Gold

Gold Education

Gold has a heritage that is extraordinary. As an enduring element found naturally in a distinct yellow colour, gold is resistant to corrosion, tarnish, and rust. Gold is also very strong and it is also the most malleable of all precious metals.

Purity

Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear as jewellery, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel, and zinc to give it strength and durability. Carat, denoted by a number followed by "ct" indicates purity, or how much the item of jewellery is pure gold. Carat is expressed in 24ths, making pure gold 24ct gold.

We manufacture our jewellery using both 18ct and 9ct gold. 18ct gold is composed of 75% pure gold, which is combined with alloy, which is other metals to make it strong enough for everyday wear. 18ct gold consists of 75% pure gold and 25% of alloy.

Colour

The colour of gold can be charged by two different ways:

- By changing the type of metal alloys that are used
- By the different percentages of each metal alloy is used

Yellow Gold

Natural pure gold and colour-saturated alloys are what give yellow gold jewellery its rich lustre. The alloys most commonly used, are copper with a red hue, and silver featuring a green hue. An expert mixture of copper, silver and pure gold gives this precious metal its signature yellow warmth.

White Gold

In order to make gold white, you combine pure gold with metal alloys that are white in nature. There are many different types of white gold in the market. The most commonly used one in the chain stores is a palladium based white gold that needs to have Rhodium plating. Although strong, rhodium may wear away over time. Replating is a simple process that can be done to restore whiteness to your jewellery.

We here at Troy Clancy Jewellery use the Platinum based alloyed white gold. Although this is a more expensive white gold, it is not only stronger but also does not need to have the constant up keep of Rhodium plating.

Rose Gold

The beautiful pink of rose gold jewellery is created by using a higher percentage of copper alloy. Again, the overall percentages of metal alloys is the same for rose gold as it is for yellow or white, there is just a different mixture in what alloys are used. (There would still be for example in 18ct, 75% pure gold and 25% alloy)

Care

Since gold is a natural product, it is affected by harsh chemicals such as chlorine or other cleaning products. We recommend that you remove your jewellery when using chemicals to reduce daily abrasions and prolong the lustre. To clean gold jewellery, use a mixture of warm water and detergent soap (dishwashing liquid) with a soft-bristled brush (toothbrush) to best clean your jewellery at home. When not worn, store your gold pieces in soft cloth bag or the original box to protect them.