What are gold samples - classification, color influence, photo examples

Almost everyone has gold jewelry. This is a classic gift for relatives for an anniversary, wedding. Having twisted the product in their hands, people discover the treasured sample and calm down. Engraved numbers are taken as confirmation of genuine gold, and few people are interested in what exactly they mean and what other markings are.

What is a test?

Gold is a soft metal, with a hardness of only 2.5 on the Mohs scale. A ring made of pure yellow metal can be deformed if squeezed between fingers with little force. However, gold things are worn daily, passed from one generation to another, and their appearance is perfect. The secret lies in additives - ligatures. The practice of adding non-noble impurities to noble metals is aimed at increasing the strength characteristics of the former. Additives may be present in different proportions. The brand determines the presence of a ligature, or, more precisely, how much pure gold is in the material.

There are 4 marking classifications:

• carat;
• lot;
• spool;
• metric.

In modern life, a metric classification is used to designate the purity of gold. It is she who is indicated on objects by a series of three numbers.

Types of gold tests

In the Russian Empire, spool standards were used to assess the quality of gold.They existed for almost two hundred years, the numbering consisted of only two digits. On gold items made in the early 18th century, you can see the hallmark, for example, 36 or 92. The marking was based on a measure of weight, 1 spool equaled 1/96 of a pound. Translated into the metric manner of sealing, 36 spools are comparable to modern 385 marks, 56 spools - 585 marks, and so on. The hallmark of 94 spools is comparable to 980 gold, but it is no longer used.

The lot system, like the spool system, was also cancelled. It was popular in Western Europe in the Middle Ages. The mass of gold was measured in marks, a mark unit was equal to 16 lots. There were five lot samples (6, 8, 12, 14 and 16 lots).

To convert to the metric system, a simple formula is used: the number of lots is multiplied by 62.5. It turns out that 6 lots correspond to modern 375 samples, 8 lots - 500 samples, and so on.

The carat system is based on a non-systemic unit of mass. One carat equals 0.2 grams. This is the weight of a carob pod. It was he who was chosen to denote the mass of precious stones and pearls. One gram of gold is equal to 5 carats.

In the US and Europe, the carat system is used to assess the quality of gold items.

The essence of marking is based on the understanding that the product is divided into twenty-four parts. For example, one kilogram of gold is represented by 24 carats, and a mark is placed on the item indicating the presence of pure gold. The 18K sample means that out of 24 parts of the material, 18 parts (i.e. 75%) are pure gold. If this value is multiplied by a thousand and divided by 24, then you get a 750 sample in the metric system, which means the presence of 750 grams of natural gold in the alloy.

Which test is better?

From the point of view of the cost of jewelry, the 999 sample is considered the best.It is applied in cases where there are no alloying components at all. On the practical side, this brand cannot be the best, since pure noble metal is a very soft material and objects made from it can be damaged with minimal effort. The ligature is not just added. It gives the noble metal hardness and resistance to damage.

Experienced jewelers who know a lot about gold argue that the 750 mark is the most practical. It contains nickel, silver, copper and platinum. These metals add optimal properties to jewelry, the metal can be melted down and create new masterpieces.

Mark 585 is considered the most popular among the population. 90% of all gold jewelry (rings, earrings, bracelets, chains) are made from it. Things made of this metal are quite practical, suitable for daily wear and have an affordable price.

The ratio of color and sample

The color of gold items is not always constant. Dopants add their own shades in the same way as they affect the mechanical properties. Silver adds hints of green, while platinum acts as a bleach. Items under the same brand may differ in color and shades.

In gold things 333 brands, the color varies from orange to red. This wide range is caused by different percentages of silver and copper. A thing can even have a pink tint in the presence of 200 g of silver and 467 g of copper (per 1 kg of alloy).

Items marked 583 are yellow, green, red. Dependence is also determined by the content of silver and copper.

Things 750 brand have yellow, pink shades depending on silver and copper, as well as white when replacing copper with nickel.

What samples of gold are there in Russia?

In Russia and the CIS countries, the metric system for determining the quality of gold is used.

The marking shows how much pure gold is contained in the alloy from which the product is made. Officially, 7 stamps are issued on the territory of the Russian Federation. The most common 585, most of the assortment on the jewelry market is made from it. The rest of the samples are used less often, have a high cost and are purchased for demonstrating status or for a private collection.

Marking 750 is popular among the upper strata of society, not only in Russia, but throughout the world. It is in this alloy that the ligature is chosen so well that the alloy has excellent external characteristics and favorable mechanical properties (strong, elastic, hard, well remelted). Products bearing the 750 stamp never wear out, do not lose color, and are highly valued in the market.

In Russia, consumers prefer gold with the hallmark 585. The characteristics of the alloy are not worse than the 750 mark, but they are much cheaper. Jewelry with this marking is sold in all small jewelry stores, there are more than one copy in every family and are called mass.

How to see the sample on the products?

To consider the coveted three numbers, you need to arm yourself with a magnifying glass. Even a person with good eyesight can find it difficult to find the marking, as it is deliberately placed in a place hidden from the human eye in order not to spoil the beautiful image of the decoration. On rings, the mark can be found on the inside, touching the finger. On earrings and chains, the brand is hidden on the lock. Very small font is used, it will be difficult to read it without a magnifying glass.

Disadvantages of products from low samples

Jewelery labeled 375 to 500 are low value.This alloy is not particularly revered by jewelers, calling it base. The main disadvantage lies in the color, because more than half of the weight is occupied by ligatures. With such a percentage of noble metal and impurities, the material simply cannot be saturated yellow. Things often have a distinct green color due to silver, or reddish due to high copper content. Labor-intensive jewelry is not made from such alloys due to inexpediency.

Gold in its purest form is a rather impractical material. Gold jewelry is made from alloys with the addition of alloying components. Additives can have different percentages relative to pure gold. For this reason, there was a need for branding. Samples help determine the amount of noble material in the alloy.

Photo gallery of different samples of gold