The fashion for lemon gold came from Europe and the USA, where this color of the precious metal has always been rated. In the USSR, products with a reddish tint were more valued. But now the noble light yellow color has become more widespread among us.
The color of the metal is affected by the amount of alloy - impurities that are added to pure gold. The lemon-colored shade is obtained by adding silver and copper, with much less copper. But if this element predominates in the ligature, the decoration will acquire a characteristic shade. It is silver that gives the product its citrus color.
Wedding rings
To achieve a lemon tint, some manufacturers add nickel, zinc and platinum. Platinum gives the product wear resistance and special strength. But aurum with admixtures of these metals is not so often found on sale.
Characteristic
Most often, products are produced in 585 standard. Such an alloy will contain 58.5% gold, 29-30% silver and no more than 13% copper. Increasing the amount of copper will give the jewelry a greenish tint. 585 standard corresponds to 14 carats in imported jewelry.
Less common are the 500th or 375th samples (12 and 9 carats, respectively).
But jewelry of 750 standard (18 carats) of this type is not produced. That's what jewelers say, at least. Jewelry made from high-quality gold produces a completely different shade.
A lemon-colored precious metal of a higher standard (999) also does not exist in nature. Aurum without impurities is characterized by softness, plasticity, and is easily deformed. Jewelry made from it is valued only in Japan. They are worn for celebrations several times in life: weddings, anniversaries, etc.
But jewelry made from 585 sterling alloy in a lemon shade is suitable for both holidays and everyday life.
Lemon gold is usually given as a gift for a wedding or engagement. Wedding rings have a spectacular look and are suitable as a gift for the bride, as well as for a birthday.
Jewelry of this type is practical, suitable for wearing every day and, unlike low-quality fakes, will not fade over time. They do not leave scratches or dents.
Rings and chains from Italy and Turkey are not suitable for everyday wear. The alloys are made using completely different technologies, and accessories made from it are, as a rule, softer than Russian-made analogues.
Lemon gold earrings
You should find out what is included in the alloy alloy if it has a greenish-lemon tint. In some countries, cadmium is added to add color. In our country and the countries of the European Union, due to its toxicity, it is prohibited from being used in the manufacture of jewelry.
In terms of cost, lemon gold is no different from yellow gold of the same standard. So if you are offered jewelry that costs more than 585, this is a reason to be wary. Maybe, under the guise of gold, they are trying to sell you a fake or a low-quality precious metal.
What stones are suitable?
Zircon, cubic zirconia, pearls, peridot, topaz, and garnet are combined with lemon gold. It is not recommended to wear the products with jewelry of a different color, otherwise the ring or chain will resemble costume jewelry. They are combined with other lemon-colored decorations.
Lemon gold will always be in trend: if you choose jewelry of this shade, you will never regret such a purchase. The main thing is to purchase it from professional jewelers or well-known salons.
It should be remembered: the color of the precious metal is affected by the quantity and quality of the ligature. The showroom that sells jewelry should provide you with information about the alloy.
The average person often asks himself the question “what is lemon gold?” In its essence and structure, this type of metal allows us to compare it with ordinary yellow gold, which is so popular and in demand in Russia and the former USSR. These two similar alloys have almost the same percentage composition of impurities and alloys, as well as similar external indicators, which do not in any way affect the quality of the products.
The main composition of lemon gold is pure noble metal, copper and silver. The last two have approximately the same ratio in the final alloy. It is these two metals that make lemon gold quite light, giving it a characteristic appearance and color shade that cannot be confused.
Characteristics of lemon gold
This alloy has almost the same cost as standard yellow gold, and therefore its composition is equated to 585 fine metal. In the West, this alloy is considered to be 12-carat, which is no less cheap and in demand than here. The lowest values that this type of gold can have is 375. Many people mistakenly believe that the expensive 750 standard is the lemon metal, but this is absolutely not true. These two alloys have a similar appearance, but completely different composition. Lemon gold is an order of magnitude cheaper and has many additional impurities than 750 gold, where the amount of impurities reaches only 25 percent.
If you want to sell or purchase such a product, then rest assured that on average, the price for it will not be much different than for yellow or red precious metal. The average cost per gram of lemon-colored gold will be about 2500 - 3000 rubles. If we translate this cost into Ukrainian hryvnia, it will be about 450-500 hryvnia. In dollars, this amount will be 35-40 dollars. It is worth considering that lemon-colored gold, which was produced in other countries - Turkey, China, Italy, should also have the same value. Otherwise, it is low quality metal or simply an ordinary fake.
