Gold

The most alluring use of the sun-colored metal has always been in jewelry. The Egyptians, the largest users of gold in the ancient world, equated gold with the sun and reserved its use exclusively for pharaohs. Gold jewelry-either purchased for yourself or as a gift- provides a lasting symbol of life’s significant events, emotions and accomplishments. 

White Gold

One of the most popular gold alloys is white gold, and it is an affordable and fashionable white-metal option. White gold is created by alloying gold with nickel or palladium, zinc and copper. White gold alloys are never truly “white” in color, so most white gold jewelry is plated with rhodium, a platinum group metal. Should the rhodium plating show signs of wear, re-plating can easily restore its brilliant white finish. 

Quality marks & purity

Always look for a quality mark in the gold jewelry you buy. Pure gold, or 24-karat, is generally too soft for use in most jewelry, so gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength. In the United States, 14-karat gold is the most common jewelry alloy, and nothing less than 10-karat gold can be legally marked or sold as gold jewelry.