Throughout the ages, Gold has mesmerised us. However, due to its popularity and high price, gold has sadly been whittled down and used in various forms and purities, and across disparate industries from skincare products, to electronics. So how do you know whether the gold you have is the real deal?
Purity and Gold alloys
Unlike the term “carat”, a measurement equal to 200mg used to weigh gemstones and diamonds, “karat” is the measurement used to express the purity of gold. Pure gold is expressed as 24K or 24 Karat. Anything less than this means that, as a percentage of 24K, the precious metal is only a fraction of the composition of the piece.
Let's look at an example: if you buy an 18K ring, the highest purity in Western jewellery these days, then you know that your ring is only comprised of 18/24 or 75% precious metal. The other 25% is made up of other base metals.
Despite the pure Gold craft dating back to 5000BCE, alloys were created by the modern jewellery industry. Most Western fashion jewellery is manufactured from synthetic chemical alloys, ranging from 9 to 18 karat (37.5% - 75% gold purity). In addition to these yellow gold alloys, you find white and rose gold which are even lower in purity, than their yellow alloy counterparts. These alloys mix abundantly found metals like nickle, brass or copper with the precious metal, diluting its value.
The additional metals result in the jewellery tarnishing over time, due to their vulnerability to the elements and chemical processes such as oxidization. Many of our clients have experienced this, where one client actually told our founder, Helen Viljoen, that she had left one of her white gold diamond rings in her jewellery box for 2 years, and when she decided to wear it again, the metal had completely discoloured [More on the longevity of gold jewellery later].
So why has the modern jewellery industry moved away from the ancient knowledge and wisdom of the gold craft. There are various reasons for this, one of the reasons being the myth that pure 24 karat gold is too soft to craft into jewellery. This is of course not true.
The main reason for the deviation from using pure gold is that alloys allow for the industry to obscure the true precious metal value of the jewellery and charge obscene mark-ups.
Why Nebü only works with 100% pure gold
Nebü’s purity pledge prevents us from supplying popular alloys such as “white gold” or “rose gold”. Nebü works with 24 karat (100% pure) gold, as it is found in nature, moulding its jewellery into our beautiful, legacy pieces.
By committing to the unadulterated gold in our design, we do not disturb the natural properties of the gold that give it its enduring value namely that it does not tarnish, is antimicrobial and hypoallergenic.
Pure gold is indestructible – one only fully appreciates the importance of this when it touches your skin – its authentic purity and luxurious lustre being superior to any element in nature.