Gold jewelry is a thoughtful gift and a great investment for people of all ages. Cufflinks, gold chains, earrings and watches are tasteful accessories that can become heirlooms. You can find beautiful jewelry to fit any budget and style. However, preferences sometimes change. You can sell gold jewelry you don't wear anymore and buy gold accessories that are even more beautiful. Here's some information to help you with selling and buying gold in Phoenix.

Pure Gold

Pure gold has a yellow color and is very soft, making it easy for jewelers to manipulate. Pure gold is also known as 24K gold. The K stands for karat or carat, an ancient unit of weight that's now used as a unit of purity for gold. A piece of 12K gold jewelry would contain 50 percent gold and 50 percent of some other metal like silver, copper or zinc. You can calculate the percent purity of your gold by dividing the karat value by 24, and multiplying the result by 100. Jewelry with a lower karat value tends to be less expensive and more durable.

White Gold

White gold is an alloy of gold and a white metal like silver, nickel, palladium or manganese. It's often coated in rhodium to give it an especially white, shiny look. Most white gold is 14K. The rest of the metal is usually 21% copper, 7.84% zinc, and 12.73% nickel. White gold engagement rings and wedding rings are very popular.

Rose Gold 

When gold is mixed with enough copper, it can become pink or rose colored. More copper makes the red hues darker. A common rose gold alloy contains 18K gold and 25% copper, while 12K gold and 50% copper results in red gold. This is the most durable type of gold there is since copper is a hard metal.

Gold Value 

It is also find green gold, or electrum. It's a naturally formed alloy of about 73% gold and 27% silver. Because purity determines the value of gold, not the color this means that an 18K rose gold ring and an 18K white gold ring have about the same value.

Ralph Mueller and Associates has been buying gold in Phoenix for over 28 years. Our company's two senior Gemologists have over 60 years combined experience. We provide a safe, convenient experience including accurate appraisals and immediate, generous offers free of charge.