Posted on January 2, 2008 in Gold Jewelry Faq
Today gold is not just yellow. It is available in different colors: white, rose,blue, green, and even purple and black.Gold in its pure form is yellow gold.
U must have got confused by the terms white gold,black gold, green gold, and rose gold. Gold itself is only one color – yellow. All these colors of gold are created by mixing pure 24K yellow gold with other metals. The percentage of these other metals produces the different shades of gold.Colored gold alloys are just as real as their golden or white counterparts. The final color is dependent on the ratios and type of alloys used.
White Gold Alloys
White gold is very popular right now. It can be in 18-karat or 14-karat gold(but not in 22-karat, as it is yellow gold). There are two basic types of white gold alloys: white gold mixed with nickel and white gold mixed with palladium. Nickel can be mixed with gold to create a white or gray color, but some people have an allergy to nickel. Palladium is another metal used to create white gold. Palladium is better but it costs more.
Pink and Rose Gold Alloys
Copper creates pink and rose tones in gold.The more the copper, the deeper will be the effect.
Green Gold Alloys
Greenish shades are created by adding silver to gold. Rose gold and Green gold can be 18-karat or 14-karat but the color is more stronger in the 14-karat alloys.
Purple Gold
It is referred as amethyst or violet gold.Purple gold is obtained by mixing gold and aluminum in a certain fixed ratio. Gold content is almost 79% and therefore it is qualified to be referred to as 18K gold.
Blue Gold
It is made as an inter-metallic compound between gold and indium . The gold gets a bluish hue color with this process.
Black Gold
It is created using a few techniques. Electro-deposition using black rhodium or ruthenium is the first technique. Controlled oxidation of Carat gold containing cobalt or chromium can also be made to create black gold. Amorphous carbon is also used some times, with the Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition process.
Color gold versus yellow gold
Here we are referring to purple, blue and black gold. All these gold colors , have some disadvantages. They all tend to be a little brittle, and a sharp blow on a piece of purple gold jewelry will most probably cause it to shatter. These gold colors also tend to tarnish more easily compared to yellow gold. And in black color gold, the blacker the gold, the less wear resistant it would be.
Is colored gold expensive
Here too we are referring to purple, blue and black gold.When we place orders for a single piece of jewelry in these colors,they would come with a high price tag,because of the techniques involved in creating them.And these gold colors are not as strong and durable as their black counterparts,so they would increase the overall cost for maintainance.
Repairs and modifications
Here too we are referring to purple,blue and black gold.White gold and yellow gold jewelers are available throughout the world,but there are very few jewelers who work with black ,blue or purple gold.So it would be very difficult to find a jeweler if we need any repairs or modifications.
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