Gold 101
Why is gold so expensive and why consider it a valuable asset?
Gold is a perfect embodiment of luxury and elegance.
As we all know, gold is a priced element because of its beauty, malleability, and rarity. Its natural color is bright yellow and is refined to achieve that shiny, mesmerizing bling.
It is believed that gold came from the rubbles of star explosions that penetrated through the Earth’s surface millions of years ago. Gold is impossible to be artificially created due to its components that require an incomprehensible amount of energy for its formation.
Why is Gold So Expensive and Why Consider it a Valuable Asset?
As of today, we're looking at 190,000 tons of total gold stock above the ground. 50% of this is in jewelry, 18-19% is distributed amongst the wealthiest of people in the form of gold nuggets and bars, 17% is in the central banks as gold reserves, and 13-14% is in technology and medical use. Geologists estimated that there's only 55,000 tons of gold remain buried in the Earth's crust. This means, that we can potentially run out of newfound gold in just 20 years. Thus, gold could become even more expensive.
If you own gold today, then its value is increasing over time.
Gold Purity
When investing in gold, it’s a must to know the purity. The value of gold jewelry is determined by its level of purity. See the chart below for your reference.
Purity
24k
22k
18k
14k
12k
10k
Gold Content
100%
91.7%
75%
58.5%
50%
41.7%
*k or Karat is the unit of measurement of gold’s purity.
While 24k is the most valued purity level of gold jewelry, it is not advisable for your daily wear. gold, being a highly malleable element can easily accumulate scratches and dents; therefore, 14k and 18k are the next best high-valued gold jewelry in terms of purity that are perfect for your daily wear. Alloy is an agent that is mixed with gold to support the rigidity of the jewelry.
Sourcing of Gold
While every piece of gold jewelry boasts a mesmerizing brilliance, we can’t take away the fact that it went through the mining process that has likely caused an irreversible environmental impact. While the mining and search for gold beneath the Earth’s surface is an ongoing process until it runs out, there are gold reserves that are circulating in the market.
The Majority of Gold Jewelry is from Recycled Gold
You might be wondering where those super old gold inherited jewelry is going. Or where are these neglected pieces of jewelry in pawnshops end up? Well, most of the jewelry sold in the market today is from recycled gold.
How come? Jewelry designs and styles are becoming obsolete too. So the jewelers have to find ways in perking up the looks of their products to increase their sellability. The process of recycling gold jewelry is far less complicated than original sourcing. Goldsmiths melt the pieces to separate the alloy materials from the pure gold. They refine the gold and use it to craft new styles of jewelry. The quality of refined gold remains the same. Gold’s malleability can keep its form and overall quality untainted.
We care for the environment as much as you do. Our jewelry products are handcrafted using recycled gold as part of our sustainability promise. This is also our way of supporting our local goldsmiths as they suffer from a great loss against machine-made gold jewelry from China.
Gold Colors
There are various gold shades used in jewelry. However, there are three most commonly available gold colors - white, yellow, and rose.
Alloy Mixture
Since gold jewelry items are not pure 24k gold, they are mixed with alloy, and electroplated with an agent
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White - nickel, copper, and zinc
Yellow - silver and copper
Rose - copper
Plating
Gold jewelry items are plated for a more lustrous finish
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White - plated with white rhodium
Yellow - plated with 14k/18k gold
Rose - plated with 14k rose gold
Maintenance
Climate, frequency of wear, and body acidity levels contribute to how long until the plating wears off
~
White - High maintenance as rhodium plating fades, gold is not naturally white
Yellow - Low maintenance, keeps the color even if the plating fades
Rose - Might have a slight change in color, but will keep the rose hue
Skin Tone
While there are gold colors that compliment certain skin tones, It is always best to have a gold color that you prefer
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White - best for cooler skin tone
Yellow - best for warmer skin tone
Rose - stands out in cooler skin tone, blends in warmer skin ton
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