The Gold Guide

The Gold Standard Of Metals

What's Mined Is Yours:

Gold is an essential element in jewellery, and certainly the most popular metal out there. At Bevilles, we don't gild the lily — we want to help you find the perfect piece of gold jewellery, whether it's an engagement ring, wedding band, or part of a special gift.

Looking for quality gold jewellery? Visit a Bevilles store near you to begin your search.

Why Is Gold So Precious?

Gold has underpinned the world economy for at least the last 7,000 years. From California to the Eureka Stockade, gold rushes have spurred prospectors and companies to try their luck using a variety of methods, including panning, hydraulics, sluicing, and full open cup mining.

Throughout history, gold has been used as a basis for economics, trade, and barter. Its value is attributed to the properties that make it a sought-after precious metal.

  • Gold is very rare. All of the gold ever mined would fit in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
  • Gold the most malleable of all metals, and can be moulded by hand at 100% purity.
  • Gold is resistant to most acids, and will not degrade or tarnish over time.
  • Gold is also a great conductor of electricity and heat, and has application in many industries.

Where Does Gold Come From?

Gold is mined on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that 190,000 tonnes of gold has been mined since the dawn of human history. The gold industry generates over $200 billion for the world economy every year.

China, Australia, and Russia are the world's largest gold producers, collectively mining over 1,000 tonnes of gold per year. As world leaders, these countries practice responsible gold mining, which places a high regard on promoting sustainability, improving infrastructure, and protecting human rights.

For high quality gold jewellery, expertly crafted into jewellery you'll admire every day, visit Bevilles. 

How Is Gold Classified?

Gold jewellery is aesthetically beautiful and very valuable. However, due to it's softness and malleability, gold must be mixed with other metals to form an alloy that will retain its shape and strength. The purity of gold jewellery is determined by its karat value:

  • 24 karat is 100% pure gold, and is far too soft to make gold jewellery.
  • 18 karat is 75% gold, or 18 parts gold, and 6 parts other metals, and is scratch resistant.
  • 14 karat is 58.5% gold is even more durable, but still retains solid gold colour.
  • 9 karat gold and 9 karat silver infused gold is around 30% to 40% gold, and looks whiter, but is the cheapest way to buy gold jewellery.

Different Shades Of Gold

Yellow Gold:

Yellow gold is the most common of the colours. It's the closest shade to naturally sourced gold that comes directly out of the ground. To make gold jewellery, the alloying process might change the natural gold colour.

  • Yellow gold will vary in shades depending on its country of origin. Australian gold is regarded as the most pure, clocking in at 23 karats, on average.
  • The largest gold nugget ever found, Welcome Stranger, was mined in 1869 at Moliagul, Victoria. It weighed 72.02 kilograms, which would be worth around $4.3 million today.

White Gold:

White gold is a complex blend of yellow gold and other metals, which is then plated with rhodium. This process makes the gold less pure, and therefore, makes white gold jewellery much cheaper.

  • White gold can be restored to its original brilliance by re-plating it rhodium, which can be performed by your jewellery at a low cost.
  • Older rings and other pieces of white gold jewellery may have been blended with nickel. This can lead to allergies for the wearer in some cases.

Rose Gold:

Rose gold jewellery has a pinkish hue due to the copper contained within. Pieces of rose gold jewellery tend to darken into deeper, brassy pinks over time. They still look fantastic, and often transform the piece into a more vintage style.

  • Rose gold is the most durable of all gold blends, and is far more resistant to scratching, wear, and degradation over time.
  • Culturally, rose gold has made a huge resurgence as a shade. It was named as the Pantone Colour of the Year in 2016, and is a staple hue for high level consumer goods like the iPhone.

Silver Filled:

Silver-filled gold jewellery is 9 karat yellow, white, or rose gold tubing, filled with either sterling silver mesh, wire or solid sterling silver.

  • Silver filled gold jewellery is heavier than hollow jewellery, which increases the durability and longevity of the pieces.
  • Filled gold jewellery pieces experience wear and tear over time, meaning that they require the same amount of care as other gold pieces.

Looking for the perfect piece of gold jewellery? Bevilles can help you find the right gold ring or gold necklace that fits your budget. Browse through our online catalogue, or visit one of our stores.