Red gold - sample, impurities, application
Today not everyone knows what red gold is. As the name suggests, people most often think of it as a metal with a red tint.
In order to understand what kind of material this is and what the fineness of red gold is, it is worth understanding how this term appeared.
What is red gold?
The name has roots dating back to pre-revolutionary times, when gold coins were in use. The most popular was the ten-ruble coin, which was called the chervonets. It was made from a highly purified gold alloy - the share of metal in the alloy exceeded 90%.
At the same time, cheaper material was used to make jewelry with the addition of various alloying components. This made it possible to simplify processing, achieve different shades of decoration, and change the melting point and ductility.
But the rich part of the population sought to have jewelry made of high-quality material. For this, they sacrificed gold ten-ruble coins, giving them to be melted down. This is how the name “red gold” appeared, that is, a precious metal with a minimal amount of impurities.
As for the opinion that gold is called red because of its red hue, it also has some basis. The Russian noble alloy contained copper, which already at 15% gives a bright red color.
Gold mining
The purity of red gold largely depends on the deposit of the rock. Initially, it is mined in metal form, as nuggets or sand. Here the sample can have a wide range. To increase it, the extracted material must be purified.
Gold mining can be carried out in three ways:
- Amalgamation is one of the oldest methods of extracting precious material. The method consists of adding mercury to the rock, crushed to grains. It envelops the gold grains, thereby separating them from other impurities. Subsequently, the mercury is separated from the total mass, and then the gold mass is separated from the mercury. The resulting alloy does not have a high enough standard. To obtain pure metal, it is necessary to carry out other methods of purification or apply it in areas where the obtained sample of the precious metal is sufficient.
- The most popular method of producing pure gold at large mining plants is cyanidation. To do this, the gold-bearing mixture is dissolved in hydrocyanic acid salts. After this, it is released from this solution. The resulting sample of gold alloy is quite high. The amount of precious metal is 95% or higher. This allows this material to be used to create bank coins.
- Refining involves the separation of precious metal from polymetallic ore. The extracted material is crushed into small pieces, then fired and combined into an alloy with zinc. After which sulfuric and nitric acids are added, which completely separate the gold alloy from the rest of the mass.
With the help of refining, you can obtain high-grade gold, up to 999.
Alloying metals
When making an alloy, various metals are added to gold, which are called alloys. This is done in order to give the noble alloy the necessary qualities:
- A shade of red indicates the presence of copper impurities in the alloy. If the color is saturated, it is not red, since the amount of ligature in it exceeds the permissible value (less than 10%). Copper gives gold strength without changing its elastic properties. But wear resistance and corrosion resistance are reduced;
- By adding silver, you can increase the hardness of the alloy while maintaining its ductility and malleability. In addition, it lowers the melting temperature of this noble metal. Silver gives it a green or white tint;
- platinum changes the color of gold even at a small content. For example, adding only 8% metal to an alloy makes it white. Platinum increases the melting point significantly;
- Thanks to the addition of nickel, the strength and ductility of the precious metal can be increased. The color becomes pale yellow;
- You can change the color of gold from yellow to white using palladium. To do this, 10% metal impurity can be added to the alloy. This does not change the malleability of the alloy;
- the addition of zinc reduces the melting point and hardness of the alloy;
- cadmium acts on the precious alloy in a similar way, but its elasticity is retained when added.
Application
By adding alloying metals you can not only change the color of gold, but also improve its durability. Since the red material itself is quite fragile, and therefore is practically not used in jewelry.
Most often, such gold-containing material is used to make investment bars, as well as bank coins.
The noble material of high standard is resistant to corrosion, which is why it is used in the electrical industry. It is used to treat contacts in order to protect them from oxidation. In this case, the current conductivity does not decrease.
Scarlet gold is also widely used in the chemical industry, as it is an excellent catalyst.
Sample and cost
In Russia, fineness is the number of grams of precious metal per 1 kg of alloy. For example, gold purity 585 means that 1 kg of alloy contains 585 g of pure gold. In America and some other countries, fineness is measured in carats.
The price per gram of gold depends on the purity. Scarlet metal has a purity of at least 916. The highest purity is 999. This means that 1 kg of the alloy contains only 1% of impurities. And therefore its price is quite high. The cost of the precious metal can be seen in the table.
SamplePrice for 1 gram in rubles916 | 2100 |
958 | 2200 |
980 | 2300 |
999 | 2400 |
How much red gold costs, the price of which per 1 gram depends on its quotation at international auctions, can be found out at bank branches or at a pawnshop. But we can say unequivocally that it cannot be lower than the cost of silver and higher than the price per gram of platinum or palladium.
The price of red metal is affected not only by its exchange rate at auction, but also by the form in which it is found. For example, material in cans in the form of ingots with a stamp will cost much more than what is accepted in pawn shops as scrap.
Jewelry made of gold of the same standard will also have different prices. Here everything depends on the volume and quality of the work performed, on the many available inserts from other precious alloys or stones.
How can you tell if a piece of jewelry is made of red alloy?
When choosing jewelry made from a precious alloy, you need to pay attention not only to the purity of the gold, but also to the weight of the jewelry. Since pure material is quite soft, jewelers increase its strength by adding other metals. Therefore, for example, a woman’s ring cannot weigh less than 7 g. And if a store offers openwork jewelry, it cannot be made of high-grade red material.
The higher the sample of the material, the softer it is. Therefore, you can check the jewelry “by the tooth.” If after a bite there are teeth marks left on the product, then the purity of the alloy is high.
You can try heating the decoration. If it changes color to red, it means its copper content is high. If the shade is slightly perceptible, the sample of the product is high.
Gold has become the equivalent of the global financial system. Most states accumulate precious metal in case of collapse of the monetary system. Exchanges around the world daily monitor the price of gold, and we are talking about the noble metal of 999 purity, that is, pure, red gold.
Therefore, we can conclude that red gold is still the main equivalent for measuring money today.
Source: https://ProDragmetally.ru/o-zolote/tipy/chervonnoe.html
What is red gold? Properties, composition, purity and price per gram of red gold
People have always loved to decorate their body with various accessories. If many years ago beads, chains, bracelets, rings and earrings were worn primarily as religious amulets and talismans, now they are part of fashion. Time changes tastes and preferences.
Organic natural materials, widely used in jewelry, harmoniously coexist with laboratory developments. However, as many years ago, precious metals have the greatest value for people. One of them is red gold. Products made from this material have gained particular popularity in the territory of modern Russia.
A reasonable question: “What is the difference between this type of metal and the entire group, united under the name “gold”?” Let's figure it out.
Metric and carat systems
It’s worth starting with the fact that all over the world there are four options by which gold samples are differentiated. However, the two most common and most used are carat and metric.
The first system gained wide popularity in European countries, some Asian countries and the USA. The principle of determining the sample of a precious metal is as follows. The entire volume of material is divided into 24 parts. Depending on the percentage of gold content in the product, it is assigned a carat.
