Gold Bracelets

Throughout history, gold has been the metal of choice for crafting jewelry for both men and women. Bracelets are no exception, whether they are chains or bangles. This is no surprise as gold is associated with success as in "golden opportunity" and with love as in "golden heart".

Why Gold?

There are many kinds of material with which jewelry can be made and, without a doubt, gold remains the classiest of them all. Many people prefer owning gold jewelry because it is a good investment, not to mention a fashionable statement, because it goes well with anything and everything and it never goes out of style. Gold is often perceived by many cultures as a symbol of power and success, and wearers of gold jewelry certainly carry a winning appeal when they step out in public with their eye-catching accessories.

Goldsmiths and craftsmen like to work with gold because it can be shaped into almost any shape imaginable. Its sturdiness allows jewelry makers to form it into tiny, thin strands that will not break as easily as other materials do. In fact, a very thin sheet measuring at about ten feet square can be made by hammering just an ounce of gold. Artisans take pleasure in pride in manipulating gold to fit their creative needs and artistic desires.

Enjoy the Beauty

Whether you choose to have a plain gold bracelet or a bracelet with gemstones, gold bracelets are wonderful pieces of jewelry. They match almost any outfit, feel rich, and look gorgeous. Gold is associated with wealth, so feel rich while wearing such a precious metal.

Many Colors

Alloys can alter the color and appearance of gold, from that of a true yellow-gold with a polished shine, to a rose tint that has been brushed for a subdued effect. Bracelets can easily be created in a length and weight desired by the wearer; and any additions, such as gemstones, are also chosen for the wearer's preference. Whichever color you choose, a gold bracelet is a wonderful addition to anyones jewelry collection.

Quality

One needs to know how much gold in in a piece of jewelry. Jewelers use a measurement of karats. Each karat is a unit of 1/24th. The karat weight will then give you the percentage of gold in an item. Here is a nice chart showing the percentage gold:

Karat		Percent Gold	Comments
8 Kt		33.3%	Not recognized in United States
9 Kt		37.5%	Mostly sold in British Commewealth
10 Kt		41.6%	Min. USA Standard
12 Kt		50%	Rarely made
14 Kt		58.5%	Common United States
15 Kt		62.5%	Discontinued around 1935; indicator piece is old
18 Kt		75%	Very common in India; Considered high quality
22 Kt		91.6%	Extremely soft found in Middle East and Asia
24 Kt		100%	Generally too soft for jewelry

Gold jewelry then is priced according to its karat weight in gold. you can determine how much gold is in a item by weighing it and then multiplying it by its karat weight. For example: weight x .585 = amount of gold in a 14KT bracelet. (This of course assumes no gemstones or other non-gold accents have been used.)

Non-yellow gold is always an alloy pure gold is always yellow. All of other "hues" are a combination of pure 24K yellow gold with various other metals. The amount of the other metals (copper, silver, rhodium, zinc, nickel) produces the various shades of gold. Any karat other than 24K gold (pure gold) is called an "alloy". For durability, harder metals such as nickel or zinc can be used.

Rose gold is created by adding more of the copper-colored alloys and using less of the any silver-colored additives. Increasing lighter alloys of silver, zinc, rhodium, and nickel will tone down the yellow gold.

Care

Always remove bracelets before swimming, doing chores that involve water, gardening, and putting on make up. Storing gold jewelry separately helps it to not get tangled or scratched.