As more people strive to achieve individuality and self-expression, many are looking into custom jewelry. There are many gem dealers in Salt Lake City such as AAA Jewelers. Most people prefer to have unique designs with classic materials such as gold.
Gold is a favorite metal for a lot of reasons, especially when it comes to investment. According to Investopedia, it can hold its value for an extended period. Its worth also tends to adjust based on inflation. When the cost of living goes up, so does its value.
As jewelry, it allows people to own a piece of the precious metal for a much lower price. It is also an asset that’s easy to pass on to the future generations.
The Process of Making Gold Jewelry
The process begins by choosing the right type of gold. The gold standard (no pun intended) is 24 karat. It is the highest level of purity for the metal. In reality, it is rare to find 24K jewelry.
Gold can look tough, but it is actually very malleable. It is prone to breakage or brittleness. Jewelers, thus, tend to make pieces out of a gold alloy. It means they add another metal to it. Some of the common options include the following:
- Palladium
- Copper
- Zinc
- Nickel
- Silver
The type of alloy and its percentage can help create different kinds of gold jewelry that people see today. They can also provide additional characteristics to the piece.
For instance, 22K gold will have about 2% alloy while the rest is pure gold. When a jeweler uses more copper, they can produce rose or pink gold. To make white gold, they combine palladium with pure gold.
Using nickel lets the jewelers create various shapes while increasing the piece’s flexibility or strength. It is also a very cheap alloy, so it drives the cost of the jewelry down.
Once the customer has decided the kind of gold they want, the jeweler then proceeds to the manufacturing process. The first step is heating the materials to a certain temperature. The purpose is to soften them, so they are easy to form or mold.
It then passes through a machine to create sheets or thin wires. Some might pour them into molds. From this, the jeweler can decide to create the design by hand or equipment. Due to the craftsmanship involved, handmade ones are more expensive. To incorporate other designs, the jeweler uses different techniques, such as soldering or electroplating.
The last stage involves cleaning and polishing. It goes through machines that remove dust or dirt that is too small for the naked eye. Polishing helps bring out the color and brilliance of the metals.
In the end, producing high-quality gold jewelry takes some time. It requires the most exquisite craftsmanship, technical knowledge, and deep understanding of what the customer wants. However, there is no doubt that the wait is worth it. If you want to purchase many beautiful pieces of jewelry, you should only get them from reliable gem dealers. That way, you can avoid being swindled.
