Gold has been a ‘go to’ precious metal for making some of the finest jewellery for millennia. Evidence points to gold being used up to 6,000 years ago in parts of Europe and Mesopotamia. The Egyptian pharaohs also made good use of gold – Tutankhamun’s gold ‘death mask’ is solid gold and weighs more than 10 kilogrammes.
18ct gold is back
With royal provenance like that, it’s hardly surprising that yellow gold jewellery is back in fashion – specifically 18ct gold. But what’s the difference between say 9ct gold and 18ct? It’s all in the purity of the metal which is measured in carats (ct). So, a piece of one carat gold jewellery is 1/24th gold and the rest made up of other metals. At the other end of the scale, 24 carat gold is as pure gold as it’s possible to be.
So why isn’t more jewellery made of 24ct gold? Mainly because on its own, gold is not the strongest metal and wouldn’t be robust enough for most jewellery pieces, which means jewellers will mix in other metals like copper or silver to give it some strength. Which is where 18ct gold reaches that happy medium of strength with a more intense colour and a greater feeling of luxury in comparison to 9ct.
Gold (on your) finger
If you need some inspiration when choosing your 18ct gold jewellery, how about a gorgeous pair of 18ct yellow gold drop earrings with nine sparkling round brilliant cut diamonds? Or maybe an 18ct gold diamond crossover ring which features two sparkling round brilliant cut diamonds set in a yellow gold band that entwines around your finger.
You could mix 18ct yellow gold with white gold – gold mixed with alloy metals to give it a silvery finish – with a stunning 18ct yellow gold curb link bracelet featuring sparkling round cut diamonds set in white gold.
Whether choosing for an extra special anniversary gift or simply wanting some more glisten in your life, all these 18ct gold pieces and many others are available from Cheltenham jeweller Martin & Co.
