Buying gold jewelry can be an intimidating prospect especially if your knowledge of gold and or jewelry is limited. Gold is such a precious metal and whether the jewelry you seek is for yourself or someone special, you want it to be perfect. There is a lot to know about gold and with a little bit of knowledge before you buy you can be sure to make the right purchase.

First, there are different karats of gold to choose from including 10 karat, 14 karat, 18 karat and 24 karat. The karat of gold refers to its purity or how much of the gold is pure gold as opposed to other metals. 10 karat gold is 10 parts gold or 41.7% pure gold. This is the minimum amount of gold required for it still to be called gold. 14 karat gold is 14 parts gold or 58.3% pure and 18 karat gold is 18 parts gold or 75% pure. Gold in its most pure form is 24 karat gold with no other metals mixed with it.

In order to decide which karat of gold is the best choice for you, consider what you want to get out of the piece. If you want a piece that will last for a lifetime and are looking to make an investment, consider purchasing a piece that is 18 karat or 24 karat gold. However, keep in mind that the higher karats of gold are going to be much softer making them susceptible to dings and scratches. If you want a piece that is beautiful, durable yet a bit more affordable go with a lower karat of gold.

Gold also comes in a variety of colors giving you even more options when it comes to picking out a new piece of jewelry. All gold starts out yellow in color but can be altered to become white, green, rose or even black. No color of gold is any more valuable than another; price is directly correlated with the gold’s karat. When deciding on a color for your gold jewelry, personal preference is all the information you need. Also consider design when choosing a new piece. The more intricate design the piece has, the more you will most likely pay for it. More simple designs will be easier on the wallet.

When you go in to a store and begin browsing the collections they have to offer, be sure to ask a lot of questions. Ask the salesperson what the karat of the gold is. Retailers are not required to label gold with its karat, so asking is key. Reliable and well known jewelers can be trusted to be honest about a piece of jewelry’s karat and value. You must be a bit more careful if you are shopping online. Do some research on a site before hitting “add to cart”. Look for reviews and be sure to review their return policy. Once you purchase a piece of gold jewelry online, you should be able to take it to a jeweler and have them to a gold test on it to determine its purity.

Author Bio: Ronnie Adolf is the president of Adolf Jewelers, a local Richmond jewelry store. Adolf Jewelers offers a huge selection of Richmond engagement rings and Richmond designer jewelry. Adolf Jewelers can be found online at: AdolfJewelers.com .

Category: Advice
Keywords: gold, buying gold, about buying gold