The Everlasting Appeal Of Gold Wedding Rings
There is no so thing as gold fever, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA). It is not a legitimate or diagnosable mental disorder. But it has been around for thousands of years. Most people know that gold rushes helped spur immigration and permanent settlement in the American West, particularly in California. However, few are aware of the fact that gold rushes were fairly common in ancient times. As far back as the Roman Empire, when gold mining was in its infancy, large groups of people risked their lives, fortunes and families in the hope they might locate the elusive element.
What is the appeal?
Gold has been used as a decorative metal for over six thousand years. Because it is the most malleable and ductile metal on earth—a single ounce can be beaten into a sheet of 300 square meters—jewelers have always preferred it to the other precious metals. In the hands of a true master, gold can be used to create ornaments of incredible intricacy and detail.
The reason consumers like gold is much simpler. It is attractive and no other metal looks anything like it. Gold has an alluring yellowish luster, while most other precious metals are grayish, whitish, silvery or some combination of the three.
Before buying any article of jewelery that contains gold it is important to understand how gold is measured and how that affects its price. All gold ornaments are stamped 9kt, 14kt, 18kt or 24kt. The carat is not a measure of weight, but rather of the gold content of the metal. The most popular cart or ct used in jewelery in the United States is 18kt, which contains exactly 75 percent gold and 25 percent other metal alloys, typically copper and/or zinc. Alloys are added to increase the strength of the gold, since it is a soft metal and is therefore difficult to work with in its pure form.
Gold is also available in three different colors. A ring like the 14K Gold Octagonal Design Wedding Band comes in yellow and white gold. Though yellow is obviously the natural color of the element, when mixed with white metal alloys like platinum or palladium, gold takes on a silvery-white luster. There is also rose gold, which is sometimes used in engagement rings.
What truly sets gold apart from the other precious metals is when it is used to create highly detailed, intricate works of wearable art that contain classic design features. The Engraved Wedding Band with Milgrain Edge is a perfect example of this. It has milgrain beading on the borders and a detailed center section with an attractive floral pattern.
Finding the perfect gold ring is easy with the help of the internet and a reputable online jeweler.
