If you are an experienced jewelry wearer, you already know that pure gold is yellow in color. Pink gold, which is also colloquially referred to as rose or red gold, is an alloy of gold and copper. Of course, there are some subtle differences there, too. Depending on the amount of copper in the mix, it may be more appropriate to term a piece of pink gold jewelry as actually being red gold. Here are the facts:
Rose gold. Known as crown gold in 1526, Henry VIII replaced gold sovereigns made from 23-karat gold with a 22-karat version. To affect the coloration for 18-karat jewelry, gold smiths created an alloy that consisted of 75 percent gold, 22.25 percent copper and 2.75 percent silver. If the jewelry was made of 14-karat gold, the copper content increased to 41.67 percent.
Pink gold.Although rose and pink are frequently the exact same color, there are two gold alloys that can only be described by using the pink color hue. The first consists of 76 percent gold, 18 percent copper and six percent aluminum. The second alloy features 75 percent gold, 20 percent copper and five percent silver.
Red gold. The common formula for red gold is a fifty-fifty mix of yellow gold and copper. For 18-carat gold jewelry, the mix contains 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper.
The jewelry buyer should note that pink gold does not qualify as pure gold. Only 24-karat gold is considered pure and sold as fine gold. Since pink gold contains a number of alloys, it is not pure.
All the percentages aside, rose gold is also immensely popular on today’s jewelry market. Initially it was highly desirable in tsarist Russia, which earned it the nickname “Russian Gold.” Then, it became once more quite popular in Europe. Now, pink gold is taking the international jewelry market once again by storm. The 2012 Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris showcased pink gold in a wide variety of creative settings.
Designs heavily featured rose themes, which are perfect for the gently-colored gold. The combination of diamonds and rose gold worked such a spell on attendees as well as presenters that the metal soon became much more sought after in stores around the globe. Retailers are currently marketing the gold alloy as a celebration of femininity, and eager buyers of both sexes are happy to buy.
The most famous names in the avant-garde jewelry-making business are associating themselves with this trend. Van Cleef & Arpelschose to integrate the coloring in a show celebrating its most famous creations. Tiffany & Co. of New York chose to include pink gold in its holiday designs and shows no signs of taking the alloy out of its creations any time soon. Other powerhouses are re-releasing their most popular designs in new pink gold settings.
It is fair to say that pink gold is not only an alloy of yellow gold but also a red-hot fashion trend at the present time.
Peter Suchy Jewelers invites you to visit our showroom at 1137 High Ridge Road in Stamford Connecticut where you’ll find a variety of estate, antique and vintage pink gold pieces.
Or, if you prefer shopping for pink gold jewelry online, head on over to our eBay store where we’re proud to be a top-rated seller.
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