Our manufacturers most often use this alloy for cutting or producing chains, rings or earrings. These are exactly the products that should be bright, beautiful and have a rich yellow color. Often, lemon gold has repeatedly become a fashion trend of the season, not losing the same position even now.
Combination
Lemon gold products can be varied. All of them must be of high quality, seasoned, durable and bright. Precious and semi-precious stones such as pearls, garnet, peridot, topaz or quartz are best suited to this metal alloy. It is they who, more often than others, emphasize the natural noble color of such an alloy, and show it once again in the best presentable form. A little less often, cubic zirconia or zircon are combined with lemon gold.
It is better to try to wear lemon gold separately, as jewelry with other gold alloys, as it will stand out significantly against the background of other products. Often, a large accumulation of gold jewelry of different compositions and samples begins to be perceived as costume jewelry and does not see its adequate high value. In this case, you need to be aware and combine only the most suitable jewelry.
It is worth understanding that today jewelers have been able to achieve amazing effects from various alloys, producing not only lemon, red or white gold, but also blue, purple, green and pink. Such diversity should be adequately perceived by fashionistas and combined accordingly.
How to distinguish lemon gold from other metals?
If you confidently want to become the owner of just such a metal, then you need to carefully and carefully purchase it. Today, there are a huge number of fake sellers and scammers who will happily hand you any high-quality jewelry, calling it lemon gold. To prevent this from happening, you need to carefully and carefully inspect the product before purchasing.
To prevent scammers from deceiving you, forget forever about purchasing any gold items in stalls, pawn shops or street trading. (see also How to buy gold at a pawnshop) It is best to trust trusted stores or jewelry stores that value their name and cooperate only with jewelry factories or factories. Before becoming the owner of such a product, you have the right to demand from sales consultants all quality certificates and documents that confirm the legality of their trade. If everything is in order with this documentation, then you don’t have to worry about the quality of your future jewelry.
Before you pay for your purchase, do not hesitate to ask to hold it in your hands. It must be done very carefully and technologically. On it you will be able to notice with the naked eye a sample and a mark that will indicate the manufacturer. Only such indicators can guarantee you gold of the highest standard and quality.
If you don’t trust sellers, salons or documentation, you have the right to invite a professional jeweler with you who will help you make the right choice. Even if you don’t have such acquaintances, then you have the right to hire such a person for a symbolic sum, and he will adequately show you right at the point of purchase, all the pros and cons that this golden lemon product has.
Lemon gold is practically no different in appearance and composition of alloys from the yellow type of products. The price is the same as yellow, available. The only difference is in the methods of production, shades and properties.
If yellow gold contains copper, then lemon gold contains copper and silver. The latter provides a bright shade, shine and durability.
Characteristics and properties
The so-called Western-style silver gold is now popular in Russian markets. Compared with traditional copper, lemon gold is more beautiful, its luster is brighter, and the surface is smooth and dense. A light yellowish metal is in demand in jewelry and is valued no less than gold items.
Regarding the sample, there are the following varieties:
There is no pure lemon gold, since 900 and above are classified only as yellow metals. But this does not make it less valuable, because the combination of impurities amounts to a minimum amount of only 25% of the total weight of the product. The price of 1 gram varies from 30 to 40 dollars. If the ligature contains platinum, a gold ring weighing 5 grams will cost almost $500.
It is noteworthy that this product can only be found in the CIS countries: in Turkey and China there are similar analogues, but in most cases it is a fake. In Russia, a variety of such gold is also used to cover gold jewelry. This is considered possible and prestigious - instead of spraying on the coating, there is a real precious alloy made of natural metals.
Recently, jewelers have begun to use lemon gold for:
- jewelry cutting;
- making cufflinks;
- finishing of women's rings and chains;
- engraving of pendants and metal inserts.
In fact, this composition of gold is a material for giving gold products a beautiful and finished look. You can find items decorated with painting. Often rings have light-colored gemstones. The exception is white and pink diamonds - their properties are incompatible with the composition of the lemon gold alloy.