If a product is engraved with “14K”, it means that out of 24 parts of the product, 14 are gold. The rest is additional alloy. Or, as jewelers call it, a ligature. In this system, a product can have one of five purities, ranging from nine parts of gold in the alloy to 100% pure precious metal.
Also, items of jewelry can have samples of ten, fourteen and eighteen carats.
In Russia, the metric system is widespread. That is, jewelers calculate the gold content in one kilogram of the alloy. Let us explain using the example of a 750 sample product. Based on the calculation system, in this case, a kilogram of alloy will contain 250 grams of alloy.
The remaining share comes from the precious metal. There are 6 metric standards, the highest of which is 999. In descending order, there are 950, 750, 585, 500 and 375 marks.
Currently, alloys with other alloy and precious metal contents are becoming increasingly widespread.
Polish "chervonny zloty"
An experienced jeweler can determine by eye where and in what country a particular product was produced. And it's not about the gold itself. Precious material by its nature is absolutely the same everywhere.
However, many years ago, in the territory of modern Poland, the term “red zloty” was widely used, which meant “red-hot.” And it is true. If pure gold is heated to a certain temperature, it begins to oxidize and slightly changes its color - it becomes reddish.
For a long time, it was by this principle that ordinary people determined the quality of metal. This is where the name “red gold” comes from, denoting the highest quality material.
Copper as an alloy
However, our ancient Russian craftsmen still tried, at least a little, to deceive the client. So they added copper to create the reddish color customers wanted. In terms of its properties, this alloy has a reddish tint, which it readily “shares” with the base metal. Over time, people began to use the name “red gold” as a characteristic of a product with a small admixture of copper.
Worms and precious metals - what's the connection?
The history of Russia also has its own answer to the question of what red gold is. A few centuries ago, red worms were widely used in Rus'. They were used to obtain organic dark colors. At the same time, a similar term “worm” began to be used, that is, painted red. Over time, this concept has undergone changes and only the concept of “red” has reached us.
On the territory of Ancient Rus', coins were widely used as a means of payment. One of them was a chervonets. Moreover, it was made from gold of the highest standard. To find out if the coin was a fake, it was heated. If there were ligatures in the mixture, the circle darkened.
And if it was of the highest standard, then the color became only slightly reddish. Therefore, to describe the best quality gold, people began to use the term “red gold”, that is, a genuine, original, precious metal without impurities.
Currently, this name is used for the most part only in everyday life.
Red metal sample
Almost all masters of jewelry technology in Russia add copper to the gold alloy. At the same time, for products of the highest quality, the content of the ligature is limited. The total volume should contain no more than 10% recycled metal. And only then can we say that such an alloy is pure gold.
The fineness of a product made from this material cannot be lower than 916. An interesting point is that in its pure form this precious metal is very soft. A small ring, earrings or other piece of jewelry that is 999 will be slightly or severely deformed.
In order to prevent changes in the shape of products without affecting the integrity and purity of the alloy, craftsmen are forced to increase the mass of the material used, which, in turn, affects the weight of the finished item. Thus, an ordinary wedding ring made of real 999 red gold can weigh 8 grams or more.
In order to reduce the consumption of precious material and reduce the cost of the product, jewelers use impurities.
Price issue
Those wishing to become the owner of a product made of pure metal will have to face conflicting answers to the question: “How much does red gold cost?” And the point here is the following. The World Bank has a gold and foreign exchange reserve. Every day, stock exchanges hold trading sessions where cash, securities and precious metals are bought and sold.
Depending on supply and demand, final prices are set per unit of each world currency, gram of gold, silver, platinum, etc. Moreover, this process is carried out daily. Thus, if today the price per gram of gold is set at 1,500 rubles, then tomorrow it may be lower. Or higher. It all depends on the exchange rate. The price per gram of pure gold is also influenced by this parameter.
And, of course, it depends on the sample of the alloy: the higher the content of precious metal in the total volume, the greater its value.
Source: https://FB.ru/article/134247/chto-takoe-chervonnoe-zoloto-svoystva-sostav-proba-i-tsena-za-gramm-chervonnogo-zolota/amp
Red gold - what is it?
What is red gold and what is its purity - the answers to these questions often differ in opinion. Translated from English, pure gold means “pure.” But this statement is not entirely accurate, since it implies the complete absence of impurities in the alloy. Red gold contains additives, which are often copper. In this case, the content of impurities in the alloy should not exceed 10%, and the metal itself has a reddish tint.
The term “pure gold” also often refers to 999-carat gold. This metal has a pronounced yellow color.
Characteristics of red gold
When making alloys, precious metals are diluted with other precious metals, which are called alloys or alloys. Such manipulations are carried out in order to give the alloys the missing qualities.
The yellow color of red gold is diluted with a soft, reddish tint. This is explained by the small amount of copper impurities in the alloy. But if the jewelry has a pronounced red color, then such gold is not red gold, since the content of the alloy in it exceeds the permissible norm.
When making jewelry from red gold, metal of at least 916 standard is used. If a material with a 999 marker is used as a basis, the weight of the product increases significantly to increase wear resistance. Such jewelry weighs 10 grams without changing.
To increase the density of the alloy, increase shine and give it different shades, in addition to copper, the following are also added to red gold:
- Platinum.
- Nickel.
- Palladium.
- Silver.
- Zinc.
- Cadmium.
Copper impurities increase the strength of the pure alloy without changing its elasticity, but reducing its resistance to corrosion. Silver also imparts hardness, while maintaining ductility and malleability. But at the same time it reduces the melting point of gold. Changes color to yellow with a green tint, white with a yellow tint and pure white.
With small amounts of platinum, yellow gold is very effectively colored white. Already at 8.4% white metal content in the alloy, the yellow color disappears completely. In this case, the melting temperature increases significantly.
Nickel increases the strength of the alloy, changing its color to pale yellow. The plasticity of the metal also sharply increases.
Palladium also easily changes the color of a red alloy to white, but not as intensely as platinum does. The yellow color disappears completely when the alloy contains 10% metal. Compliance in processing is completely preserved.
Additions of zinc reduce the hardness of gold, thereby lowering its melting point.
Significantly reduces the melting point of cadmium gold alloy. But at the same time it retains its plasticity in processing.
The traditional yellow color of the red alloy, with a reddish tint, can easily be changed from pink to green and even black with the help of impurities.
Red gold, due to its softness, lends itself well to processing. But in modern jewelry, it is practically not used, since it is very fragile, and is mostly used as investment bars and bank coins.
High standard gold has excellent resistance to corrosion. Due to this quality, it is widely used in the electronics industry. The contacts are treated with noble metal, which protects them from oxidation without reducing the conductivity of electricity.
In chemical production, this type of gold is used as catalysts. It is used in the automotive industry in the manufacture of electronic parts and catalysts, as well as in the decorative design of architectural objects (domes of cathedrals, mosques).
Regardless of how much pure gold costs at one time or another, its price will always be higher than all other varieties of this metal, due to the high purity of the alloy. Investments in it are more profitable than in foreign currencies or securities.
