There is no doubt that gold is still one of the most popular precious metals used in the making of jewelry. However, the fact that the metal is very popular and rare makes the process of buying and selling genuine gold pieces very tricky. If you are thinking about getting some good pieces of gold jewelry, or you have some that you need to sell, you have to learn about the process to avoid making mistakes and suffering losses. Here are a few helpful tips when it comes to buying gold.
Getting the carats right
The value of gold, or any jewelry for that matter, depends on two things.
- The carat weight of the precious metal in the jewelry
- The unique designs that come with the piece.
When buying or selling gold, it is important to know about the carat weight of the gold you are selling. Generally, the purer the form of gold, the softer it is. This means that 24 carat gold is pure, and hence very soft. In most cases therefore, the precious metal is mixed with other metals such as copper and silver to make jewelry. Still, the percentage of pure gold in the mixture will determine the cost of the jewelry.
Gold color
In its natural form, gold is yellow in color. However, the process of making alloys leads to the formation of different shades of gold. This ranges from white, purple, blue and even black. Purple gold, also known as amethyst, is produced by mixing gold and aluminum at a certain fixed ratio. The ratio of gold is 79 percent, which is equivalent to 18 carat gold. Blue gold is made when gold is alloyed with indium. The resulting product is bluish in color. The color of gold, therefore, has a certain correlation with the carat weight.
Getting an expert to help you value the gold
If you are thinking about selling, it is important to get an expert opinion about the value of the gold. It is also advisable to try and sell to collectors for the really unique pieces as opposed to using pawnshops.
These are a few important things that you should know about trading in Platinum & Gold Jewelry. To get reliable platinum and gold buyers, go to website.
