Gold

From the beginning of time, gold has been one of the most valued and sought-after of the precious metals. Always, a gift of gold has been the symbol of lasting love and devotion.

Over centuries of increasing sophistication and technology, gold has assumed many additional roles. Not only is it still prized as an essential component of jewellery, it also has many applications. But above all, gold is most renowned in its ultimate form, jewellery. Everyday men, women and children continue the centuries-old ritual of a gift of gold, whether it may be a ring, chain, necklace, earrings, bracelet or watch.

Of all the worlds precious metals, only gold combines the four basic characteristics that make it a universally and eternally treasured possession- lustrous beauty, rarity, durability and workability.

Lustrous Beauty

The naturally intense colour and distinctive luster of gold combine to give this precious metal its unique and lasting beauty.

The many colours of gold include yellow, white, pink and green and, to lesser extent, shades of blue and purple. All are beautiful in their own right, and in combination.

Rarity

Although gold is everywhere and around us- in the earth’s crust, in the seas, rivers and plants- the difficulty and expense of obtaining it makes recovery and substantial amounts unlikely. Where gold is found to exist, as it does in several regions of Australia, several tones of ore may be required to extract just one ounce of gold, which makes gold an even more desirable possession.

Durability

Gold virtually lasts forever. It does not rust, tarnish or corrode.

Workability

Gold has the best working qualities of any metal, therefore making it the ideal precious metal for fine jewelers. It is so soft and malleable that one ounce can be stretched into a wire and incredible 80km long, or hammered into a sheet so thin that it covers well over 9 square meters.

It is this workability that enables it to be alloyed with other precious metals to produce special qualities or to achieve variations of colour.

Gold can be remelted and used again and again and it can be made into a vast array of jewellery items. From the most intricate baby bracelet to the heaviest chain, gold’s workability gives it the ability to exist in a multitude of forms and shapes.

Colour

Depending on the base metals that are mixed with pure gold, the colour will change. Pure gold being 24ct which is a rich lustrous colour to 9ct.

Of the common alloying metals, copper is added to make the gold a pink colour (rose gold) and nickel or palladium will whiten gold (white gold)

All pieces of gold jewellery have a hallmark which is a reference to the proportion of pure gold in the item. Some of the common markings found are:

22ct or 916

18ct or 750

14ct or 585

9ct or 375

Ingredients of Typical Gold Alloy Colours

Gold Care

Like all jewellery, gold should be periodically cleaned and checked for wear and breakages.

You can clean it yourself with warm, soapy water, but here at Camerons Jewellers we can polish and buff it for that extra sparkle, that brings your gold back to life.

Further care instructions