Samples of pure gold
An indicator of the amount of precious metal in the final alloy is called fineness. In modern Russia, the metric measurement system is used, where the sample number of a noble metal is determined by the ratio of its grams per kilogram of alloy. In America and many European countries, the carat system is used to establish the standard of precious metals.
The technical significance of pure gold has been lost due to periodically changing standards. Now it is used only in household circulation, to designate the highest quality metal. At the moment, the markers of this alloy are 916, 958, 986 and 999. There is also an opinion that all gold above 750 can be called red.
In pre-revolutionary Russia, the purity of the red alloy was determined using a spool measurement system. Its indicator denoted the ratio of the shares of precious metal with the shares of alloys in the total 96 parts of the alloy. There were the following types of samples of red metal:
- 82 - the alloy consisted of 82 shares of gold, 4 copper and 10 silver.
- 82 - the alloy consisted of 82 shares of gold, 10 copper and 4 silver.
- 92 - the alloy consisted of 92 shares of gold, 2 copper and 2 silver.
- 94 - the alloy consisted of 94 shares of gold, 1 copper and 1 silver.
If you doubt the sample of the red alloy, you can carry out an easy test at home. To do this, you just need to heat the metal until red hot. If the jewelry loses its color and fades, you have an alloy of low quality. But if the metal only turns slightly red, rest assured, you are holding real red gold in your hands!
The price of red gold per gram today is about 2,000 rubles. A more accurate value of the precious metal can be determined in banks or pawn shops. So we have defined what red gold is. And now the story of its origin.
The history of red gold
In the Russian Empire, long before the civil war of 1917, gold coins were used as a common currency. One of the most popular was the denomination of 10 rubles, popularly called “chervonets”.
The alloy used to mint this coin had a noble metal content of at least 90%.
Also at this time, wedding rings were made, mainly from red alloy, and had a fairly impressive weight (at least 8 g, with the average weight of modern jewelry being 2-3 g).
Initially, chervonets in Rus' appeared as foreign gold coins that had the highest purity of the alloy. For example, the Dutch ducat. In 1701, by state decree, Russian chervonets were released into circulation, having a purity identical to foreign ones. Their mass was about 3.4 g, and their diameter was 22.6 mm. Since 1755, a denomination of 5 rubles was added to the chervonets.
The elite strata of Russian society of that time, in pursuit of jewelry of the highest quality, sent chervonets for melting down to jewelry craftsmen. In general, such products were not affixed with an approval stamp. Over time, the alloy obtained from these coins began to be called red.
However, coins made of red gold were not the only reason for this name for the alloy. There is a very plausible version that the term “chervonny” was formed from the Old Russian verb “worm” (to paint red).
Another possible culprit for this alloy name is the word “worm”. The fact is that previously red paint was made using female cochineal worms. And as you know, red precious metal has a red tint (except for 999 fineness).
The supposed ancestor of this term in the Polish language was also found. Here the word “czerwony”, which came to Russian soil around the 16th century, is translated as red-hot. Indeed, if gold of the highest standard is heated to red, the oxidation reaction will give it a reddish hue.
Reasoning about what red gold is and what standard it has has periodically changed over time. So the purity of the chervonets directly depended on the Tsar who ruled in Rus' at one time or another.
Under Peter I, they were valued at 94 spools, according to the spool system for measuring the purity of precious alloys. During the time of Nicholas II, royal chervonets were already minted from 86.4 spool standard, and had a weight of 8.6 g. There were also coins of the same denomination, but of lower standard, in circulation for internal circulation.
Now the royal chervonets of Nicholas II are valued on the world market at several hundred thousand dollars.
After the revolution, chervonets with a denomination of ten rubles moved to a new state - the Soviet Union. In the Russian Federation, this coin still has the same name, despite the fact that it is minted from a completely different material.
In addition to monetary turnover, as well as the quality and beauty of jewelry, red alloy was valued by our people for the meaning it carries. In Rus' there was a belief that it was red gold that could bring the northern peoples the warmth of the sun, which was so lacking in the cold and angry Russian winters.
Also, this metal was considered not only noble, but also fair. The Russian people believed that red gold punishes evil and dishonest owners with troubles and failures for their actions, but brings happiness to the home of kind and sympathetic people.
Source: http://lombardyinfo.ru/stati/chto-takoe-chervonnoe-zoloto.html
Characteristics of red gold
This concept is a lot of controversy these days, the reason for this is the frequent misconception that red gold is a precious metal that has a red tint. The conclusion suggests itself based on the meaning of the definition itself and other etymologically similar concepts in other languages. But this judgment is not entirely correct. Where did the definition of “red” metal come from and how much does it cost these days?
Origin of the word
In the pre-revolutionary period, gold coins were in use in Russia, the most common of which was the chervonets - a coin with a face value of 10 rubles. For its minting, an alloy of a fairly high standard was used, where the minimum proportion of precious metal was 90%.
Wealthy members of society who wanted good quality jewelry gave such chervonets to jewelers to be melted down. The alloy obtained in this way began to be called chervonets, that is, obtained from chervonets. Red gold is a high-quality metal, because the standard of jewelry obtained in this way was at least equivalent to today’s 900 standard.
The name chervonets arose due to the reddish tint of the coins, which is formed due to the presence of a high residual proportion of copper in gold.
Another version of the origin of the definition “chervonny” is its formation from the word “worm”, that is, to paint. There is an assumption about the Polish origin of the word: in the Polish language there is the concept “czerwony”, that is, red-hot.
In the modern interpretation, red gold is the purest type of precious metal or the highest standard marking corresponding to it. Most often this definition means 999 sample.
About the sample of red gold
Almost all Russian jewelers add copper to the precious alloy, and for high-quality jewelry the percentage of other metals in the alloy is strictly limited.
For a red precious metal to actually be such, the content of secondary elements should not exceed 10%. You can distinguish red gold from low-grade gold even from a photo.
This alloy has a reddish tint; if you see a bright red decoration, you have a lower standard with a higher copper content.
The marking of a product made of red metal cannot be less than 916 standard. In its pure form, yellow metal is very soft; small jewelry of 999 standard will be greatly deformed even with the slightest mechanical impact. To eliminate this problem, jewelers increase the mass of the material and the finished product itself. A typical red gold engagement ring can weigh 8 grams or more.
How much does this red gold cost? The price of the highest grade precious metal is quite high and now amounts to about 2 thousand rubles, which is why jewelry is made from alloys of lower grades. This metal is easier to process, more resistant to environmental influences and costs less.
Due to the high cost of pure metal, some manufacturers try to counterfeit it by adding more copper to the alloy. It is very easy to distinguish a fake from a 999 standard: when heated, the alloy with copper will become pale and cloudy.
Red gold is used to produce alloys of unusual shades. The price for one gram of jewelry made of white, pink or purple metal will depend on the content of additional components and the complexity of the process.
The cost of high-grade gold
How much does red gold cost now? The price of high-grade metal is quite high, and the reason for this is precisely the purity - 999 purity is much more expensive than an alloy, where the share of precious metal is 60%.
