When we think about gold, either we go back in time to our Bollywood movies with tons of gold biscuits or we think of those chunky hand me downs from our grandmothers and to that gold earrings or bangles that our mum would only occasionally wear for those dressy festive soirees!
In the Indian context, gold has always been a big part of our lives. Whether it was jewellery shopping with our family or visits to the locker to take a look at the family heirlooms. Furthermore, the first piece of jewellery that was owned by women were a pair of gold earrings in the form of a wire or hoops which were permanently placed when their ears were pierced (which was age 1 or younger, just saying). Knowing the value of gold was a lesson learnt without much thought.
However, as the value of gold increased, so did its variations and by the end of globalization, gold had a surge with its use in western jewellery, electronics, dentistry, medicine and even to colour glass! Now isn’t that a versatile metal?
Did you know: Our bodies contain about 0.2 milligrams of gold, most of it in our blood
As gold continues to evolve, so does its take on jewellery! Gone are the days of lockers and occasional gold jewellery, it’s the era of contemporary styles and gold for all occasions. But, how do you know which piece is pure gold, what karat gold you should buy, which colour will suit you the best and what is the difference between them all?!
We know it might seem like a mind-boggling feat to achieve, but we’re here to help! We, at Melorra, truly understand the dilemma you face and the confusion you go through. So, to make it an easier task, we’ve listed down some simple things you need to look at, before picking up a piece of gold jewellery:
Did You Know: Nearly all of the gold on Earth came from meteorites that bombarded the planet over 200 million years after it formed.
#1. Gold Purity – The Karat Myth:
To know how pure the gold of a jewellery is, there’s a system used to describe the percentage of pure gold known as Karat. The higher the percentage of gold, the higher the Karat will be. Gold jewellery is available in various karats like 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, 22k and 24k with the gold per cent decreasing as the karat number falls. The price of the ornament depends mainly on the per cent of gold it consists of. So choose wisely! Here’s a per cent count to help you out:
- 24k – Pure Gold
- 22k – 91% Gold
- 18k – 75% Gold
- 14k – 58.3% Gold
- 12k – 50% Gold
- 10k – 41.7% Gold
#2. The Marking On Your Jewellery:
Before you finalize your purchase, don’t forget to look out for this stamp! A BIS hallmark, which certifies that the jewellery has qualified the national and international standards of finesse and purity. At Melorra, we make sure that all our gold jewellery holds a BIS hallmark so that when you’re looking to upgrade to a trendier trinket, you get a deal that is value-for-money!
#3. Gold is Super Malleable:
This metal is absolutely flexible and needs a supplement to make it durable. This means that every gold product you buy includes a certain amount of copper, nickel or silver etc. to make it robust and long lasting! The karat number of your gold will also tell you the percentage of other alloys being mixed into it. So make sure to check the percentage!
Did You Know: A single ounce of gold can be beaten into a sheet covering nearly 100 square feet, or drawn out into 50 miles of gold wire.
#4. Colours of Gold:
Though yellow gold is one of our favourites, they are also available in white and rose gold. Since gold is malleable, an alloy mix helps in regaining its durability but is also used to change its colour. White gold is created by alloying pure gold with white metals like palladium or silver, whereas rose gold is achieved by the inclusion of copper. Pick the colour of your choice depending on your favourite shade (of course) as well as what you’d like to pair it up with!
#5.The Forever Metal:
Since the dawn of time (or really really long time ago), Gold has always been a sort of investment whose value will never decrease! However besides that, Gold is also one of those few metals that never rusts or corrodes over time. If the shine of your jewellery has gone down, all you need to do is get it polished and you’re good to go for that family gathering! Another good thing about gold, it doesn’t cause skin irritations. What more can you ask for?
Did You Know: The largest nugget still in existence is the “Hand of Faith,” found in 1980 in Australia. It is currently on display at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas.
We’re sure that by now we’ve convinced you to go for gold jewellery. With properties that make it last forever and purity that you can be secure about, there is no reason to wait anymore! So go ahead and take your pick from our wide range of gold jewellery here!
