There are many places that you can go to, to buy jewelry made from gold, and though many are safe, and sell gold jewelry that is what it says it is, it is best to be safe. When buying gold in northern America, look for jewelry retailers that have the logo of Jewelers of America. Outside northern America there will often be an association that has a set of standards for the members. It is a good choice to make sure they have that membership, as it shows in most cases that you are getting what you actually wanted.

When buying gold, you may have heard the word – karats. A Karat, is a way of measuring the pureness of gold jewelry. Because the metal is soft in its pure form and unsuitable for wearing it is often added with other metals to make it stronger. As an example 24 karat gold is pure gold and is very soft. In this state is easily malleable and would likely bend and change shape every time you try to wear it.

24 karat gold is often used for other purposes, such as making CD layers or in computer processors. 18K jewelry is the next level down and is 75% pure, then 12K gold which is half gold and half is other metals. Another karat you may find is 10 karats which is actually only 41.7% pure gold. As you get to the lower percentages the more stronger the jewelry made from gold, but also the less real gold contained within the jewelry. It will be something to consider which type you want to purchase.

Anything below 10 karats is not really classed as gold jewelry, so much so that in the US, it is against the law to label an item as being gold, if it contains less than 10 karats. Even though many are safe, and sell gold jewelry that is what it says it is, it is best to be safe and buy from jewelry retailers with a membership to a jewelry association. This applies online, and the sites will often display such logo’s and hallmark information.

All jewelry made from gold will come with a karat mark. If you find jewelry without this mark either online or offline it is best to take it back, as it could end up being an item with no gold in it or one which has less than 10 karats. When you look to buy gold jewelry, you will also see a mark of the jewelry manufacturer. This information is good to know. As jewelry with a known mark is going to be more likely to be a genuine product.

Gold is back and it’s back big time! For a while, gold has been pushed into the background being replaced by other metals like silver and platinum. But now, gold is everywhere – from shoes to bags and even clothing, but most noticeably gold is back in jewelry. For over a decade the diamond set in platinum was the staple “Will you marry me?” ring. But now we see jewelers coming up with impressive gold and white gold pieces. Even Faux gold jewelry is getting a minute in the spotlight, but we all know – nothing beats the real thing, and with the real thing comes real responsibility- it is then up to you to take care of your gold items.

Unlike some myths, gold is a precious metal that does not tarnish. It can get dirty over the years because of exposure to biological matter like oil and sweat. Makeup, lotion and other substances can also dull gold jewelry. Dulled and dirtied gold jewelry is not at all pleasant to look at and may even end up causing irreversible damage to your jewelry and stain your clothing or irritate your skin. That is the main reason why periodic cleaning for gold jewelry is necessary. There are commercial gold cleaners available that you can use for your gold. Just make sure that the gold cleaner is gentle and non abrasive so that it won’t damage the gold in any way. If you do not want to use commercial cleaners, there are a lot of homespun ways that you can clean your gold.

When cleaning gold yourself, you will need the following items: Soft or Kiddies toothbrush, Dish Detergent (Mild), and a soft rag or polishing cloth. What you need to do is to dilute a little bit of dish detergent into a bowl of warm water. Soak your gold jewelry in the warm water for a few minutes to soften the dirt that has attached to your jewelry over time. After soaking, you can take the soft brush and gently remove the dirt. Dry the jewelry afterwards and polish gently with the rag or the polishing fabric.

Once you have cleaned your jewelry, there is one basic tip that you need to follow so that you can keep your gold shining as long as possible. It is advised to put your gold jewelry after you have sprayed on perfume. Most perfume contains either oil or alcohol. These compounds can attach themselves to your gold jewelry and make it attract dirt. Another is to wash your Gold jewelry before retiring at night and pat it dry. This way you will stop any reaction or corrosion from happening due to body sweat thereby preventing damage to your gold jewelry.