It is impossible to completely purify gold from impurities, the only exception being nuclear fusion, during which mercury is bombarded with elementary particles to produce the precious metal. The metal obtained in this way is recognized as the purest, its value significantly exceeds the price of the highest standard, where the percentage of gold is 99.999%.
Central Bank gold quote:
Those wishing to purchase red gold should be guided by the fixing values of the London Stock Exchange, as well as the accounting prices of the precious metal according to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The cost of jewelry made from such gold depends not only on the price of 999 fine gold, but also on the artistic value of the jewelry.
Mining pure gold
Some of the yellow metal is mined in the form of nuggets or sand, that is, initially in a metallic state. The degree of purity of the precious metal largely depends on the characteristics of the deposit itself where mining is carried out. The sample can vary over a very wide range; its further increase to the required parameters can only be achieved by subsequent purification.
Industrial metal mining is carried out using large dredges through which the rock is washed. Among the chemical methods for obtaining gold, there are three:
- Amalgamation;
- Cyanidation;
- Refining.
Amalgamation is one of the oldest methods of isolating gold. The crushed rock is mixed with mercury, which then envelops the precious metal. After this procedure, all that remains is to separate the mercury from the rock, and then the gold from the mercury. This method is now practically not used, since it can only be used on rich rocks.
Most often, cyanidation is used to obtain pure gold. This method is implemented at large enterprises in the mining industry. Gold is dissolved in hydrocyanic acid salts, and then isolated from the resulting solution.
Installation for cyanidation.
Refining is used to separate precious metals from polymetallic ores and process secondary raw materials. First, the source material is crushed, fired and alloyed with zinc, then sulfuric and nitric acids are included in the process, after which the final release of the yellow metal follows.
Depending on the method of obtaining the precious metal, its purity will vary. When producing gold using mercury, the sample of the element depends entirely on the characteristics of the deposit. The metal is released along with impurities, so it is then necessary to either send it for refining or use it where the resulting sample of gold is sufficient. It is almost impossible to obtain pure material using this extraction method.
Gold refining at the Novosibirsk plant.
Refining technologies allow you to set the metal sample. Theoretically, using this method it is possible to obtain a final alloy with any precious metal content. The highest 999 standard is also obtained by this method.
The benefit from using the above methods largely depends on how much one gram of the resulting red gold costs on the precious metals market.
Where is pure gold used?
Precious metal has always been of great importance in the history of mankind, touching the cultural, financial and industrial spheres of society. In the financial sector, the precious metal has long been used as a standard of value: gold bars and investment coins are made from gold, the metal is actively traded on the stock exchange, many countries prefer to store their funds in gold, and the value of currencies and their exchange rates are constantly measured against its quotes.
Red gold is widely used in industry; the metal plays a special role in the electronics and electrical engineering industries. The precious metal is used to gild contacts to prevent their oxidation and increase resistance - such parts are found in any mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. Gold is in every car: in addition to electronic devices, it is present in catalytic converters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ppCrJY2tc
High-grade gold is also widely used in the jewelry industry. The combination of metal and precious stones allows craftsmen to create incredibly beautiful jewelry. Adding additional components to the alloy ligature provides unusual shades of the metal, which helps expand the jewelry collections of world manufacturers.
In Soviet times, the standard of quality was considered to be red gold - 585 fineness of the metal. It is with this sample that the concept of “red metal” is often confused. Red gold is an average 585 precious metal in content, and red gold has the highest standard.
Foreign jewelers are not very fond of red gold. The reason here is not only the average sample. Many craftsmen believe that a precious metal with such a shade is not suitable as a setting for precious stones. In recent years, red metal has been more often used to make jewelry of unusual designs that exclude the insertion of stones.
Due to its low price, red gold has become popular in our country since Soviet times. The advantage of this metal sample also includes the physical qualities of the jewelry: items made from the red alloy are strong enough to withstand daily wear. Pure metal is more valuable in the banking sector, the price of red gold is the exchange price, used as a standard of value and an object for investing funds.
Source: http://golden-inform.ru/proby/chervonnoe-zoloto/
Red gold - what is it: sample, how much does a gram cost?
There are many varieties of gold in the world: regular, white, red and some others. There is also red gold among them. For centuries, it was highly valued: coins were minted from it, bank bullion was cast, and the most expensive jewelry was made from it.
Unique metal
Few people today know what red gold is.
Red gold is a gold alloy of the highest standard. It must have no more than 10% alloying additives (ligatures) and, accordingly, no less than 90% pure gold.
This metal itself is very ductile and soft. Jewelry made from absolutely pure gold quickly loses its shape. Such a ring can become dented if, for example, it hits a hard surface, which is why gold alloys are mainly used in jewelry. They contain various alloys, or additives, that increase the hardness and strength of the alloy while maintaining ductility.
Red gold is part of history. It was from it that in the old days coins of the highest denomination were minted, for example the Polish “scarlet zloty” or the so-called “Nicholas” chervonets, issued by the government of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II.
One chervonets weighed 8.6 g and almost until the start of World War II it was among the most popular currencies around the world, as it consisted of almost pure, with a small amount of impurities, precious yellow metal.
The cost of the alloy from which the “Nicholas” royal chervonets was made is now about 1,800 rubles per gram, excluding the numismatic value of the coin.
Why red?
Chervonny, or scarlet, in Old Russian and Ukrainian means “red”. The fact is that red gold has a characteristic subtle reddish tint due to the copper it contains. The alloy can contain no more than 10% copper, and it is better if, in addition to this metal, something else is used in the alloy, for example silver.
In addition, it is known that when a product made of pure gold is heated, it turns bright red, unlike products made from more common alloys, for example, 585-carat alloy, also commonly called gold. It contains many additives, at least 41.5% of the total mass. Rings, pendants and other jewelry made from alloys of lower grades do not turn red, but darken or, conversely, turn pale when heated.
How to determine what your jewelry is made of?
This can be recognized by the following signs:
- Products made of red gold are rare. This alloy is inconvenient for jewelers because it is too soft, so for strength they build up the mass. Even a small women's ring made of pure metal will have a mass of at least 8 g, a man's - at least 10 g. If you are offered an openwork item of fine workmanship, it cannot be made of pure gold.
- The purity of the alloy is determined precisely by its softness and pliability. An old Spanish doubloon, French louis d'or or British pound had to be bitten - there were clear teeth marks on the surface. This noble metal immediately loses its softness when copper, silver, platinum or zinc is added, so this method of testing has not lost its significance to this day.
- The reddish tint should be very subtle. It should be noticeable only when comparing a product with another, for example, made from a 585-carat alloy. Unfortunately, nowadays the term “pure gold” has acquired a disparaging connotation. This is often the name given to a cheap gold alloy that is distinctly red due to its too high copper content.
In real high-grade noble gold, the shade of red is almost imperceptible; it appears only when heated.
