Gold Design Gold Purity and Alloys 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What metals are typically added to yellow gold to create white gold?
- Copper and zinc
- Palladium and/or silver (or nickel in older alloys) (Correct answer)
- Iron and platinum
- Chromium and manganese
Correct answer: Palladium and/or silver (or nickel in older alloys)
White gold is created by alloying gold with white metals such as palladium, silver, or historically nickel, then often rhodium plated.
Question 2: What is 'gold vermeil' and what distinguishes it from standard gold plating?
- Vermeil is a higher karat solid gold
- Vermeil is gold plating at least 10k gold over sterling silver, at least 2.5 microns thick (Correct answer)
- Vermeil uses platinum instead of gold
- Vermeil uses 24k gold over any base metal
Correct answer: Vermeil is gold plating at least 10k gold over sterling silver, at least 2.5 microns thick
Gold vermeil is defined by the FTC as at least 10k gold plated to a minimum 2.5 micron thickness over sterling silver.
Question 3: Why does 18k white gold sometimes appear slightly yellowish over time without rhodium plating?
- The gold oxidizes and turns yellow
- The white metals in the alloy wear away, revealing more of the yellow gold content (Correct answer)
- The piece absorbs body oils that add color
- The plating converts to gold color under UV light
Correct answer: The white metals in the alloy wear away, revealing more of the yellow gold content
As rhodium plating wears off, the underlying 18k white gold alloy — still 75% yellow gold — shows its natural warm tint.
Question 4: What karat gold is most commonly used for fine jewelry in the United States?
- 10 karat
- 14 karat (Correct answer)
- 18 karat
- 22 karat
Correct answer: 14 karat
14k gold (58.3% gold) is the most popular choice for fine jewelry in the US, balancing gold content, durability, and affordability.
Question 5: What is the hallmark for 14k gold in the US marking system?
- 585 (Correct answer)
- 750
- 417
- 916
Correct answer: 585
14k gold carries the hallmark 585, representing 585 parts per 1,000 (58.5%) pure gold in the European/international system.
Question 6: Which gold alloy is preferred for detailed casting due to its lower melting point and good flow characteristics?
- 24k pure gold
- 22k gold
- 14k or 18k gold alloys (Correct answer)
- Gold-filled metal
Correct answer: 14k or 18k gold alloys
14k and 18k gold alloys have better casting properties than higher-karat golds — they flow more readily and produce sharper detail.
Gold Design Gold Purity and Alloys 2
What metals are typically added to yellow gold to create white gold?