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Gold is since antiquity one of the most popular precious metals. Over time, gold was favored by people mainly because of its rarity and its properties. It has a distinctive color, a unique glow, and was therefore chosen for making jewels throughout time. It does not rust and does not wear out, and it is quite easy to process it. In recent years, thanks to its technical characteristics (a conductor of electricity), gold is irreplaceable in the industry and especially in manufacturing electronics. Most mobiles may contain gold worth up to $ 0.50.
In the Balkans and the Middle East, there are golden finds dating back to 4000 BC. and 5,000 BC, while in ancient Egyptian artifacts reference gold since the 14th century BC. Because of its scarcity, gold was originally used to honor the gods (eg the gold-ivory statue of Athena in ancient Athens) or to highlight superiority (Tutankhamun's death mask and Agamemnon's death mask). Naturally, kings and noblemen gradually used more and more gold jewelry, decorative objects, artworks, and golden items in their households.
By 2015, it is estimated that more than 186,000 tonnes of gold have been mined. The country with the most significant gold production now is China with 450 tons a year, followed by Australia, Russia, and Canada with also significant gold production.
China and India are the two countries with the largest gold consumption. While in India gold is mainly used to make jewelry, in China gold is mostly consumed by the manufacturing industry. Globally, about 50% of the annual gold mining is for jewelry, while 40% is for investment and about 10% for industrial use.
In Japan, gold is used to repair ceramics and other household items. The broken pieces of ceramics are put back together with the assistance of gold, which gives the object not only new life but also new value. For many years, Kintsugi-repaired items have been regarded as works of art.
Gold Karat
In its purest form, namely 24-karat gold (99.9% purity), it has a glowing, yellow color with red tones and is really soft metal. For this reason, it is usually mixed with other metals to make the final result stiffer.
22-karat gold (about 91.6% purity) is an alloy made of 22 parts gold and 2 parts of other metals. 18K gold (about 75% pure) consists of 18 parts gold and 6 parts of other metals, while 14 karats gold (about 58% pure) consists of 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals.
Jewellery is usually stamped with the No of karats, so that buyers know its gold content.
Colors of Gold
Pure gold (24 K) is yellow with red tones. Adding other metals can change both the hardness of the metal and its color. White gold is a gold alloy created with the addition of manganese or palladium, while pink and red gold are created with the addition of copper and perhaps silver.
Nowadays, gold is also found in other colors, such as green, gray, purple, blue and even black, with the addition of various metals in different quantities or other processing techniques.
In jewelry making, gold may be used in combination with other metals or adorned with gemstones. Wedding rings are of basic jewels made of gold. They symbolize the eternal and indestructible love between the couple and that's why they are usually made of gold, which has the same qualities.