The cost of red gold
In order to answer the question of how much red gold costs, you need to establish what standard we are talking about, since this is a fairly broad term. Red gold cannot have a purity of less than 916. Depending on the purity, the price can reach up to 2.5 thousand rubles per 1 g, while the cost of a product made from 585 purity is about 1.6 thousand rubles per 1 g.
To find out the exact price, you need to know the exact sample of the alloy. Currently, this term refers to alloys having a purity of 916, 958, 980 and 999. This means that an ingot weighing exactly 1 kg contains, for example, 916 grams of gold, the rest is alloy (copper, silver, nickel). Accordingly, if an ingot weighs 1 kg, it contains 999 g of gold and only 1 g of additives - this is the highest standard at the moment.
The table below will help you find out how much red gold will cost: the price of its various samples is given in it. It should be noted that these prices are approximate and are given for general information, as precious metals change value in international trading, like oil and other assets.
Prices are given as of December 1, 2016.
Try | Price for 1 g, rub. |
916 | 2200 |
958 | 2300 |
980 | 2400 |
999 | 2500 |
It should be noted that the price depends not only on the gold rate currently set by the world gold and foreign exchange fund, but also on the form in which it may be. Bank bars and hallmarked ounces are sold by banks at the same price. Pawnshops accept scrap gold at a different, usually lower, price.
Jewelry is assessed not only by the amount of precious metal, but also by the quality of work, by the content of precious stones or inserts from other metals, etc. Accordingly, their retail value may also differ.
At the same time, gold in the quotations of precious metals on the world exchange cannot be lower than silver and higher than platinum and palladium.
Where is high-grade gold used?
Currently its use is limited. Among Russian jewelers, the most popular alloy is 585, while 750 is less common. It is stronger, resistant to mechanical damage, does not oxidize and retains its presentation for a long time. There are very few products with 750 hallmark on the Russian market.
But red gold of any standard is popular in some developing countries as jewelry precisely because of its high cost.
In these countries, the level of inflation of the national currency is high, so people, at the first opportunity, invest money in precious metals, which they always prefer to wear on themselves as jewelry.
Since gold ceased to be considered the basis of the world financial system and gold money gave way to credit money, the precious metal has lost its significance as a means of universal payment. But it is still believed in economics that a stable national currency should be backed by a national gold reserve.
Currently, gold is the world's financial equivalent, and many countries around the world are accumulating gold reserves in case the monetary system based on the dollar and euro collapses. World exchanges publish daily changes in the values of the main valuable metals, and this always means pure metal, at least 999 fine. Thus, we can say that red gold still serves as the main measure of money.
Source: https://ToZoloto.ru/o-zolote/tipy/chto-takoe-chervonnoe-zoloto.html
Red gold: what is it, what grades and colors are there, price per 1 gram
I am glad to welcome you to our website. The topic that I decided to cover this time is red gold. I have put together a little history, a few facts, ways to recognize a fake and protect yourself from scammers, a couple of tips on storing gold items and caring for jewelry.
What is red gold
This is not a pure metal (gold without impurities, 999 fine - yellow, without redness), but an alloy of gold and copper. It is copper that gives it its exquisite reddish tint. The technical term “red gold” has long been outdated and is used only colloquially.
Such an alloy is now very rare and is practically not used, since it is very impractical and inconvenient for everyday use. Jewelry made from such gold can only be obtained by individual order from a jeweler or antique dealer.
History of origin
Chervonny (scarlet), translated from Old Church Slavonic, means red, scarlet. In Tsarist Russia, chervonets were originally the name given to foreign gold coins - ducats, sequins, florins. Own coins have been minted in Rus' since the 15th century as award insignia.
The first Russian chervonets as a means of payment appeared as a result of the monetary reform carried out by Peter the Great. In terms of weight and alloy value, they corresponded to foreign coins and were intended only for settlements with foreign subjects.
A common practice was to make expensive jewelry from chervonets, because purer gold simply did not exist at that time due to the impossibility of higher purification. Therefore, red gold is still mistakenly considered to be the name of a chemically pure element.
How it is made
Red gold is obtained by introducing a certain amount of copper into the composition. Such additions to precious metals are called alloys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKAS5cAqZsE
Nowadays, an alloy of a similar shade is also used, but its standard is much lower, and in addition to copper, it contains silver. This three-component alloy is widely used today due to its good strength and malleability. It lends itself well to soldering. Products made from this alloy are more durable, and the visual difference between the two types of gold is a slight difference in shades of red and is noticeable only upon close inspection.
Next, watch an interesting video about how gold is made:
The influence of impurities on the color of gold
Precious metal shades are not limited to red. By changing the composition of the ligature and the proportions of the components, you can achieve the most unexpected colors:
- red – 33.5% copper and 8% silver;
- pink – 9% silver and 32% copper;
- lemon – 30% silver, 11.5% copper;
- white – 25% nickel, 10% silver, 3.5% zinc and 3% copper;
- olive – 15% silver, 6% copper and 4% cadmium.
With the development of technology, new chemical compounds appeared - intermetallic compounds, which further expanded the color palette:
- amethyst – 21% aluminum;
- blue – 54% indium;
- black – 25% cobalt.
Composition and properties
The percentage of the alloying metal, in this case copper, may vary, but the share of the precious metal is always more than 90%, therefore, this is an expensive high-grade grade.
The characteristics of the red alloy are slightly different from pure gold: it is malleable, fusible, and too soft. Prone to abrasion and deformation, so much so that a primitive test of its authenticity involved biting it - clear teeth marks remained on the real coin.
Advantages and disadvantages
Items made from such gold are of historical value. The cost of some samples amounts to millions of rubles. And this is its main advantage.
The disadvantage is the fragility of such things. They require special storage and care conditions.
What are the hallmarks of red gold?
precious metal in red gold changed at different times, but never fell below 900. Until 1927, a spool system for testing alloys was used in Russia. It had, rather, not a percentage, but a quantitative expression. The value of gold in the coin corresponded to its face value: a 10-ruble coin of the 1885 model contained 2 spools - 11.62 grams of pure gold with a weight of 12.9 g.
- The coins of the Peter the Great era were 986 fine.
- Under Catherine, the standard of five-ruble chervonets was lowered to 916.
- Nicholas Imperials - 900 standard.
- Soviet chervonets, issued in the years 22-25 of the 20th century, were stamped with the number 900.
How to decipher a gold standard
If we are talking about the metric system, then the mark on the precious metal displays how many grams of pure substance are in a kilogram of the alloy. So, 585 standard means that 1 kg of alloy contains 585 g, or 58.5% gold.
In the karat assay system, a chemically pure substance has a hallmark of 24 carats. A hallmark of 22 carats corresponds to 916 metric hallmarks, 14 to 585.
In the spool system, the unit of calculation is taken to be a pound, equal to 96 spools.
Conversion tables are used to convert sample values from one system to another.
Sample table
Metric | Carat | Zolotnikovaya |
375 | 9k | 36 |
500 | 12k | 48 |
585 | 14k | 56 |
750 | 18k | 72 |
875 | 21k | 84 |
916 | 22k | 88 |
947 | No | 91 |
958 | 23k | 92 |
999 | 24k | 96 |
Price per 1 gram
You can find out how much a high-grade pure gold alloy costs right now, online, on our website using the chart.
