Most of us are familiar with the standard gold markings of 18K, 22K, etc., but not everyone knows that gold jewellery is also marked by gold percentage. Hence, you should ensure to inspect all the markings on a jewellery piece before buying. It could be that an 18K piece has a marking on it that signifies it to be not solid 18K gold, but with an 18K gold plate on the surface. Other Markings present on a gold jewellery piece could be that provided by the maker, and is a great way to track the maker of the piece.

Alloy Mixed Gold Are Not Standardized

Gold that are below 24K are hardened after mixing with alloy metals and also to bring down the cost. A mixture of silver and copper is the most popular alloy metal used with gold. As there is no standardization of the mixture percentages, the existing cost of alloy metals, desired colour, or manufacturer could be the reasons for variations in hue of a gold piece from other pieces of the same karat purity gold. Hence for a better colour, higher percentages of copper alloys are often mixed with lower gold purity karats for a darker and redder colour. So 10K gold could have a more-gold look than a 14K gold as a result of this mix.

Patina - Changing How Your Gold Looks

As metals get oxidized over time with constant exposure to air, a darker layer is formed on top of the jewellery piece that gives a matte finish to the metal surface. The colour and texture oxidation of the metal surface found on vintage items are the reasons for them to be known as having a "patina".

While some people prefer polishing their jewellery, others like going for patina. It should however be noted that vintage jewellery with patina could look darker than new jewellery of the same Karat purity. However, there could be colour differences due to the differences arising from using different alloy metals in making the piece.

White Gold Is Actually Yellow

White gold is a mix of gold and silver-colored metals like palladium or nickel, and often having a plating of a layer of white rhodium over it to give it that "white gold" look. As the rhodium layer wears off over time, the true pale yellow color of the gold piece is revealed. However, when a jewelry made of white gold has its coating worn off could get back its "white gold" look with re-plating the jewelry with rhodium. There are white gold like platinum and sterling silver that will not turn yellow over time. Alternatives to white gold that will not turn yellow over time are platinum and sterling silver.