21 karat gold jewelry buying techniques are art and practical at the same time. When it comes to buying gold jewelry, you need to know what you are doing to make a solid investment that will appreciate over time. This will set you apart from the person who knows the value of the metal versus those who purchase jewelry that will lose value over time.
To buy gold jewelry, you must always have the mindset that you are trading money for metal. When the time comes to sell your jewelry or part with it, you want your gold to either have retained its value or increased in value.
Know the level of purity in the gold
The purest is often not the best for you if it does not fit your lifestyle.
Consider 24 karat gold to be 100% pure. This is unadulterated but also very soft. Gold, in general, is a soft metal. It has a hard time holding its shape and can dent or worse if put under stress.
If you have the money to buy 24 karat jewelry, it does not mean you should if you plan to wear it daily. Keep on reading to understand more. To ensure the number of gold parts, online stores support custom-made jewelry requests.
The Details to buying 21 karat gold jewelry the right way
So we talked about karats already, and you already know 24 karats in Gold translates into pure 100% gold. With this kind of Gold, you trade money for metal, hopefully increasing value. It is the kind of gold jewelry you keep in your safe.
You may not want this kind of Gold without determining how to wear or use it. Oftentimes, 21 Karat gold or 18 Karat gold is a better choice depending on your lifestyle. The norm for most people is 14kt and even 10kt. There is less wear and tear to worry about, but you also lose quite a bit in value when you start to drop down into the lower percentage of gold versus filler metals.
If you are asking, “21 karat gold how much?” or any other percentage of gold. You can easily find the price per ounce and then use an online website to help you calculate the wholesale cost. Once you have that number, you can add the manufacturing cost plus the designer’s cost to come up with a good estimate. For example, a 21 karat gold necklace price or a 21 karat gold necklace set can range greatly if the item is designed by Tiffany versus a non-branded design. You will be paying thousands more for just the brand name.
If you do not care about the designer but just want a really nice high-quality piece of jewelry, then search for “21k gold jewelry near me” or any other percentage of gold near you, and you will have an idea of what is available for a given price.
Examples of Buying the Right Kind of Gold
Let’s take, for example, a Rolex watch. Finding a Rolex watch made of 24 karat gold is hard, but if found, it is normally for show and not for daily wear.
Daily use of a watch results in bumps against hard surfaces. They touched multiple times a day, picked up, and put down multiple times a day. They are part of our wrist that interacts with the elements, water, sun, wind, and more.
A watch made of 24 karat gold could lose it shape, dent, and receive scratches. Although a Rolex would cost upwards of 10 thousand dollars, purchasing this kind of watch in 14 Karat gold would be more prudent. Why may you ask? Because other metals help form and strengthen the jewelry so that it may be durable, keep its shape, and beauty for a lifetime.
So now you know how to choose your gold jewelry based on your lifestyle. Let’s find out about other metals that may be used to strengthen Gold.
Buying gold wholesale is a little different and requires more knowledge of the market you want to buy in. We wrote a buyer’s guide to How to Buy Gold Jewelry Wholesale USA.
Other metals in gold jewelry
It is impossible to know what other metals are part of Gold jewelry. The only way to know is to ask. The most common metals mixed with pure gold are copper and silver.
A prevalent metal found in a lot of 14 karat gold is Nickel. Nickel in itself is a perfect strengthening material to mix with Gold. It wears well and does not change the color of the Gold.
Nickel can be a problem if your skin is allergic to it. Not all can wear jewelry with Nickel in it. If you feel your skin burning or itchy, it may signify that you are allergic to Nickel and do not even know it.
A piece of jewelry should feel cool to the skin and not cause any prickly sensation. Nickel interacts quickly with the skin, so you may even be able to feel a slight allergic reaction by just trying out a few items in the jewelry store.
Talk to your jeweler about other metals besides Nickel to use an alternative. A jeweler can also custom make your jeweler for you at an additional cost.
No matter the kind of jewelry. It can be 21 karat gold earrings or even a 21karat gold bracelet. These rules apply to all gold jewelry.
There is more to Gold than just the karat
Gold comes in many different qualities. There is your regular pure Gold at 24 karats, and then there is Gold filled and Gold plated.
Gold-filled is your 18, 14, and 10 karat variety. All it means is there is other metal in your jewelry besides Gold. It does not reduce the value or make it any less beautiful.
- Regulations from each country monitor and guide anything made of Gold.
- It wears for a long time and can probably outlive you.
- Gold-Filled does not chip, crack, fade, change color, or diminish its beauty. Just a simple cleaning or polishing will make them look new again.
Gold Plated
Then there is Gold-Plated. This kind of Gold is not real. The jewelry starts by using metals other than Gold. Molten gold forms the final thin layer that bonds to the surface of the product. This gives it a look and appearance of real Gold.
Often, the based metals can be silver, platinum, or other refined metals.
- These items can be budget-friendly and cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars less than the real thing.
- This kind of jewelry will not last forever; over time, you will start to see the Gold chip off or rub off, exposing the true metal beneath.
- A lot of higher-end costume jewelry comes from the gold-platting process.
- Governments do not regulate this kind of Gold.
- They are easy to find in any store and at any price.
Gold Colors
Gold is not always the color of Gold. It can come in a lot of other colors.
- White Gold – This kind of Gold is often found mixed in with yellow Gold to make a two-toned colored product. Yet other jewelry uses white Gold for the entire process.
White Gold gets its color when mixed with metals like Palladium, Nickel, or Manganese. These metals make it extremely strong and durable.
- Yellow Gold – This is the kind of Gold everyone knows. It is the actual yellow color that adorns people from all walks of life.
- Rose Colored Gold – Rose-colored Gold is lovely in almost any setting. To achieve the rose color, copper is added to the metal. This gives it the rose hue that many people love.
- Green Gold – Lastly, we have a rare color of Gold that is not often seen in jewelry stores. This kind of Gold is mixed with silver, resulting in a bright greenish-yellow hue. It goes excellent with precious green stones like Columbian Emeralds.
This kind of Gold is tough to find because it is often created in a lab. Even in a lab setting, this kind of Gold is costly.
Green gold is also a natural find. Mother Earth also has her way of producing this rare color. To buy the natural version requires knowing a jeweler who works with this kind of Gold.
Wrapping Up The Gold
Now you know how to buy gold jewelry like an investor. This knowledge will help your investment in your jewelry increase over time and fine 21 karat gold jewelry online. Now you have what you need to have confidence in finding your next piece of jewelry right for you.
Click here to take a look at our 21 karat gold jewelry Halo Precious Metals and Stones
Go here if you are looking for more help and guides on how to find the best gold jewelry online store.
Shopping for a Rolex watch or other premium brands, don’t buy until you read this, “Real Rolex – Beware the 10 counterfeit Watch Cons“
