Essay Two: Gold

18k Yellow Gold Earrings with Diamonds and Blue Sapphires

At first glance it would seem that there would not be that much to say about gold to warrant an entire essay, but to the contrary, there actually is a tremendous amount to be said. So much so that it has occurred to me, after trying to write this several times, that there is enough for at least five separate essays! In discussing gold there is composition of the metal itself and what makes it 14k(585), 18k(750) or 22k(916). There is what gives it it’s color be it Yellow, White, Rose or Pink (Rose and Pink are not the same! Nor is Red!) or outliers like Green or Black.

There is much to be said about finishes of the metal, dynamics of wearability, attributes of manufacture as well as comparison to other precious metals. So as you can see it’s not just simply Yellow or White and 14k(585) or 18k(750). So as to not bore, overwhelm or confuse everyone I will hone in this essay on composition and color and discuss how they are relevant to the Alchemy Collection

24K (1000) Pure Gold Bars

Due to it’s well rounded workability, at present all Alchemy pieces are manufactured in 18k(750) gold. I would like to touch on a couple of points before delving into the attributes of 18k(750). First, when you say gold most people conjure up images of stacks of gold bars like in the movies centered around elaborate bank heist. In actuality, in the manufacture of jewelry we work with small pebbles of varying shapes and size like the ones pictured through out this essay.

By now you have most likely noticed that every time I have written 18k I have followed it with a 750 in parentheses. The reason for this is that this would be the European equivalent to the American Karat system for Gold fineness. I will continue to include this so my international clients are able to follow along in our conversation. Last, only 24k (1000) is pure gold while all other designations 22k(916), 18k(750) and 14k(585) are considered gold alloy because they contain other metals along with gold. There are other gold designations as well however these three are the most often used in fine jewelry. This now leads us to what are those “other” metals with in an alloy and the impact they have on the finished piece of gold jewelry!

18k(750) Yellow Gold Alloy Grain

Due to it’s well rounded workability, at present all Alchemy pieces are manufactured in 18k(750) gold which is essentially 75% pure gold and 25% other metals. In mixing 18k(750) Yellow gold, normally the other metals used are copper and silver in equal parts. However if you the shift the balance between them just a little and add a bit more copper you will get a deeper richer yellow and if you shift it to a bit more silver you get a brighter vibrant yellow.

Since each Alchemy piece is a unique individual creation I discuss with my goldsmiths and casters how the tonality of each piece should be in accord with the overall statement being expressed by the composition.

18k(750) White Gold Alloy Grain

18k(750) White gold is a fairly straightforward affair being that it is 75% pure gold and 25% white metal. Most jewelers use silver as the other metal while naughty jewelers use nickel because it is less expensive. If you have ever heard that people get a rash from White gold this is the reason!

For my 18k(750) White gold Alchemy pieces I use Pallidum as the other metal when I have it mixed for the reason that it gives the gold alloy more flexibility which is important when fabricating the handmade bezels. It is more expensive than using silver but gives a more precise edge and has less risk to breaking the stones during the setting process.

18k(750) Pink Gold Alloy Grain

18k(750) Red, Rose and Pink are all made with 75% Pure gold and 25% Copper for Red gold, 22.5% Copper plus 2.5% silver for Rose gold and lastly 20% Copper and 5% silver for Pink gold.

The difference between them is fairly subtle and often is up to the personal taste of the client. Again, given I mix the gold alloy for each Alchemy piece I will select the one that is most complimentary to the composition being expressed.

As you can see we’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be said about gold and we are at the conclusion of this essay! If you’ve wondered why we even bother mixing anything at all with pure gold it really stems from need for durability, wearability and choices! Interesting enough when gold ore is mined it is often combined with silver and platinum in the same piece of ore that is then separated using a process called gold parting. All gold jewelry from before 500bc actually contained these metals until this process was first utilized in minting pure gold coins! However this would be a discussion for another day!

18k White Gold Pendant with Blue Sapphire and Emerald