If you want to buy a gold necklace, there are some things you need to consider first. You need to decide whether the chain should be gold-plated, gold-filled, solid or hollow. You also need to figure out what karat you want, the type of the links of the chain and the length. In this post, we will explain all you need to know before buying a gold necklace.
Before you choose your gold necklace, you need to know the difference between gold-filled, gold-plated and solid gold jewelry. A solid gold necklace is just that – a jewelry piece made completely out of gold. Solid gold jewelry is very soft and very expensive. You will find that many jewelers work with this metal upon special requests with a deposit.
Gold-filled jewelry is made of a layer of gold, which is mechanically bonded with heat and pressure to some other material. This other material is usually brass. Gold-filled pieces are resistant to tarnishing, since the outside gold layer is thick enough to prevent oxidation of the inner material. The gold content of such jewelry pieces must be at least 1/20th of the total weight and the gold itself must be no less than 10 karat in purity.
Gold-plated jewelry is made with a base metal, which goes through a series of processes and is eventually dipped into a bath of electroplating solution, which contains gold. Then, an electric current is applied and an electrochemical reaction occurs, depositing a thin layer of gold onto the metal. Gold-plated jewelry contains a very small percentage of gold and is prone to tarnishing. The thin layer of gold also wears off pretty quickly and your gold chain will need to be re-plated to restore its color.
You can also choose a gold necklace with a solid or hollow chain. Hollow chains are much lighter and less expensive, but they can easily break or dent, making it nearly impossible to repair. So if you choose a hollow chain, you need to be very careful while you’re wearing it.
When choosing a gold necklace, you need to figure out what karat you want. Keep in mind that the purer the gold, the softer and less durable it will be. So if you want a jewelry piece to wear every day, skip the 22 and the 20 karat pieces. However, if you’re allergic to nickel, a low-karat gold necklace may cause you problems, since many gold alloys contain nickel and the lower the gold purity, the more nickel the piece will contain. In this case, you should choose a 14 or 18 karat gold jewelry.
When you’re looking at a gold necklace, pay attention to the type of link for the chain, since this will determine how durable the piece is. Flat chains are more prone to twisting. Snake chains are more likely to catch on your clothes and twist, which could be very hard or even impossible to repair. You may consider a box chain or a wheat chain, because they are both sturdy and relatively flexible. The Figaro chain, the mariner chain, the anchor chain, the curb chain and the rope chain are also good choices.
To choose the chain length of your gold necklace, decide where you want it to sit – on your collarbone, upper chest or loosely on your lower chest. If you’re going to wear a pendant, consider its size too.
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Tags: chain, gold nechlace, Jewelry, piece
