Facts about Gold

Gold Weight Precious metals are bought and sold by weight. The value is determined by the daily base price and the weight of the precious metal. * 1 Troy Ounce = 31.1033 Grams (gms) * 1 Troy Ounce = 20 Pennyweight (dwt) * .9114 Troy Ounce = 1 Ounce Avoirdupois * 1.5552 Grams = 1 Pennyweight * 28.3495 Grams = 1 Ounce Avoirdupois Gold Standards of actual gold content and the European symbol * 8kt - 33.48% gold * 10kt - 41.81% gold - Euro 420 * 14kt - 58.48% - Euro 580 * 18kt - 75.15% - Euro 750 * 19kt - 79.31% * 22kt Coin - 90% - Euro 900 * 22kt - 92% - Euro 920 * 24kt - 100% - Euro 999.9 Silver * Fine Silver - 99.9% silver * Sterling Silver - 92.5% silver (usually the other 7.5% is copper) Specific Gravity properties of metal * 24kt yellow gold - 19.32 * 18kt yellow gold - 15.58 * 14kt yellow gold - 13.07 * 10kt yellow gold - 10.49 * Fine Silver - 10.49 * Sterling Silver - 10.36 What is gold fill, layering and plating? Gold fill is made up of 1/20th 14kt gold or 5% x .5858 (14kt gold content) to equal 3% actual gold in a gold filled piece. A layer of 14kt gold is put over brass by heat and pressure bonding. Gold filled has an actual layer of gold, while gold plated merely has a microscopic film. Gold vermeil by FTC standards has a 100 millionths of an inch layer of 14kt gold over sterling silver. How is gold made in other colors? With the introduction of various metals to pure gold, the color can be altered. Believe it or not, gold can be yellow, white, rose, purple, green or blue! Here are the most common formulas of how they make yellow, white and rose colored gold. * 18kt yellow gold - 75% gold + 12.5% silver + 12.5% copper * 14kt yellow gold - 58% gold + 25% silver + 17% copper * 18kt white gold - 75% gold + 5% copper + 15% nickel + 5% zinc * 14kt white gold - 58% gold + 20% copper + 14.5% nickel + 7.5% zinc * 18kt rose gold - 75% gold + 5% silver + 20% copper * 14kt rose gold - 58% gold + 10% silver + 32% copper