Gold Design Gold Jewelry Properties 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A customer wants a hypoallergenic gold ring. Which option is safest for sensitive skin?
- Nickel white gold
- Palladium white gold (Correct answer)
- Low-karat gold with high nickel
- Gold-plated brass
Correct answer: Palladium white gold
Palladium white gold avoids nickel, a common allergen.
Question 2: What is gold filled jewelry?
- Solid gold throughout
- A thick gold layer mechanically bonded to a base metal (Correct answer)
- Hollow gold
- Painted gold color
Correct answer: A thick gold layer mechanically bonded to a base metal
Gold filled has a bonded gold layer that is much thicker than plating.
Question 3: Which property makes gold ideal for crafting intricate filigree designs?
- Brittleness
- Malleability and ductility (Correct answer)
- Magnetism
- Low melting point only
Correct answer: Malleability and ductility
Gold can be hammered thin and drawn into fine wire without breaking.
Question 4: Vermeil jewelry is defined as gold over which base?
- Copper
- Sterling silver (Correct answer)
- Brass
- Stainless steel
Correct answer: Sterling silver
Vermeil requires a sterling silver base with a gold layer.
Question 5: Why might a jeweler choose 14K over 24K for a setting holding a diamond?
- It looks more yellow
- It grips the stone more securely due to greater hardness (Correct answer)
- It is cheaper to polish
- It is lighter
Correct answer: It grips the stone more securely due to greater hardness
Harder 14K prongs hold gemstones more securely than soft pure gold.
Question 6: What causes some white gold rings to need re-plating over time?
- The gold evaporates
- The rhodium plating wears off revealing a yellowish tint (Correct answer)
- It rusts
- It shrinks
Correct answer: The rhodium plating wears off revealing a yellowish tint
White gold is often rhodium-plated, and that coating wears with use.
Question 7: Approximately how much pure gold is in a 10K item?
- 41.7% (Correct answer)
- 58.3%
- 75%
- 90%
Correct answer: 41.7%
10K is 10/24 gold, about 41.7% pure.
Gold Design Gold Jewelry Properties 3
A customer wants a hypoallergenic gold ring.
Which option is safest for sensitive skin?