Tag: GoldJewelry
We never get tired of talking about gold! Believe it or not, this precious metal is so rare that you’re more likely to dig up a five-carat diamond than you are a one-ounce nugget of gold. In fact, statistics show that more steel is poured in one hour than all of the gold since recorded history.
More About Gold:
1: Gold’s symbol on the periodic table is Au from the Latin word “aurum” which means shining dawn. Original gold coins were called Aureus.
2: Gold is highly malleable. One ounce can be beaten down to a sheet that covers nine square meters or pulled into a thin wire that would be 50 miles long! Gold is so pliable it can be made into sewing thread.
3: The “gold standard” is no longer used. Any ties were ended in the Nixon administration in 1971. It’s unlikely we’ll ever go back to this system of using gold to set the value of money.
4: 14K gold is gold that’s approximately 58% gold mixed with 42% alloyed metals like silver, nickel, copper or zinc. The added metal content makes the jewelry more durable and is therefore popular for everyday wear especially in rings and wedding bands.
5: Pure gold (24K) is not all that practical for everyday wear since it easily scratches. Adding even a touch of other alloyed metal can help, but care must still be taken when wearing.
6: Food grade edible gold is a real thing! Edible gold is considered biologically inert and is not absorbed into the body. It passes through us quickly and is used in crumb, dust, flake and leaf form.
7: If you’re on a strict budget, gold-plated jewelry balances appearance and price. Warning: All gold plating is not the same. Gold plating will only last a few years before tarnishing, and resale value is usually low.
8: The discovery of flakes of gold near Sacramento, California in 1848 marked the beginning of the California Gold Rush that helped develop the American West.
- New York’s Federal Reserve Bank holds more gold than Fort Knox but much of it apparently belongs to foreign governments.
10: Current “gold” medals are actually alloys covered in six grams of gold plated over 92.5 percent silver – still not that shabby! Back in 1912 the medals were apparently made entirely of gold.
Want to learn more? Check out this informative Gold Council site and visit David Craig Jewelers to check out hundreds of lovely gold bracelets, rings, earrings and more!