Similar information on changes in the cost of bank gold per gram is presented in tabular format for the convenience of users.
Price for 999 standard according to the Central BankMarket value of the standard todayPrice for scrapPrice in jewelryHow to distinguish genuine gold from fake
Only jewelry workshops and the assay office are involved in certifying the authenticity of red metal. For this purpose, modern instruments are used that guarantee highly accurate analysis, completely eliminating damage to the precious item.
How to properly care for gold jewelry
Gold products are highly resistant to external factors, but need to be cleaned from household dirt. This is especially true for items for everyday wear.
There are several ways to carry out this procedure at home:
- Place items in the saline solution for 12 hours, then rinse thoroughly. To prepare the solution you will need a glass of boiled water and 3 tablespoons of salt.
- You can also use a mixture of ammonia and soap; 2 hours will be enough to clean jewelry, then the solution is washed off with plenty of water. Ingredients: a teaspoon of ammonia and liquid soap per glass of boiled water.
- Without pressing, wipe the products with a cotton swab dipped in three percent hydrogen peroxide, leave for 15 minutes, then rinse with plenty of water.
Plastic or ceramic containers are used for soaking jewelry, but not metal ones. After rinsing, they are carefully and thoroughly wiped with lint-free wipes and polished with suede.
Due to its softness, the cleaning of items and jewelry made of red gold should be entrusted to a jeweler.
How and where to store it correctly
Such jewelry requires special conditions: they should be stored separately to avoid scratches and deformation, using special stands and cases.
Conclusion
I hope this article not only served as a source of useful information, but also aroused interest in gold and investing in precious metals. Subscribe to our website, there is still a lot of interesting information about precious metals, mining methods, varieties and properties. Don't forget to leave yours and see you next time.
Source: https://zhazhdazolota.ru/vidy/chervonnoe-zoloto
Red gold: myths and reality
You can often hear the phrase in everyday conversations about jewelry: “Of course, it’s made of red gold!” The phrase is used when they want to emphasize the high quality of the precious metal from which the jewelry is made. Let's try to understand why this type is considered the standard and where it is used.
Return
"Russian" gold and its purity
All shades of precious metal are popular in the world: from white to black. But red gold is unofficially called “Russian”. In Russia (at least for now), multi-colored jewelry made from this precious metal is not very popular. Only recently have people become interested in the white option, but before that they preferred the traditional reddish or yellow color.
Since it is a soft metal, additives (iridium, platinum, silver, cadmium, zinc, copper, etc.) are usually mixed into it. Various impurities are called alloys. They enhance the properties of gold, most importantly, increase its strength. Additives can also change the color of the base material. The idea of dying precious metals in different shades - pink, green, white - is very old.
There is an assumption that in order to obtain a reddish nuance, in the old days a dye prepared from an extract of special worms was added to gold, hence the name “red”. Another version of the origin of the term: the obsolete word “scarlet” is “dark red”. Third option: “red” means “hot.” The fact is that when the high-grade alloy was heated, a red, that is, “red” glow appeared. If there were a lot of impurities, the color did not appear.
To increase the strength of the product, copper began to be added to gold. Its content in the alloy was minimal - 1:9, which corresponds to a modern sample of 900.
Return
Coins and jewelry
In the old days, the amount of gold in an item was measured in spools (4.266 grams), and red gold was considered to be one that had at least 72 spools, that is, historically its standard was high (not lower than the modern 750th). Now sometimes the red precious metal is also called red gold, but this is a mistake: in red gold the amount of copper is much higher - 41.5 percent, which corresponds to 585 fineness.
In Tsarist Russia, even in pre-Petrine times, coins called “chervonets” or “chervonnye” were cast from red gold; they were received as a reward for special merits and carefully kept.
The first Russian banknotes made of red gold appeared under Peter the Great; they were used in trade with foreigners. The purity of the alloy from which the coins were minted was very high. For example, during the time of Peter I - 94 spools, and under Nicholas II it was slightly lower - 86 spools.
True, coins with a lower precious metal content were also issued. Historians believe that they were intended for internal circulation.
If we talk about jewelry, it is impractical to make them from red gold. Famous jewelry houses, of course, made such things, but not for constant wear, but rather as family jewels, carefully preserved and passed on by inheritance. Perhaps the exception was things where fragility and softness could be compensated by weight.
The most common items made of red gold are massive, at least 10 grams, wedding rings.
Nowadays, the definition of “chervonets” means not only the shade of the metal, but also what the decoration is melted from - the royal chervonets. And in Soviet times, dental crowns were sometimes made from these coins. In a medical sense, this was a good solution: a soft metal of high purity, and its inertness is great. It does not react with acids and alkalis, which means it is safe for health.
Return
How to determine if a product is genuine
The most reliable method for checking the “redness” is considered to be heating, during which the metal becomes slightly reddish. But if you heat a product with a high copper content, it will not only become red, but also dull. But you shouldn’t do this at home on a gas stove or with a candle - it’s better to go to a jewelry workshop, where they will check it using special equipment.
Upon purchase, the consultant must provide a product certificate. Often items made of red gold are sold privately, so to ensure a safe purchase, do not be too lazy to contact jewelers, and if they offer antique pieces, then also to museum experts.
Jewelry made of pure gold (a high-grade alloy with copper) is not intended for daily wear due to its softness, tendency to deformation and abrasion, but this disadvantage can be partially compensated by the massiveness of the ring.
Source: https://grammzolota.ru/vidy/chervonnoe-zoloto.html
Red gold - composition, color, purity, cost
Logically speaking, the higher the purity of gold, the better it should be, because its value in this case will be maximum. However, this kind of reasoning will be erroneous, especially when it comes to jewelry. The fact is that pure 999 gold is an almost unusable material due to its poor mechanical characteristics and high susceptibility to deformation. This metal is very soft and fragile, and products made from it are completely impractical to wear.
Red gold is not 999 fine
Gold mined from mines is not a perfectly pure metal and already contains a number of impurities. However, after purification, the red metal turns into precious 999 fine bullion bars and is sent for storage in banks.
A bar of pure gold can be damaged, scratched, or bent without much effort. At the same time, many people mistakenly call 999 purity pure gold, meaning in this term a perfectly purified precious metal.
In fact, red gold is an alloy with a high content of yellow metal and special alloy additives.
So what exactly is red gold? What is his sample? Based on its name, red gold, translated from English, means pure gold. That is, the precious metal must be without any additives at all. However, in reality it is just high-grade gold with a specific hue, which was characteristic of most high-grade precious alloys in past centuries.
How did red gold appear?
As already mentioned, pure yellow metal of the highest 999 purity is absolutely unsuitable for use as a jewelry material. Only bank bars can be cast from pure gold, and even then care must be taken so that they are not accidentally dropped or scratched. Therefore, in past centuries, the term “pure gold” meant an alloy with a high content of pure gold, which, by today’s standards, meets a minimum of 750 fineness.
