When you think of gold, you automatically think of yellow gold. Yellow gold has been the reference point for jewellery for centuries: iconic, classic and timeless. But where does gold come from? We will take you on a short tour through the history of the most mythical of precious metals used for jewellery.

Browse the wide collection of yellow gold rings right now.

 

 

Gold nugget - Gold nugget in its purest form - BAUNAT

Where does yellow gold come from?

The pure metal gold is always yellow and is too soft to use as jewellery. If you were to wear a ring of pure gold, you would already see scratches within a few days! The gold in rings, bracelets and other jewellery is actually an alloy. To provide gold with the strength and hardness needed for jewellery production, other metals are added. Usually this is copper, silver, palladium, nickel or platinum sometimes, in varying quantities and proportions.
The purity of gold is measured in carat. This 'carat' has nothing to do with the unit of weight used for diamonds, and which is also called carat. 24 carat, or 24 kt, is pure gold. A ring of 18 kt then consists of 18/24 gold and 6/24 other metal. Jewellery of 14 kt contains 14/24 gold and 10/24 other metal, and jewellery of 10 kt is 10/24 gold and 14/24 other metal. In other words, the lower the carat, the less 'precious' the jewellery.
24 kt gold has a more intense colour and 10 kt is the lightest, but a layman will hardly notice it with the naked eye... 
But should one then refrain completely from buying a ring with a lower carat? That depends on the use. If you buy jewellery as an investment, you will benefit most by buying at least 18 kt, because it contains more pure gold. But 14 kt. is a very popular choice as an engagement or wedding ring in the United States, because copper, silver and other (precious) metals provide more hardness. A ring of 10 kt also contains more copper, silver or palladium than gold. Many quality jewellers therefore, do not sell 10 kt jewellery.
The world renowned, gold-plated mask of Tutankhamun - BAUNAT
A white gold solitaire is the most classic choice for an engagement ring. But a yellow gold specimen is certainly also an option. Finish with yellow diamonds or a sapphire and give your loved one a unique engagement ring that she will never want to take off again.

Discover all our yellow gold engagement rings

Gold-plated mask of Tutankhamun - Gold-plated mask of Tutankhamun - BAUNAT

What cultural influence does gold have?

We cannot say for sure when primitive men used gold for the first time. We do know that men's love for gold is immensely old. About 7,000 years ago, gold artefacts were already used in the Middle East and the Balkans.



A lot of ancient civilizations appreciated gold. The Egyptians were big fans. For example, did you know that the original peaks of the Pyramids of Giza consisted of pure gold? And then there is still the indescribable beauty of the death mask of pharaoh Tutankhamun, without a doubt one of the most iconic relics in cultural history. Additionally, the Hebrews, Greeks, Aztecs and Incas also all used gold.
The remarkable thing is that gold was given the same meaning all over the world: status, class, power. That is still evident in many daily expressions and customs: the Golden Globe, the gold medal or a golden jubilee, to name but a few.
Gold bar - Gold bar as investment - BAUNAT
Due to its stability and uniformity, gold also became a standard currencyabout 3500 years ago. It was also easy to divide into smaller pieces, as opposed to precious stones, for example. It wasn't until 1971 that the US dollar was disconnected from the gold price. Although it is no longer a valid means of payment nowadays, gold still serves as an alternative investment.

Where and how is gold mined?

Wars were waged for areas that were rich in natural gold resources in Roman times already. In the 18th century, true exoduses took place worldwide to stand a chance of winning the golden jackpot; the goldrushes.

However, three quarters of all gold was only mined after 1910. Currently, China is the largest supplier with 440 tonnes per year in 2017, followed by Australia, Russia and the United States. The question as to where gold comes from has now been answered, but do you also know where it's going?
Half of the mined gold is used for jewellery, 40% as an investment and 10% in industrial applications, mainly electronics.
Most gold is mined in gold mines, but it can also be found in rivers. Gold ore often consist of veins of gold surrounded by quartz. The gold can be extracted from the ore by grinding the ore, sieving and separating the gold from the rest, but practically this is too expensive. Nowadays, the gold is mainly chemically extracted from the ore.
Yellow gold wedding rings - Yellow gold wedding rings at BAUNAT
Yellow gold is recommended for people whose skin has a warm undertone. Does your skin have a pink or blue undertone, or is it more yellow or olive-coloured? In the latter case, yellow gold jewellery adds a glow to your skin and complements your natural complexion perfectly. Yellow gold rings cause less allergic reactions and rashes than white gold, because they rarely contain nickel. Men also like wearing yellow gold and is therefore still a popular choice for wedding rings.

Find the perfect pair of yellow gold wedding rings here in our collection.

How do I care for a yellow gold ring?

Yellow gold jewellery, especially rings with a higher carat (18 kt) are prone to scratches and other damage. Some people are bothered by this, others just embrace the charm of a vintage look. Of course, a yellow gold ring can be polished again, returning its original lustre. This process does however remove a thin layer off the ring.



To protect your yellow gold ring or other jewellery, you should rather take it off if you work with detergent or chemicals. Shower soap, shampoo and detergents, especially those with chlorine, can cause a lot of damage to your ring. Therefore, never go swimming with your ring.

Learn more about cleaning and protecting gold jewellery.

What yellow gold jewellery do you choose?

All the jewellery at BAUNAT are always made with the best materials, including the yellow gold specimens. Moreover, due to our unique approach with online presence and purchase of materials directly at the source, you are paying 30% to 50% less than at other jewellers. And if you order online at BAUNAT, you will soon be able to enjoy your jewellery. The delivery period is between 1 and 10 working days. For custom jewellery, you have to count on 4 weeks.

So, experiment with yellow gold jewels. Visit the web shop right now, and order your yellow gold engagement ring, yellow gold pair of earrings or yellow gold necklace.

What do you need to know about other precious metals?

You have now been able to learn some facts about yellow gold and gold in general. But there is still a lot to say about the other golds and platinum. In these articles, we have lined up all the facts for you. This allows you to make the best choice based on your personal style and preferences.

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