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Gold

Karat Marks

When buying gold jewelry, always look for the karat mark. If all other variables
are equal, the higher the karat, the more expensive the piece is. In the United
States, 14-karat gold, or 583 parts pure gold, is the most common degree
of fineness. Gold Karat less than 10k cannot legally be marked or sold as gold
jewelry in the U.S. However, lower karat, such as 8-karat gold and 9-karat gold,
are popular in other countries. Always look for the karat mark or "k" that appears
on the back of the piece. By U.S. law, if a karat mark appears you should also
see the manufacturer's trademark to assure you that the karat marking
is accurate. The country of origin should also appear. In addition to the karat
mark, every piece of gold jewelry should be stamped with a hallmark or trademark
of its maker, and sometimes its country of origin. These designations assure
you that you are buying genuine karat gold jewelry. Heavier pieces contain more gold.

Below are descriptions of the most common karats used in fine jewelry.

24 Karat Gold
In its purest form, the metal is comprised of 100% gold with virtually no alloy metals.
Because it is extremely soft and pliable, this is not recommended for use in fine jewelry.

18 Karat Gold
This alloy consists of 75% gold and 25% alloy metals. 18 karat gold has been found to be the perfect balance
between gold purity and strength. Anjolee’s entire jewelry line can be made in 18k White or Yellow Gold.

14 Karat Gold
The most popular for jewelry is 14 karat gold which is 58.3% pure gold; the remainder is comprised of alloy
metals. Anjolee’s entire jewelry line can be made in 14k White or Yellow Gold.

10 Karat Gold
This level of the metal consists of 41.7% gold. This is the minimum purity that can still be considered gold in
the United States. It weighs the least when compared to higher karat gold. Anjolee’s entire jewelry line can
be made in 10k White or Yellow Gold.


Gold Types

Gold Filled, also called Gold Overlay, refers to a layer of at least 10-karat gold that has been permanently
bonded by heat and pressure to one or more surfaces of the support metal, then rolled or drawn to a prescribed
thickness. The karat gold must be at least 1/10 of the total weight.

Gold Plate means that a layer of plating of 10-karat gold or better has been bonded to a base metal. The karat
gold content may be less than 1/20, but it must be properly identified by weight in terms of total metal content.

Gold Leaf is just gold plating that's been pounded and applied by hand.


Gold Color

Yellow gold is alloyed with copper, zinc and silver. It is frequently used in diamond jewelry and considered
a classic metal choice. It is malleable, ductile, and generally non-corrosive, so it has a high melting point
and is not susceptible to compression.

White gold is alloyed with copper, zinc and nickel. The percentage of gold naturally varies, according to the
amount of other metal used. White gold is highly reflective and not subject to tarnish.

Rose gold (also known as pink gold) is alloyed with copper, and in some cases silver. The proportions are
about one part of copper to three parts of 24-karat gold.

Gold Pricing