Copper was most often used as a ligature in the old days. It was thanks to copper that the precious metal acquired a dark red rich hue. It was from such an alloy based on gold with the addition of copper that coins were once minted in Rus' at the royal court.
However, red gold was rarely used in the jewelry industry because it was soft and difficult to work due to its ductility.
This term first appeared during the times of Tsarist Russia, however, it is sometimes used today if they want to emphasize the high standard of gold.
Color
From the Old Slavic language the adjective chervonny is translated as red. This explains the origin of the term “red gold”. On the other hand, the adjective chervonny (chervilny) comes from the words “worm” and “worm”, which means a red tint or simply to paint.
In turn, the root of these words comes from the name of a certain kind of worm, from which red dye was prepared in ancient times.
After many centuries had passed, the term “chervonets” began to be applied to the royal coins of the Russian Empire, and then to the chervonets of the USSR.
Spool test and gold chervonets
It is also known that in ancient times the concept of fineness did not exist, and the content of pure gold in the alloy was determined in the so-called “spools”.
Thus, any gold that had at least 72 spools was considered pure gold, which today roughly corresponds to 750 fineness. It is also known that the most popular alloys of ancient times were considered precious alloys that contained 86, 88, 92 and 94 spools.
If necessary, you can find information on the Internet on how to correctly convert modern gold samples into spool samples and vice versa.
Now let’s say a few more words about the minting of red gold coins. What is important here is the historical period in which these or those “chervonets” were made. For example, during the reign of Tsar Nicholas II, the mint minted gold coins exclusively of 900 fineness, which corresponds to 86.4 spools.
In more ancient times, when Russia was ruled by Peter I, coins were minted from almost pure gold of 94 spools, which is only slightly inferior to the modern 999 standard. However, it is known that along with gold of 94 spools, lower standards were also used to make coins.
Accordingly, such coins had less value and were intended for use within the state.
Various jewelry was once made from the same gold. However, due to their fragility and delicacy, all antique jewelry was not intended for everyday use, as is the case today.
They were a kind of calling card of wealth and social status, playing the role of exclusively family jewelry that was passed on from generation to generation. The only exception can be considered individual massive gold items in the form of rings, bracelets and chains, the fragility of which was compensated by the significant thickness of the metal.
In other words, in order to show off your jewelry, you had to wear quite massive items.
However, today the term “pure gold” is often used to describe the red 999.9 fine metal, which, contrary to its name, has a bright yellow tint. And this is indeed true, pure gold without alloy additives really has a yellow color.
Source: https://ZolotoBlog.ru/chervonnoe-zoloto.html
999 standard - Red gold
They started producing 999 fine gold a very long time ago. It is bars of this standard that make up the country's gold reserves. It is impossible to find gold of such purity in nature, so it is actively produced using various methods. This process of obtaining gold is called refining.
You can obtain gold of the highest standard both in production and at home. The second method is possible only with strict adherence to safety regulations. There are many methods of obtaining this.
Among them, we can highlight the processing of gold-containing powder, the Miller method, reduction using iron sulfate, chemical, and electrochemical. Depending on the method of obtaining pure gold, it can also be isolated from other samples.
For example, using the Miller method, a 999 sample is obtained from 585. This is the versatility of methods for obtaining a 999 sample of gold.
How does 999 gold differ from other alloys?
An alloy of such purity is the most expensive and valuable among other samples. This gold is almost pure. The proportion of impurities in it is approximately 0.1%. This figure is very small compared to other samples. However, due to this feature, this material is very difficult to use in jewelry.
However, if you go back a hundred years, you can find wedding rings made of gold of this standard. But these were very massive decorations. They had to weigh at least eight grams. Otherwise, the jewelry quickly became deformed and became covered with scratches.
That is why now such a sample is used mainly in industry.
If we talk about the advantages of this metal, we can highlight the following indicators:
- Wear-resistant;
- Not subject to corrosion;
- Does not oxidize in air.
It will not be damaged by temperature changes or exposure to chemicals. High humidity, which can easily damage many alloys of precious metals, will also not damage this particular gold sample. Plaque will never appear on the surface of such jewelry or bars, they will not fade, and will delight you with their shine and brightness of color for a long time.
Areas of application
This metal alloy is almost pure gold. Therefore, it is very rarely used for the production of jewelry. Products using such a sample can rarely be found on the counter and they will all be quite bulky. However, some manufacturers make part of the jewelry from pure gold and the rest from lower grades.
The best use of this gold sample is in the production of bullion. Of course, bullion is also highly susceptible to external influences, but much less so than jewelry. People have long understood that gold is an excellent investment. And for these purposes, 999 gold is always used.
Also, gold bars of this standard are used as the main gold reserve of the country. After all, at all times this metal has been valuable, and its price has never been low.
Often used as gilding. For example, for medals, cups or just jewelry. At the same time, the product itself is not deformed, the ornament is not erased during use, but looks quite impressive. The cost is also significantly reduced compared to a product made from pure material.
Can pure gold oxidize?
Since this sample of gold is an almost pure material. It is practically not susceptible to chemical attack. Oxidation of a metal of this purity occurs only due to heating. At the same time, plaque does not form, as with some other alloys. Gold simply turns red, which indicates the authenticity of the alloy. Such gold is also called “red” precisely because of this feature.
Many alloys are actively affected by chlorine, hydrochloric acid, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, but this does not apply to the 999 sample. It is absolutely not susceptible to oxidation by elements such as acids and alkalis.
Self-cleaning of a product made from Red Gold
After a long period of time, even such a gold alloy can lose its original luster and brightness. However, this happens very slowly.
To help the product maintain its appearance, it is necessary to perform the following actions:
- Wipe regularly with a suede cloth;
- Be sure to store in a special box that does not contain dust;
- When washing dishes or cleaning, it is advisable to remove jewelry, since this sample is easily exposed to external influences, scratches and chips may appear. This also applies to playing sports, taking a hot bath and other actions that will lead to deformation of the product. Pressure and other types of mechanical stress are especially dangerous.
In addition, the jewelry must be constantly polished. In this case, you can use special pastes. Products of this alloy usually do not darken or become covered with plaque, but if this does happen, you can use regular toothpaste.
It will quickly remove various types of contaminants from the surface. Table vinegar will also help you remove plaque easily. Simply apply it to a cotton pad or cotton wool and wipe the product.
These methods will help keep your property in excellent condition for many years to come.
How to distinguish from a fake yourself when buying or at home
When purchasing a product, the most obvious sign of pure gold is the reddish tint of the product. This is what in the old days indicated the purity of the alloy and the quality of the metal. The product must also bear a state mark confirming that all technical standards were met during production.
It is almost impossible to determine the purity of gold on your own; only jewelers can do this. However, there are several methods that can help. For example, the drip method. It uses acidic reagents. The sample will depend on the color the drop acquires. At 999 fineness gold, the drop should become very bright, and the lower the brightness, the lower the fineness.
