold chains, or handmade gold jewellery, it can all be converted into pure gold bars. While the process can be complex depending on the purity of the solid gold articles, it is possible to convert old jewellery into pure gold bars.
How Can You Tell If Jewellery Is Gold Filled?
There is a common misconception that gold-filled jewellery means solid gold jewellery. However, they both are very different things.
The process is similar to electroplating. However, the thickness of the gold layer in gold-filled jewellery is thicker than gold-plated jewellery. Another essential thing to note is that gold-filled jewellery is required by the law to contain 5% gold in the total metal weight.
Sometimes gold filled jewellery uses sterling silver as a metal base. Other times it uses brass.
Gold-filled jewellery in the US is usually stamped with GF, and the karat of gold is used in the process.
If the base metal uses a non-precious metal, it is not required to be hallmarked in the UK. However, if it uses a precious metal as a base and meets the weight criteria, then the article is hallmarked and stamped with a silver hallmark. The fineness of gold can be mentioned if it is proceeded by bonded gold/rolled gold/gold plated.
If no information is mentioned and you have doubts, you can always bring the article to a metallurgist or a jeweller. They usually have advanced equipment that tests the layer of gold deposited and metal composition without damaging the piece.
At PureJewels, all our jewellery is hallmarked by the UK Assay Office. All our products are crafted using gold.
