Precious Metals: Pink or Rose Gold jewelry
Rose Gold (Pink Gold) Jewellery
Source: Man-Made Alloy
So-called "rose gold, "pink gold" or "colored gold" does not occur in nature but is actually a pure 'yellow gold' and copper alloy that is widely used for specialized jewelry, and is prized for its reddish color tint. This reddish tint works well with certain fair skin tones, and it has a unique quality that stands apart from its more commonly used yellow counterpart.
Because rose gold is an alloy, the terms "pure rose gold," "pure red gold," or "pure white gold" are misleading and innacurate. Pure gold (24k) is always yellow, and pure copper (Cu - Latin: cuprum) is a brick red color. The highest carat version of rose gold is 22 karat, which is also known as "crown gold." 18 karat rose gold may be made of 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper, but typically the ratio is around 25 percent copper and 4 percent silver.
Creating the rose gold alloy |
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The karat value is determined by the mixing ratio which is divided into 24 equal parts. 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy creates 18 carat, and 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy creates 14 carat gold. The ratio of mixing proportions is infinitely variable, and therefor so to is the "karat" value and color.
Typically, 14 carat rose gold is slightly softer than 14 carat yellow gold due to the increased amount of the softer metal copper. So-called "red gold" is sometimes found in the Middle East may contain as much as 40 percent copper. There is also a "green gold" which is made by adding only silver to the pure gold. Grey golds are alloyed but adding silver, copper and manganese.
Rose gold is a soft metal similar to yellow gold which has a hardness of 2.5 on the Mohs scale, with a Vickers Hardness (VHN or HV) of 120. Rose gold has a melting point of around 1064.18 C (1947.52 F or 1337.33 K).
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