One thing you can say about gold earrings is that they are timeless pieces that are always in style. They are not only beautiful, but also wear-friendly since, unlike sterling silver, they don’t tarnish. Another great attribute is that people with allergies to certain metals, or find they have a problem with staining from metals that have been combined with gold, don’t have a problem with gold itself.
Gold is a versatile metal, able to be worked in virtually any shape, whether it be small, but sturdy, strands to thin sheets. In fact, just one ounce has the ability to be hammered into an extremely thin sheet measuring at ten feet square. Artisans, especially makers of gold earrings, can manipulate gold into any desired shape.
When choosing gold earrings you need to look at the gold’s karat factor. Different karat numbers are what describe just how much pure gold is in the earrings. The percentage of gold in the earrings is higher when the karat number is higher.
For example, 24K earrings are pure gold, 18K is 75% gold with 18 parts of gold and 6 parts of another metal, 14K, the most common, is 58.3% gold with 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of another metal, 12K is 50% gold with 12 parts of gold and 12 parts of another metal, and, lastly, 10K, the minimum karat that can be described as gold, is a mere 41.7% gold with 10 parts gold and 14 parts of another metal.
Gold earrings made in Europe will have different markings. For example, 18K will be marked as 750, 14K will be marked as 585, and 12 K will be marked as 417. These marking stand for the percentage of gold the earrings contain.
Most gold earrings aren’t made of pure gold since it can be quite soft and not very practical for daily wear. In mot cases, other metals will have been mixed with the gold in order to heighten the durability, as well as lower the price.
When metallurgists add other metals to gold it allows them to change the gold’s color. To create white gold Palladium, also known as nickel, is added. The addition of copper products creates a rose/pink color, while adding silver can give gold a greenish tint.
When choosing the type of gold earrings that is right for you, you must decide how often you will wear them and what type of karat number will fit this need. If you are allergic to such metals as nickel, you should choose gold earrings that have a higher gold content. This means that gold earrings marked with 18K or 22K are best for you.
If you plan to wear your earrings only on occasion, and don’t necessarily have to have the best gold there is, then you have the option of choosing gold earrings that are gold filled or even gold plated. This would not be a good choice if you do plan to wear the gold earrings on a daily basis since a lot of use will reduce the gold layer, therefore exposing the metal that is underneath and possibly causing staining or even an allergic reaction.
If you plan to purchase gold earrings that you want to last a very long time, then make sure you buy a high quality item.