Gold Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Jewelry === [[File:MocheGoldNecklace.jpg|thumb|[[Moche (culture)|Moche]] gold necklace depicting feline heads. [[Larco Museum]] Collection, [[Lima, Peru]].]] [[File:Boule de Genève, ca. 1890.jpeg|thumb|A 21.5k yellow gold pendant [[watch]] so-called "[[Boule de Genève]]" (Geneva ball), {{Circa|1890}}.]] Because of the softness of pure (24k) gold, it is usually [[alloy]]ed with other metals for use in jewelry, altering its hardness and ductility, melting point, color and other properties. Alloys with lower [[fineness#Karat|karat rating]], typically 22k, 18k, 14k or 10k, contain higher percentages of copper, silver, palladium or other base metals in the alloy.<ref name="utilisegold">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080619061619/http://www.utilisegold.com/jewellery_technology/colours/colour_alloys/ Jewellery Alloys]. World Gold Council</ref><!--Is there a better ref?--> Nickel is toxic, and its release from nickel white gold is controlled by legislation in Europe.<ref name="utilisegold" /> Palladium-gold alloys are more expensive than those using nickel.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W_hTAAAAMAAJ |title=Professional goldsmithing: a contemporary guide to traditional jewelry techniques |last=Revere |first=Alan |date=1 May 1991 |publisher=Van Nostrand Reinhold |isbn=978-0-442-23898-8}}</ref> High-karat white gold alloys are more resistant to corrosion than are either pure silver or [[sterling silver]]. The Japanese craft of [[Mokume-gane]] exploits the color contrasts between laminated colored gold alloys to produce decorative wood-grain effects. By 2014, the gold jewelry industry was escalating despite a dip in gold prices. Demand in the first quarter of 2014 pushed turnover to $23.7 billion according to a [[World Gold Council]] report. Gold [[solder]] is used for joining the components of gold jewelry by high-temperature hard soldering or [[brazing]]. If the work is to be of [[hallmark]]ing quality, the gold solder alloy must match the fineness of the work, and alloy formulas are manufactured to color-match yellow and white gold. Gold solder is usually made in at least three melting-point ranges referred to as Easy, Medium and Hard. By using the hard, high-melting point solder first, followed by solders with progressively lower melting points, goldsmiths can assemble complex items with several separate soldered joints. Gold can also be made into [[gold thread|thread]] and used in [[embroidery]]. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page