Sunday, July 26, 2009

How to identify the Purity of Gold?

Not many of us might know that what we might perceive as pure gold in the form of coins, jewelry, or showpieces could, in fact, have other impurities as well, and no, we are not talking about the necessary impurities that are added to make the article stronger (the reason why jewelry is available in 22 karat and not 24 karat), but excessive forms of impurities to increase the seller's margin and to increase the weight of the gold item being sold as well. Following are some tests to help you check the purity of the gold item you are about to purchase, or have purchased.


The Sink and Float Test:

Gold is a heavy metal, and it is quite obvious that when placed in a tub or bucket of water, the article in question should sink to the bottom. However, there are lighter alloys as well that are added, so it basically depends on the size of the item. If it is a gold earring or coin, this test might not prove to be the most fool-proof one, but in case of heavier items like necklaces and showpieces, this test is a preliminary necessity.


The Magnet Test:

Gold is not attracted to magnets, but some of its alloys are. Hence, if you bring a magnet close to the item and it instantly grabs hold of the article, it means that the percentage of alloy in the item has a tendency of being more than required. But again, this is also totally depending on the size of the article, and its stated purity (An 18 karat item would definitely have a higher amount of alloys as compared to a 22 karat item).


The Rub Test:

A rather unusual test, it requires you to rub a little foundation on the back of your wrist, followed by a few brush strokes of powder, and rub the gold item on it. Real gold tends to show black marks, whereas a fake artifact would not.


The Acid Test:


If the item comes in contact with nitric acid and does not show any change, then it is definitely pure gold (24 karats). If it turns green, then it is a fake for sure. If it turns slightly green, then there is a certain percentage of alloys, which may be acceptable depending on the item. And if the nitric acid turns into milky froth, then either it is mixed with silver or vermeil.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Gold – The Asset That Is Worth More Than You Can Imagine

Gold has multiple uses the most common are as cosmetic jewelry and as an investment asset. These days, many are considering gold as a primary investment option.

Investment in gold has been a practice for 5,000 years, people consider gold to be a hedge for their personal wealth during times of inflation. At several points societies used gold as the actual medium of exchange instead of paper currency. I personally find it to be a very useful investment, I feel comfortable knowing I can get cash anytime by selling it.

When I wanted to buy gold I found a large number of places that sold gold, Gold idols are also a new trend nowadays.

Gold has historically been used in jewelry, but in more recent decades in the United States this trend has been on the decline. The biggest consumers of gold are currently industry and dentistry, totaling 11% of total demand. Gold is suitable for industry because of its malleability, its resistance to corrosion and excellence in conducting electricity. These features make it an important component of televisions and computers development.

When we talk about gold, we often don't know that there is a difference between normal gold and pure gold. Usually, pure gold is very soft and it is combined with some metals to make jewelry. The best thing about the gold jewelries is that they are easy to maintain and very durable. Gold comes in different shapes and colors based on the metal combined with it.

When we think about gifting something precious to our loved ones, then gold jewels can be a wonderful and memorable gift. Gold chains are a common form of jewelry as that Americans wear gold chains not only for beauty, but as a symbol to show their status. Recently, machine made gold jewelry has been introduced, which is considered to be much better than the handmade jewelry. The basic difference between handmade and machine made jewelry is that handmade jewelry is made by hand, where as a machine made jewelry is made by using a machine.

Gone are the days when you used to go out in to the local market to buy gold jewelry, Nowadays there are many websites which are offering gold online, you can just log on to the website.


Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Sell your old gold online

There are so many uses for gold that it might take a book to explain each one in detail. Gold is most commonly thought to be used for jewelry and collecting, but in actuality, a large amount of the gold in the world is of course, used for investing in.

The best thing to raise some extra money is to sell your old gold jewelry. Most of you might be having some which you don't wear at all due to various reasons, as it's obsolete now or you can say its old fashioned. I think the best way to raise some cash is sell that gold jewelry. What's the point in keeping the jewelry in your cupboards when it's of no use? Instead, if you can get some good value for that, I seriously assume that you would hardly have any objection to the same.

When you will go out in the market, you will find that there is large number of shops that will buy your old gold from you. However, what would you do if there are no shops near you, or you do not get the price which you quoted? In such a case, you are left with no option but to sell your gold online.

If you want to sell your gold jewelry online, the best procedure is to visit the company's website and make a request. There are a large number of companies which offer this service. You can just log on to the website of the company and can quote your price. If the company likes your jewelry, then they will contact you.

The best part is that you don't have to roam around here and there to sell your jewelry, you can simply sell it buy sitting at your home, isn't it great?

There is one problem particularly with companies paying well below the agreed price of the goods. You can avoid this simply following certain steps:

  • Before making any transaction you should always make sure that the website has a contact number and full address.
  • Always ring the company to reassure yourself they are legitimate.
  • You should always make sure that the website has an online gold calculator that you can use to get an idea of the value of your items.
  • You should only deal with companies that send you a fully insured envelope to return your items.
  • Make sure that the company promises to send out a check immediately as they receive your items.
  • The best gold buying companies offer an online tracking facility so you are always aware of just what stage your transaction is at.

If you will follow these steps, you won't have to face any problem in selling your old jewelry.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Many Uses of Gold

Since the beginning of recorded time, investment in gold has been a common practice. In addition to being a metal that has long been appreciated for its value in terms of being an ornament, people have long considered it one of the most valuable assets to hold their personal wealth.

Gold has historically been used in jewelry, though in recent decades in the United States this trend has been on the decline. The biggest consumers of this metal are currently industry and dentistry, totaling 11% of total demand. It is suitable for industry because of its malleability, its resistance to corrosion, and excellence in conducting electricity. These features make it an important component of televisions and computers.

Gold is a very popular item around the world, and has a variety of different normal uses by different cultures. There are so many uses for it that it might take a book to explain each one in detail. Gold is most commonly thought to be used for jewelry and collecting, but in actuality, a large amount of the gold in the world is used for investing.

When we talk about gold, we often start at a point where we don't know that there is a difference between commercial gold and pure gold. Usually, pure gold is very soft and is combined with some metals to make jewelry. The best thing about gold jewelry is that they are easy to maintain and are durable. Gold comes in different shapes and color based on the other metals it is combined with during melting. When we talk of measuring its purity, gold is measured in grams and its prices are fixed depending on its purity, weight and make. If we go for designer gold jewelry, it is somewhat costlier for their unique features that hold intrinsic value. Even though there are fluctuations in prices, popularity has still placed it in demand as a precious item. There is a wide variety of gold jewelry including but not limited to, chains, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, earrings, anklets, rings etc.

When we think about giving something precious to our loved ones then gold jewels can be a wonderful and memorable gift. Among gold jewels, gold chains rank the highest position in sales. Every woman in the world wants to wear a gold chain not only for beauty, but as a symbol of status. In recent years machine made gold jewelry has taken off, it is often considered to be much better than the handmade jewelry. The designs made by a machine made gold jewelry are very beautiful, and the standard are precise. This technology has also given plenty of gemstones embedded gold jewelry flexibility to match any color.

Gone are the days when you used to go out in the market and buy gold jewelery. Now a days there are many sites which are offering gold online, you can just log on to the web site, where you will find a catalog consisting of all the gold items with their prices.


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