As an independent material, it is complemented with precious and semi-precious stones:
Cubic zirconia and zircon are rarely used for lemon gold jewelry. It is best to combine light and bright stones with it.
Speaking of wearing, lemon gold is not recommended to be worn with outfits in yellow and pink tones, but jewelry made from this metal will go perfectly with a red outfit. It is noteworthy that lemon color is suitable only for the female half; it is better for men to refrain from this type of product.
How to distinguish lemon gold from other metals?
The light shade of gold occupies an intermediate position between green and yellow. According to the technical characteristics, as the proportion of silver in the composition decreases, the color also changes. Without having a table with measurements or documents on the composition in front of your eyes, it is quite simple to distinguish the lemon color - you can put yellow and green samples next to each other for comparison. If there are no products, if you are not in the store, pay attention to the brand.
On the back of the ring or chain there will be a number corresponding to the ligature and alloy of gold. It is also available on other products. The metal may additionally be stamped with a percentage of nickel, silver, zinc or even platinum. Platinum greatly increases the density and strength of the product, but on the other hand, the cost also increases. The fewer additives, the brighter and lighter the gold. This applies to sample 585 gold, or 12 carats.
Expensive 18k lemon gold will look yellower than its lower cost counterpart. It's a matter of impurities and composition - the proportion of silver is much lower.
This is due to the demand for meeting quality standards. In jewelry, such metal is tested for compliance using hydrogen and heating technology. It is difficult to determine the high or low standardization of a piece of lemon gold by eye - this requires either a specialist or a technique.
On the reverse side they write the 750 sample without additional marks, as is the case with the 585 sample. The relative price varies from 80 to 120 dollars per 1 gram. With the help of a numismatist, you can determine the approximate content of other alloys, but it is better to buy products in specialized stores - samples are clearly visible, not erased, there are documents and quality certificates. For a more understandable presentation, we offer a table of lemon alloys - samples, composition, shade:
As can be seen from the table, the standard 585 lemon gold hallmark has a light shade of yellow, and there may be impurities of nickel and zinc. Silver is required for both samples. The light shade is obtained due to the presence of white metals.
Platinum is in the second alloy - 750 standard, it gives a yellowish tint, and there are no other metals in this value. So, for comparison, you can use the table or the mark, which is shown on the reverse side of each product.
It is precisely because of its stunning celestial color and beautiful shine that yellow gold has gained fame since ancient times as the most valuable precious metal. Our yellow gold has a slight reddish tint, European gold has a more delicate lemon tint. This noble metal does not tolerate duality; it cannot be confused with any other. Yellow gold speaks for itself and impresses with its luxurious aesthetics even without elaborate ornaments and precious stones.
"Four nines" - 999.9 - the highest standard gold. It is used as a base for jewelry alloys and the production of gold leaf. Jewelry made from 999 gold is very rare; you will not find them in the windows of jewelry stores. It is used to make bank bullion.
The gold jewelry alloy acquires its rich yellow color as a result of the addition of copper and silver. It should be noted that “engagement” 958 gold is no different in color from “four nines” gold. Cold yellow color is characteristic of 750 gold, which contains up to 17% alloyed silver. 14k gold is a warmer yellow color. The alloy contains 13.5% copper and up to 28% silver. And the brightest yellow color (egg yellow) comes from 22.75% copper alloy. Lemon-colored gold also has a 585 standard and is pale in color. Zinc can also give a yellowish-green tint to jewelry gold. The lowest grade yellow gold is 375, it contains silver, copper and 4% palladium.
Today, white gold is especially popular. White gold jewelry looks particularly sophisticated, pretentious and stylish. The products very favorably emphasize the unique beauty of diamonds and precious stones of cool shades. White gold jewelry alloys are divided into expensive ones - with noble alloying additives (platinum, silver, palladium) and cheaper ones - with base alloys. The alloy of gold and platinum is quite expensive. Platinum imparts high strength and hardness. She is the “record holder” for bleaching gold. To produce platinum white gold, only 8% platinum in the alloy is sufficient. White gold with a platinum content of up to 9.5% is used to set large diamonds.
Alloys with palladium are much cheaper, but have similar properties. White gold "palladium" 585 - multi-component. More numerous types of white gold - 750 samples.
