Classic Yellow Gold Engagement Rings

INFORMATION ON YELLOW GOLD ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Gold has been mined since before 4000 BC, and in the ancient world the Egyptians were the main producers. In the new world, there are many different countries that have produced high levels of gold. Gold is a rare metal and it is estimated that if all the gold in the world was put together it would fill only 3 Olympic sized swimming pools.

Pure gold (24 carat) is a very soft metal and not ideal for jewellery, it is so soft that it can easily be beaten out into a very thin sheet. In India, pure gold is particularly prized, and wearers of pure gold bracelets find they have to reshape them by hand every day because the metal is so soft. So, we would suggest that 24 carat gold can’t really be used for jewellery that is subject to a lot of wear, such as engagement rings or wedding rings.

Gold is therefore normally alloyed with other metals such as zinc to add hardness. The proportion of gold to alloys is defined by the carat number which measures the parts of gold out of a total of 24.

Gold’s price fluctuates every day and is bought and sold as a commodity. In times of economic uncertainty, the price of gold (and all precious metals for that matter) tends to become higher as gold is thought of as a safe haven for money.

Gold is a very inert metal (i.e. it does not react well with other things) and this means that it won’t tarnish (i.e. react with the atmosphere) like silver, and therefore maintains its wonderful yellow colour. Gold is mined in South Africa and the United States.