Magnificent jewelery and for all budgets. I am impressed by all her beautiful creations of great beauty and quality. I love .
Great kindness, impeccable support and perfect rings for us. Thank you Marie-Claude, you have created little happiness for us every day.
Magnificent jewelery and for all budgets. I am impressed by all her beautiful creations of great beauty and quality. I love .
Great kindness, impeccable support and perfect rings for us. Thank you Marie-Claude, you have created little happiness for us every day.
Gold: carat and color
Pure gold is to metals what diamonds are to stones; as soon as one takes a little interest in it, one understands the historical fascination for this golden metal. Rare and precious, its great ductility and inalterability make it an essential element with several electronic components. Without gold, satellites, computers and smartphones would not be what they are today. In jewelry, its malleability and resistance to all forms of corrosion make it an incredibly durable element. It has this property of being easily polishable and its sunshine color is particularly rich and saturated.
Alloys
The only problem with pure gold is that if used on its own it is a little too soft to make lasting jewelry. It won't crack, but it could change shape. Remember the western films in which a gold digger bites into a golden nugget; he tries to see if he can leave any traces of teeth there.
To solve this problem, pure gold is mixed with other metals to make an alloy. There are at least fifty different alloys for gold, all with distinct properties. Some recipes allow for different shades of color, while others make it stiffer or easier to pour. Since gold is rare and expensive, these alloys are used in different proportions, making it more affordable while retaining much of its durable properties.
The carat
Not to be confused with the carats of diamonds, the caratage of gold corresponds to the content of pure gold in an alloy. Gold jewelry must bear the karat mark, but the wording may vary. In Canada and the United States, the formula K is mainly used and the numbers correspond to a fraction of 24. Thus, 10k gold is 10/24 pure gold, 14K is 14/24 and 18K from 18/24. In Europe, caratage is generally listed as a fraction out of 1000. Although there are different proportions of gold alloy on the market, ranging from 8k to 24k, we are focusing here on the 3 main ones.
18K
Gold concentration: 75%
Other name: 750
It is the most common purity in the world. Very common in jewelry from Europe, it is not uncommon in Canada. The 18k has a very beautiful color in the yellow, it is easily distinguished from the 10k with its richer and saturated golden hue.
14K
Gold concentration: 58.5%
Other name: 585
Although its shade is slightly less saturated than 18k, its hardness makes it a little more scratch resistant. This very common alloy is the perfect compromise between 10k and 18k.
10K
Gold concentration: 58.5%
Other name: 585
10k is very common in Canada, it is often the gold you are used to seeing in the province of Quebec. This alloy is a little harder than 18k or 14k, if you juxtapose it with the other two, you will notice its color slightly more coppery than golden.
The color of Gold
The alloy also plays a direct role on the color of the gold. The grade will vary depending on the proportions of metals used, as well as the caratage of the alloy. Notice your yellow gold jewelry; they may not all have exactly the same shade!
Rose Gold
Gold + copper
Mixing with copper, gold takes on a more rosy hue. Not exactly candy pink, the color is growing in popularity and it's far from a passing fad.
Yellow Gold
gold + copper + silver
In order to balance the hue, an equal part of copper and silver is combined in the yellow gold. The result is less saturated than pure gold, but yellow is classic and timeless.
White Gold
Gold + white metals
Mixed with white metals, such as nickel or silver, white gold comes out gray with a slightly champagne tint, which is usually corrected with rhodium plating.
Voici un résumé des caractéristiques des différents types d'or (jaune, rose, et blanc) et des différents carats pour vous aider à prendre une décision :
Or Jaune :
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10k : Belle couleur dorée plus pâle que 14k-18k, alliage très dur et résistant aux égratignures.
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14k : Très belle couleur d’or, alliage durable et de qualité; excellent rapport qualité-prix.
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18k : Superbe couleur d’or plus riche et saturée que le 10k-14k, c’est un alliage très durable qui vieillira bien.
Or Rose :
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10k : Teinte rosée très prononcée qui peut ternir légèrement avec le temps.
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14k : Superbe couleur d’or rosé, bon compromis qualité-prix.
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18k : Couleur moins rose et plus dorée, conserve sa couleur dans le temps.
Or Blanc :
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10k : Très dur, résistant aux égratignures, plaqué au rhodium pour un aspect ultra blanc.
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14k : Choix très populaire, bon compromis qualité-prix, plaqué au rhodium pour un aspect ultra blanc.
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18k : Très durable et de haute qualité, plaqué au rhodium pour un aspect ultra blanc.
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19k "super blanc" : Innovant, naturellement gris sans placage au rhodium, plus dur que tous les autres alliages d'or blanc.
En résumé, voici quelques considérations pour faire votre choix :
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Durabilité : C'est l'or pur qui confère aux alliages leur propriété de durabilité. Plus le carat est élevé, meilleure est la qualité de l'alliage et plus il durera dans le temps.
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Couleur : Si vous préférez une couleur riche, le 18k est un excellent choix pour l'or jaune. Pour l'or rose, le 14k offre une belle teinte. Pour l'or blanc, sachez que les options 10k, 14k, et 18k offrent un aspect ultra blanc grâce au placage au rhodium, mais ce dernier s'estompe avec le temps et devra être refait. Le 19k "super blanc" offre une très belle teinte d'or blanc sans avoir besoin de placage.
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Prix : Le 10k est plus abordable dans toutes les catégories. Le 14k offre un compromis parfait, offrant une meilleure qualité que le 10k à un prix inférieur au 18k.
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Allergies : Si vous avez des allergies aux alliages, choisissez des options avec un carat plus élevé (14k ou 18k).
En fin de compte, le choix dépend de vos préférences en termes de couleur, de durabilité, de budget et d'allergies. Vous pouvez personnaliser votre bijou en fonction de ces facteurs pour en faire une pièce unique qui correspond à vos goûts.
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