An electronic detector will also help you determine the purity of gold at home. In just 5 seconds you will know the sample of your product. At the same time, the price of this device is quite reasonable.
Another way is to use an assay needle and stone. It is necessary to run the product over the stone, drawing a line. Each sample leaves its own characteristic color. 999 standard leaves a fairly bright trace. You can also scratch the product a little and draw a line with this place. Then apply a little nitric acid on top. If it is 999 gold, then the scratch will not react in any way.
What precious and ornamental stones does it go with?
Jewelry using 999 purity gold is almost always made without any precious or ornamental stones. Since this metal is quite easily subject to deformation, it is impossible to secure the stones firmly enough. However, in some cases stones are still added, only by special agreement with the customer. Such products must be especially carefully protected, since any deformation can lead to damage to the appearance.
Since this gold does not have any distinctive features in color, it can be combined with almost all stones. You can cross out all yellow and orange stones from this list. Otherwise, stones of various structures and shades can be used in jewelry. Even semi-precious stones will look impressive in jewelry.
Source: https://mysamocvet.ru/metally/999-proba-chervonnoe-zoloto/
What is red gold: sample, review, characteristics
At all times, gold has been associated with luxury, wealth and beauty. Among various metals, this one is distinguished by its bright yellow color and incredible shine. Thanks to the addition of other metals, gold acquires different colors and shades.
Today you can find alloys of white, black and red gold. In this article we will pay attention to red and red gold.
Gold of 999 standard has many names, some of them are gold of the highest standard, pure gold, gold of three nines and red gold.
What is the difference between red and red gold?
One of the main differences is the sample number of a given metal. Red gold is a variety of red gold and is numbered from 700 to 999 (pure gold). While red gold has 585 carat. A distinctive feature of these two alloys also lies in the shade of the products that are made from them.
This is due to the different percentage of copper present in the alloys. Red gold has a traditional bright yellow color, while red gold is red, hence its name. Based on this, red gold is more valuable and is of higher quality.
History of red gold
The above-mentioned alloy was gaining popularity already in the 18th century. It was used to make coins. Much less common in jewelry craft. In pursuit of status and expensive unique jewelry, the elite of that time went to melt down gold chervonets. Initially, all foreign coins made of high-quality alloys were considered chervonets.
Later, Russia began minting its own copper-infused gold coins, which had no face value. One of the names is red ones. At first they were used exclusively when trading with foreigners.
Starting from 1716, they were used within the country, and the chervonets appeared with a denomination of 2 rubles. In 1898 – 1911, gold coins in denominations of 5 and 10 rubles appeared.
Today, the term “red gold” is outdated and is used only in everyday life.
There are several versions of where this name came from. Some of them are:
- At that time, red worms were actively used. Their use gave the gold a red tint.
- From the word "czerwony" of Polish origin, which literally translates as "red".
- From the word to paint (“to worm” from Old Church Slavonic).
You may be interested in: Finding gold jewelry in a dream: what is it for?
On the territory of Rus' from 1700 to 1900, chervonets (gold coins) were popular.
Compared to the abundance of modern jewelry, only wedding rings and rings were made from gold, which were quite fragile. That's why they were made thick and massive.
In addition to copper, the following are added to the alloy: platinum, nickel, silver, zinc. Such manipulations are carried out to improve characteristics such as: increasing the density of the alloy, giving even greater shine and a variety of shades. Interestingly, for jewelry made of red gold, an alloy of at least 916 standard is used. Increasing the sample, accordingly, increases the weight of the product.
The presence of silver gives such an alloy strength, but at the same time does not affect its ductility. Changes the usual yellow color to light yellow.
An admixture of copper adds strength and reduces resistance to corrosion, coloring the gold red.
An alloy containing at least 8% platinum completely changes its color to white and increases the melting level.
Palladium also changes the color of red gold to white.
The presence of nickel improves the ductility of gold.
In the modern jewelry industry, red gold is rarely found due to its fragility; it can more often be found in bank bars and coins. Due to its high corrosion resistance, it is ideal for the manufacture of electronic parts. Precious metal is used to cover contacts, as it is highly resistant to oxidation without affecting electrical conductivity.
It is also found in the design of decorative objects, domes of churches and weapons.
Investments will always be profitable if you invest in this type of gold, and not in currencies or securities, since its price is not so changeable.
Many countries in Europe, Asia and the USA use the karat system for calculating gold samples. Briefly about this principle of sample determination: divide the entire volume of material into 24 equal parts. The carat is assigned based on the percentage of content in a piece of pure gold. The engraving “14K” indicates that 14 out of 24 is gold.
You may be interested in: How to distinguish gold from gilding?
In Russia they use the metric system. Jewelers calculate the percentage of gold in a kilogram of alloy.
There is an opinion that all alloys above 750 purity are considered red gold.
Pre-revolutionary Russia divided the following types of samples:
- 82 - the alloy included 82 shares of gold, 4 copper and 10 silver;
- 82 - the alloy included 82 shares of gold, 10 copper and 4 silver;
- 92 - the alloy included 92 shares of gold, 2 copper and 2 silver;
- 94 - the alloy consisted of 94 shares of gold, 1 copper and 1 silver.
At home, you can conduct a small check on the quality of your gold if in doubt. To do this, heat the gold until red hot and see if it has lost its shine and color. If this happens, then you have low-grade metal in your hands. If it remains the same, then you have a pure red precious metal.
Bank and pawnshop employees can set the price for jewelry.
The cost of pure gold is almost twice as high as the cost of the alloy, say 585. The gold that is in banks is 99.9% precious, the remaining 0.1% is an impurity that is included in the composition. You can buy or sell it in bars of different sizes and weights. It is possible to have your own metal account with interest and make a profit from it.
But this makes sense only if the storage is long-term, say 5-10 years. The only disadvantage of purchasing a gold bar from Russian banks is the tax on its value (VAT), which is about 18%, which makes the purchase more expensive.
Jewelry made from 999 fine precious metal also costs a lot of money, since even the smallest jewelry weighs 10 grams.
But due to its high plasticity, it is not relevant and is almost impossible to wear. It’s a good idea to use such gold to cover dishes, interior items, icons, temple domes and sculptures.
The price of this gold is determined by several factors, namely:
- investor demand;
- volume of production in a particular state, deficit;
- accumulation of gold and foreign exchange reserves and its distribution in banks;
- shape and weight of bars and coins sold.
You can find out the cost of a gram of gold of the highest standard on exchange websites and brokerage houses. It is worth paying attention to the prices of the London exchanges if you want to buy red gold.
Now, owners of Soviet jewelry made of cheap, low-grade red gold are very disappointed with the prices when they try to sell them. Due to loss of relevance and customer preferences. Today, white gold is gaining popularity. It is much stronger and more flexible, which allows you to give elegant shapes to earrings or rings.
In European countries, such gold is not popular because it is not considered to be of high quality. Designers believe that gold jewelry with a red tint is more suitable for adult women.
Source: http://VseoZolote.ru/interesno/chervonnoe-zoloto.html