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Gold, or Au in scientific terms, is a precious metal that in pure form is soft, pliable, ductile, and resistant to oxidation. While its pure form properties make gold useful in a variety of ways that include crafting it into pure, or 24-karat gold jewelry, most is not gold in pure form, but rather a gold alloy. An example of a gold alloy is 18-karat gold, made from 75 percent gold and 25 percent silver or copper. It is not possible to determine authenticity with a visual inspection, but there are ways to test 18-karat gold and determine its authenticity.
Pure gold is a soft, yellow material that does not react to chemical exposure. Gold is measured by karats, primarily in 24 karat gold, which indicates gold purity; 18 karat gold, which is 75 percent gold; 14 karat gold, which is 60 percent gold; 12 karat gold, which is 50 percent gold; and 10 karat gold, which is 40 percent gold. A gold test kit can be purchased to test gold material at home and determine the level of gold purity.
The purity of gold is measured in karats, which indicate the percent of pure gold in material. Twenty-four karat gold is 100 percent gold, while 22 karat is 92 percent gold, 18 karat is 75 percent gold, 14 karat is 58 percent gold, 12 karat is 50 percent gold and 10 karat is 42 percent gold. Because pure gold is very soft and malleable, 14 karat gold is a desirable level for jewelry. To test if a material is 14 karat gold, a home acid test can be performed.
The highly stylized three-dimensional patterns found on Black Hills gold jewelry can easily trap dirt. The raised leaf, vine and grape motifs can become entangled with lint from your pocket or coated with dried hand lotions and hairspray. Cleaning the textured surface of Black Hills gold rings, bracelets and necklaces may also be necessary to remove tarnish. Silver and copper are added to yellow gold to create the pink- and green-colored metals found on the eye-catching jewelry. Although the alloys are durable, they can darken and tarnish over time by everyday exposure.
All silver jewelry tarnishes because of compounds in the air. Black Hills silver jewelry make look especially dull because of its delicate carving, but it can be easily cleaned. Strong jewelry cleaners may damage your piece so use mild detergents instead.
You may see the term Black Hills Gold, particularly when referring to jewelry. There is more to the name than just a type of popular jewelry, though. Rich in history, it represents a significant geographical area of the western United States, known as the Black Hills. Traditional Black Hills Gold jewelry uses green, rose and yellow gold in grape and grape leaf patterns.
Black Hills gold was first discovered in 1874. Since its discovery, it has been used on jewelries and decorations. Black Hills gold is best know for its distinctive gold and green hues. Black Hills gold can be very expensive on its own, and the price certainly starts to rise when it is paired with expensive precious stones. It is important to clean your Black Hills gold on a regular basis.
The history of Black Hills Gold dates back to 1874. An expedition led by George Armstrong Custer to investigate the Black Hills of South Dakota set off the last great gold rush of the 19th century, when a scout of his reportedly found a gold nugget.
Gold can sometimes turn skin black because it is often alloyed with other metals to maintain strength and durability, as gold is a very soft metal. Choose high-quality gold jewelry to avoid skin discoloration with advice from a freelance fashion reporter in this free video on style.
