How to Buy Fine Gold Jewelry Depending on Your Needs

Fine gold jewelry is gorgeous and elegant. From dainty pendant necklaces that you wear every single day to fab statement earrings, gold pieces have a unique charm. However, there is a science to buying fine gold jewelry. From differentiating between the gold karats to the various gold colors, you need to know what to buy depending on the occasion. Read on to discover how to buy precious jewelry metals like a true jewelry expert.

Fine Gold Jewelry & the Gold Karat

As you may know, when it comes to fine gold jewelry, you can choose between several karat types. The karat refers to the amount of gold in your jewelry piece. Because gold is a rather soft metal, a jewelry piece cannot have 100% solid gold because it would be easily scratched and bent. As a result, jewelers use gold in various alloys to create jewelry pieces.

From this point of view, there are 5 types of gold karats, but only four of them are actually used in jewelry. You can usually see the gold purity of a jewelry piece marked on it.

5 Gold Karat Types

24k gold refers to a piece that contains 100% gold. Of course, as we said, there is no fine gold jewelry piece that has 24 karats.

The most amount of gold you can find in a jewelry piece is 91.7% gold, which is 22 karats. If you buy such a jewelry piece, you will see the marking 22k on it or 917. However, if you need a piece that you will wear every single day, like a wedding ring, for example, we wouldn’t recommend choosing a 22k one as it will be easy to scratch. When it comes to 22k gold, choose fine gold jewelry that you don’t wear every day, like a pair of statement earrings or a necklace.

18k gold means that you get 75% pure gold in your jewelry piece. When buying it, you will notice the marking 18k or 750 on it. Your wedding ring can be 18k, but you can also choose bracelets and hoops.

In our experience, the best gold purity is 14k because you get a durable jewelry piece that you can easily wear every single day. A 14k fine gold jewelry piece has 58.3% gold and you can see it with the marking 14k or 583. However, if you know you have a nickel allergy, then you should get a piece with a higher purity of gold. If not, 14k gold is ideal for your wedding ring, hoops, bangle bracelets, and necklaces.

Last, but not least, 10k means that you get 41.7% gold in your jewelry piece. When buying fine gold jewelry of 10k gold, you will notice the marking 10k or 417.

Fine Gold Jewelry & Gold Color

It will surprise you to find out, but there are many gold colors. However, we will discuss the three most coveted colors used in jewelry.

Yellow gold is great for vintage pieces as well as everyday fine gold jewelry. It looks fantastic with hoop earrings, bangle bracelets, and collar necklaces. If you want to get a jewelry piece that you can easily match with patterns and retro accessories, get a yellow gold one.

White gold is fabulous and it has a very contemporary feel. We love white gold cuff bracelets, stud earrings, and pendant necklaces, especially when paired with colorless gemstones. If you are looking to buy fine gold jewelry for your sharp office look and hip cocktail outfits, then go for white gold. However, if you have a nickel allergy, know that white gold contains nickel so you would better get platinum jewelry instead.

Rose gold is the most romantic gold color and it has a feminine vibe. Drop earrings, ball studs, dainty necklaces, and gemstone rings look fab in rose gold. Get a rose gold jewelry piece if you are looking for something to wear with your wrap midi dresses and beautiful hair accessories.

Solid Gold Jewelry Dos & Don’ts

When it comes to your fine gold jewelry you need to take proper care of it if you want it to look fab for a long time. Here’s a list of dos & don’ts that you should keep track of when it comes to your solid gold jewelry:

DO clean your gold jewelry regularly using a soft jewelry brush or a damp lint-free cloth
Store your pieces inside the jewelry box in separate compartments so that they don’t get scratched
DO polish your jewelry once a year using a gold polishing cloth that you can get from the jeweler’s
DO take your fine gold jewelry to the jeweler’s for a professional inspection to make sure the settings are still secure
DON’T soak your gold jewelry in water, whether when cleaning it, taking a shower or swimming
DON’T let your gold jewelry in contact with harsh chemicals like detergents, perfumes & body lotions
DO NOT wear your pieces when exercising or doing intense physical activities

Take care of your fine gold jewelry and it will always look fabulous and new. If you enjoyed reading this article, then check out the rest of our other articles. Discover interesting information about buying jewelry as well as styling advice for fab pieces. If you want to see any of the pieces featured in this article, then visit Ana Luisa online jewelry shop and discover our unique solid gold jewelry collection.

Others interesting posts about this topic :

Ruxandra

Ruxandra is a fashion blogger who teaches fashion stumped twenty to thirty somethings how to shop their jewelry boxes for polished new ensembles. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Fashionista, Nylon, and Refinery29.