Gold, in its truest form, has always been the epitome of wealth and luxury. Gold jewelry has adorned ears, necks, fingers, and wrists for
centuries and has been one of the most preferred metals for jewelry. Throughout the ages yellow gold in its most natural state reigned supreme against any other metal.

However, modern trends have created a buzz around white gold and other colors of gold. Selling gold jewelry in different colors has become a fashion statement and as a complementary metal to yellow gold.

Today, metal smiths have the technology to create different color gold using complex chemical compounds that make selling jewelry more
exciting.  No longer are the top selling pieces limited to yellow gold and silver. So how many colors of gold are there? One
thing’s for sure, there are more than you know!

Yellow: Gold’s color in its natural state. Different shades
of gold are determined by the karat. For instance, 14 karat gold is brighter
than 10 karat, whereas 18 karat is deeper in tone than 14 karat.

White: Second in popularity to yellow gold.  It is created by mixing nickel or palladium
alloy, zinc and copper with yellow gold. The gold may even be plated with
rhodium for a brighter appearance.

Rose: Metalsmith’s produce rose gold by alloying yellow gold
with copper. This gives gold jewelry a blush-like appearance, which is preferred
by those wanting to match their skin tone.

Chocolate: When rose gold goes through a chemical change
called PVD (physical vaporization and deposition) it changes the surface to a
deep chocolate color. The process oxidizes the surface of the gold by placing
it in a vacuum chamber and striking it with electrical currents.

Green: Created by mixing silver, copper and zinc to yellow gold.
Green is not a very commonly requested gold, but it can be used as a ‘pseudo’
gems in combination with other natural gems like diamonds.

Purple: Also referred to as amethyst or violet gold, purple gold
occurs when natural yellow gold is alloyed with a specific ratio of aluminum to
give it a purple hue.

Black: There are several ways to create black gold. One of the
best ways is through a process called Electrodeposition. This process alters
yellow gold by using black rhodium or ruthenium.  Another method produces black gold through
the controlled oxidation of carat gold containing chromium or cobalt.

Blue: Carat gold is altered using an intermetallic compound
between yellow gold and indium. The process is similar to the purple gold method.

Drawbacks to Engineered Gold

But are different colors of gold really any better than the real thing?

Because of the intense process that yellow gold must undergo to alter its natural state, purple, green and blue gold jewelry becomes brittle
and easily scratched. In fact, a solid hit to one of these pieces of jewelry may even crack it.

Another disadvantage lies in repairs and sizing. The initial cost of different color gold isn’t much more than yellow or white, but repairs
due to cracks or scratches can increase the overall cost. Sizing a ring made from engineered gold isn’t as easy as white or yellow gold, which can make a modest setting more expensive.

The Upshot

There are still some advantages to color gold jewelry that make them a hot commodity. White gold was actually created to make yellow gold
stronger and more durable. The process allows white gold jewelry to be worn on a daily basis, making it a versatile metal for just about any jewelry piece. Exotic gold colors have opened up a world of opportunity to market and sell jewelry online.

Photo Courtesy: graur razvan ionut