You may have noticed that I wear an awful lot of gold jewelry; I’ve always liked the way it looks against my (kind of Casper-y) skin, and generally gravitate towards it more than any other metal. But only a handful of the pieces you’ve seen me wear are karat gold, as opposed to its less expensive (and less precious) cousin, gold-fill jewelry – which I wear a ton of, of course…but it’s not quite the same as the real thing.
My karat gold pieces are some of my most treasured possessions in the world, and their meaning to me goes far beyond “accessorizing”; each and every one comes with a specific memory about a person or a place or a moment in my life, and whenever I purchase a new piece, my mind immediately goes to the day I’ll give it to my daughter (which I have a feeling she would really prefer be today, thanks; the girl seriously likes her jewelry).
But as much as I know what makes my karat gold jewelry special to me, I don’t know a ton about what makes it so different from gold-filled jewelry. I mean, I know gold-filled jewelry can change color over time, or turn your skin green if you wear it, say, in the shower…but beyond that, I don’t know much. So in celebration of the fact that May is Gold Month (it really is; you can learn more here), I thought I’d ask an expert – Elaine Klopman of The Richline Group – and share her answers here, for those of you who are curious as well.
Ruby and karat gold Cartier (inherited from my mother)
Q. What is the difference between “karat gold” and “gold-filled” jewelry?
A. Since jewelry cannot be made with pure gold – it’s much too soft to make jewelry with – 24 karat gold is mixed with other metals to come up with the exact pureness (10kt, 14kt, 18kt, and so on). Gold-filled, gold-overlay and gold-plated jewelry consists of a piece overlaid with a thin sheet of gold; the difference lies in how the sheet is applied.
Q. How can I tell what I’m purchasing?
A. All karat gold jewelry purchased in the USA will be marked with the karat stamp or [a mark indicating] the pureness percentage.
Q. Will karat gold ever change color over time?
A. Over years of wear karat gold jewelry may start to dull as a byproduct of contact with perfumes, lotions, soaps, etc, but it will not change color. A good cleaning should restore it to its original state.
Vintage emerald and karat gold ring
Q. What factors go into the price of a piece of gold jewelry?
A. Since gold is a commodity traded daily on the stock market, the intrinsic value does change, but it’s always measurable. A big factor in the price is the labor that goes into each piece: most hoop earrings, for example, have seven individual parts that make them function properly.
Q. How do I care for my gold jewelry?
A. Bring your karat gold pieces to your local jeweler to have them professionally cleaned, or just soak them in warm water and then clean them with a soft brush and a polishing cloth.
* * * If you’re in the market for some karat gold of your own, a few of my favorite picks are below. * * *
This post was created in collaboration with May Is Gold Month. Photos by Sue Hudelson.
