Gold jewelry has a timeless appeal and amazing sophistication. There are many options to choose among depending on personal style and aesthetic preferences. One thing is certain, however, the quality of gold jewelry matters.
What does it take to buy men’s quality gold jewelry and distinguish it from cheap pieces? A few essential rules will determine the outcome of the purchase.
Purity of Gold
Quality jewelry should be made of the purest form of gold possible. The karat system is used to determine the purity of the precious metal. Authentic gold pieces need to come with a stamp or a mark that provides the karat reading.
The karat reading can range from 18 to 24K. In this scale, 24K refers to pure gold. A piece that has an 18K reading is made of 18 parts gold and six parts of an additional metal. The purity of the gold is 75 percent in this instance.
There are pieces made of 24K gold but the precious metal will be so soft that the accessory is not going to be practical for everyday use. This is the main reason why an alloy is often created through the addition of other metals. A few of the metals commonly added to make quality gold jewelry stronger include palladium and nickel (resulting in white-colored gold), silver or copper (producing a more pink-colored form of gold).
Gold-Filled and Gold-Plated Jewelry
Individuals who can’t afford solid gold jewelry may want to opt for gold-filled or gold-plated items. These are two common types of coating. There’s a major difference between these two possibilities.
Gold filling should be the option of preference because it creates a thicker coating of the precious metal. A much less expensive metal can be used on the inside, which will bring the price of the piece down but still maintain its quality.
The plating process is less favorable because it produces a thinner layer of gold. This layer will wear off faster than in the case of gold-filled jewelry.
Gems
Now that the main elements pertaining to quality have been examined, it’s time to take a look at few other gold jewelry characteristics.
Gold jewelry will often be decorated with sparkly gemstones or precious crystals. The authenticity of those will have to be verified, as well. Things can get very tricky with some kinds of precious stones. A general rule of thumb is that stones that look cloudy and that have been scratched aren’t of particularly high quality or they may be counterfeit. Gold-plated items are more likely to feature fake gems than others.
Paying an expert to inspect such an item is one of the best ways to guarantee its authenticity. Alternatively, the piece of jewelry could be provided with a certificate that establishes the authenticity of the precious stone.
Handcrafted or Machine-Made
In this day and age, many aspects of the jewelry craft have been automated. Certain pieces of jewelry can be entirely machine-made. Such items are usually produced in larger quantities and they’re not unique.
Handcrafted gold jewelry is much more expensive. People who want quality and cost-efficiency at the same time should consider machine-made items. While these pieces may be made in bigger numbers, they’ll still be of sufficiently high quality.
These are a few of the essentials to keep in mind when looking for gold jewelry. Such pieces can be bought both online and in stores. What matters is recognizing the signs of quality, asking questions and even doing additional testing. Men’s quality gold jewelry can cost a lot, which is why the selection of the right piece should never be taken lightly.