Red gold is a favorite alloy for creating beautiful, practical and inexpensive jewelry. Copper gives it a variety of shades - from rose gold to bright red. 18k rose gold is 75% pure gold, 12.5% silver, 12.5% copper. At 585, the rose gold alloy has 9% silver and 32% copper.
Green gold is an unconventional jewelry alloy that is achieved by adding silver. The beautiful green hue is demonstrated by the 585 alloy with a silver content of about 42%.
Black (blackened) gold is a triumph of jewelry technology. The characteristics of black gold jewelry are worthy of high praise. Jewelry looks very beautiful and impressive, especially in combination with diamonds. There are several technologies for producing black gold. Black irradiation - a gold product is coated with a micro-thin rhodium “mirror” using the galvanic method. Or they alloy pure gold with cobalt and chromium in certain parts, then subject it to high-heat oxidation.
Today, a special trend in jewelry is products that combine gold of different colors. This type of decoration looks very original, beautiful, giving the product a special exclusivity.
Yellow gold - what is it? It is unlikely that any of us does not know the answer to this question. After all, this is a time-tested classic that will never go out of fashion. This metal cannot be confused with any other; jewelry made from it is relevant at all times.
Yellow gold (photos are in the article) is a noble metal that is not affected by high temperatures, moisture or air.
Properties of gold
In nature, this metal is found in the form of grains that are embedded in quartz and in quartz sand. Gold has high ductility and malleability. When clean, it is very soft and can be easily cut with a knife. Products made from pure gold are quite fragile and break easily. It is the only precious metal that has a naturally bright yellow color. High shine is its characteristic feature. Gold is highly plastic; in the production of jewelry, in order to improve its physical characteristics, impurities and other metals are added to it, which are called alloys.
What is gold purity?
Gold fineness is the ratio of the amount of pure gold and alloy (impurity) in the alloy. Copper and silver are considered the best impurities. In our country, it is customary to assign numerical values of fineness to gold products. This value indicates the number of parts of this metal in 1000 parts of the alloy. For example, if a product is 750, this means that 1000 g of the alloy contains 750 g of pure gold.
14k yellow gold: alloy composition
Based on gold. Additional components (ligatures) in it are silver and copper. 14k yellow gold has the following composition: pure gold - 58.5%, other metals - 41.5%. The color of the product is influenced by the number of these elements. In the countries of the former USSR, more copper was used, which caused the alloy to take on a reddish tint. In Europe, preference was given to silver. Therefore, the shade of European gold is more lemony. It should also be noted that due to the composition of the alloy, yellow gold, which is produced in the territory of the former USSR, has a higher strength compared to European gold. The original color is yellow, but since this metal is quite soft, products made of pure gold are made only in Japan. In this country, it is customary to use gold in almost pure form for the production of jewelry. To ensure that precious items do not lose their original appearance, they are worn extremely rarely and carefully stored in specially designed cases. The test does not depend on color. The most common in our country is yellow gold, followed by 750 alloy. Samples such as 500, 375, 583 are quite rare today.
Other jewelry alloys
Yellow gold loses its original appearance over time and begins to tarnish. This happens because the impurities of other metals that give strength to the product oxidize and change color over time. In order to restore the attractiveness and luxury of your jewelry, you can clean it.
Cleaning gold using water, ammonia and washing powder
Pour a glass of water into a deep container, add a tablespoon of detergent and a teaspoon of ammonium hydroxide (ammonia). Mix the mixture thoroughly until the powder is completely dissolved. Place the jewelry in the resulting mixture for two hours, then rinse well with running water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Cleaning gold with dish soap
In order to clean yellow gold, add a teaspoon of detergent to a glass of water and mix thoroughly. Place a piece of soft cloth at the bottom of the container with the resulting mixture. Place gold jewelry in the solution and place the container on low heat. Boil the liquid for at least 10 minutes, then rinse the products with running water and dry with a lint-free cloth.
Cleaning gold using liquid soap and hydrogen peroxide
Pour a glass of non-hot water into a deep container, add (40 ml), a teaspoon of ammonium hydroxide and immerse the jewelry in the resulting solution for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and wipe dry.
Cleaning gold with salt
Add table salt (3 tablespoons) to hot water (half a glass). Immerse jewelry in the solution overnight. Then rinse with running water and dry with a soft towel.
Gold jewelry is always prestigious and noble. Yellow gold is an all-time classic.