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 Gold,
one of the world's most precious metals, dates back to the
dawn of mankind. All great civilizations built up treasuries
of the lustrous metal, reserving golden objects for their
most important rituals. 
However, the most alluring use of the sun-colored
metal has always been in jewelry.
The Egyptians, largest producers of gold
in the ancient world, equated gold with the sun, the giver
of life, and reserved its use for pharaohs only.
The ancient Etruscans created meticulously
handwrought objects using fine granules and threads of gold,
a technique still practiced today.
To this day, Chinese and Indian brides wear
jewelry of no less than 24-karat gold on their wedding day
to ensure a lifetime of good luck and happiness.
And, a gift of gold jewelry says love
and permanence as eloquently today as in all the ages past.
Of all the world's precious metals,
only gold combines the four basic characteristics that make
it a universally treasured possession. 
- Gold's natural color can be further enhanced by alloying
it with small amounts of other metals, yielding a spectrum
of exquisite, subtle shades. Metalsmiths are able to create
yellow, rose, green and white golds by adjusting the alloys.
More copper results in a soft rose color; additional silver
creates green gold; and palladium produces white. A popular
trend is to combine two or more colors of gold in a single
piece of jewelry.
- It is estimated that only slightly more than 100,000 tons
of gold have been taken from the earth during all of recorded
history. And although gold can be found in rivers, seas and
land in many parts of the earth, it is not easily extracted.
Opening a mine is a time-consuming and costly operation, and
several tons of ore are required in order to produce just
one ounce of the precious metal.
- Look no further than the nearest museum where gold
jewelry, coins and artifacts from ancient civilizations attest
to the metal's enduring beauty and permanence.
- Jewelers throughout the ages have preferred gold
to all other metals for its beauty and ease of workmanship.
Gold can be melted, or shaped, to create any design. It can
be alloyed with a number of other metals to increase its strength
and produce a variety of colors and can be re-melted and used
again to create new designs.
Look for the quality mark. Pure gold, or
24-karat, is generally considered too soft for use in jewelry,
so it is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength.
Eighteen-karat gold is 18/24ths,
or three-quarters pure gold. Jewelry of this fineness is marked
"18k" or "750," the European designation meaning 75 percent
gold.
In the United States, 14-karat gold is used
most commonly for jewelry. Fourteen-karat gold is 14/24ths,
or slightly more than one-half pure gold. Jewelry of this
fineness is marked "14k" or "585," the European designation
meaning 58.5 percent gold.
Nothing less than 10-karat gold can
be legally marked or sold as gold jewelry in the United States.
These pieces are marked "10k" or "417," the European designation
meaning 41.7 percent gold. 
Look for trademarks accompanying the quality
mark. When a piece of jewelry is stamped with a quality mark,
law requires that it be stamped with a hallmark or trademark
as well. Sometimes the jewelry is also marked with its country
of origin. These designations are designed to assure you that
you are buying genuine gold jewelry of the karatage marked.
Gold comes in a variety of colors. Because
gold is alloyed with other metals to increase its strength,
it can also be made in a variety of colors. For example, yellow
gold is created by alloying the metal with copper and silver;
using copper only creates pink gold; white gold contains platinum
or palladium, zinc and copper; green gold contains silver,
copper and zinc.
Gold, one of the world's most precious metals,
dates back to the dawn of mankind. All great civilizations
built up treasuries of the lustrous metal,
reserving golden objects for their most important rituals.
Pricing is based on four factors: karatage,
gram weight, design and craftsmanship. The karatage and gram
weight tell you how much gold is in a piece, but other crucial
factors determining price are the piece's construction and
design. A price based solely on gram weight does not reflect
the work that has gone into the piece. It's important to remember
that each piece of gold jewelry is unique and, if cared for
properly, can last a lifetime.
Look for quality construction. When buying
a piece of gold jewelry, be sure to inspect it carefully.
Pay special attention to fasteners or clasps, making sure
catches work easily but are secure. Likewise, the backs of
pins and earring posts should be strong and firmly attached
to the piece with no soldering marks visible. With gold chain,
lay it flat and make sure the links don't kink or bend.
Build a gold jewelry wardrobe in the same
way you build a clothing wardrobe. Always begin with the best-quality
basics you can afford and add pieces. Your basics are a gold
chain, necklace, classic hoop or button earrings, and a link
bracelet. Additions can include a slide-on pendant, a pair
of drop earrings where the bottoms can be detached (thus creating
two different looks) followed by a gold ring or a pin. Begin
with pieces that have classic shapes and look appropriate
with a variety of different outfits then add pieces that offer
versatility of wear or those with a fashion touch, such as
matte and polished surface treatments or two or three tones
of gold.
Remember that gold is lasting and durable
but can get scratched or dented if treated roughly.
Gold's worst enemy is chlorine. Repeated
exposure can weaken gold's structure, eventually leading to
breakage. So keep your jewelry away from chlorinated cleaning
products and out of swimming pools and jacuzzis.
Protect your gold jewelry by storing it
safely or keeping it wrapped in a soft cloth when not being
worn.
Clean your gold jewelry with a cleaning
solution of sudsy lukewarm water, or bring it to your local
jeweler and have it steam-cleaned.
Dry and polish jewelry with a chamois or
soft cloth after cleaning and rinsing.
Keep gold jewelry free from dust, moisture,
perspiration and makeup.
Always inspect your gold jewelry for weakness
or damage and bring it to a professional jeweler for immediate
repair. Your jeweler will be able to restore it for you.
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