Gold is a precious metal that has been used for centuries for the manufacture of jewelry. Although the first gold jewelry dates from 4400 BC, gold may have been made earlier into a decorative object. The oldest gold jewelry stems from the Thracian era. Hundreds of jewelry were discovered during an excavation in Bulgaria. This discovery shows that at that time people already had an impressive knowledge about the manufacture of gold.
Precious metals are metals that hardly connect with oxygen. These metals always remain beautiful and are not affected by oxidation and rust. Perfect for making jewelry. Gold is one of the best known precious metal and is widely used for making jewelry. Silver, iron and copper are examples of metals that are less noble. They quickly connect with oxygen. Silver will eventually turn black and with copper rust is created.
All gold jewelry Diamond Point are made of 14 or 18 carat gold, but what exactly does that mean? Everywhere in the world, the amount of pure gold, which is present in a jewel, is expressed in carat. The purest form of gold is expressed in 24 carat. Pure gold is naturally a soft metal and therefore difficult to process into a piece of jewelry. Because of this feature, pure gold cannot retain its shape well and it is very sensitive to wear. To prevent this, other metals such as silver, palladium or copper are added to make the precious metal harder. This process is also called "alloy". The lower the gold percentage in an alloy, the lower the carat. In addition, alloys under 14 carat are not mentioned in the Netherlands.
Below you will find an overview of the different carats and the corresponding percentage of gold.
24 carat gold: 99.9% gold
22 carat gold: 91.6% gold
20 carat gold: 83.3% gold
18 carat gold: 75.0% gold
14 carat gold: 58.5% gold
9 carat gold: 37.5% gold
In addition to gold jewelry, there are also gold gilding jewelry. Now you definitely wonder what the difference is between the two. Gold gilded means that the base of the jewelry consists of a different metal. Think of silver, copper, steel and brass. Then there is only a thin golden layer on the frame. As a result, the prices for gold gilded jewelry and a lot lower. This sounds interesting, but gold has also gilded its disadvantages. Depending on the thickness of the golden layer, the color of the jewelry can change. The bottom layer can influence the properties of the gold and can make the jewelry permanent dull. The golden layer can also disappear due to wear.
This is the main reason that we at Diamond Point Do not offer jewelry of gilded gold. With a view to quality and sustainability, we have opted for 14 and 18 carat gold jewelry. The jewelry is colourfast and strong enough for daily use. This way you and your loved ones can continue to enjoy your beautiful jewelry and even give it.
In the Netherlands, gold is inspected for authenticity and gold content. You can also find this in your piece of jewelry on the basis of a quality mark. These must be mandatory on every gold jewel or object and thus also on each Diamond Point Jewelry. In the quality marks, a distinction is made in the size of the object, how much carat gold and whether it is new or used. Bee Diamond Point we use two gold quality mark stamps. One for 14 carat gold jewelry and one for 18 carat gold jewelry. In the photo below you can see how you can recognize the two stamps. In addition, we also use a Diamond Point Stamp. This way you can see that you have a real one Diamond Point jewelry.
Can't find the quality mark in a piece of jewelry from your own collection? Do not panic! That does not mean that your piece of jewelry is not real. The quality mark can be worn out by wearing. In addition, the jewelry can also come from abroad, where other rules apply.
