Gold will not tarnish, rust or corrode. Although it is strong, it is the most malleable of all metals. Pure gold is too soft to endure the stresses of every-day wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel and zinc to give it strength and durability. Karats, noted by a number followed by "k", indicates the purity, or how much gold is in the piece in comparison to the alloys (other metals). Karats are expressed in a fraction of 24, making 24k 100% gold. The color of gold is determined by two factors:

Yellow gold
Yellow gold comes in a slew of shades varying from light gold (14k) to a deeper gold color (18 - 24k). Since 24k gold is completely pure it displays a very rich, antique color but because it is too soft for everyday use, it is usually reserved for special occasion jewelry and heirloom pieces. 14 -18k gold is used in creating more basic pieces that can be enjoyed on a daily basis.

White gold
White gold is created by mixing gold with different white colored alloys. Because it contains a large part of gold, depending on the number of karats, most white golds have a slight yellow hue. To enhance the whiteness, almost all white gold is plated with rhodium, a polished, white metal which is exceptionally durable and great for everyday use. Depending on the amount of wear, rhodium plating may wear off, exposing the original metal color. Re-plating is a simple process that can be done to restore your jewelry's whiteness if needed.

Rose gold
Rose gold gets its color from copper mixed in with the gold. The hue depends on the amount of copper content used. Most rose gold is 18k, with 75% gold and 25% copper. Rose gold is also known as red or pink gold.

A Diamond Education
Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth and are uniquely resistant to damage by heat or scratching; that said diamonds are not indestructible. They can chip and break and are especially vulnerable at the girdle. Having diamonds set in a relatively protective setting, can help maintain their beauty and resilience.
When wearing your diamond, you should be conscious of it on your finger, removing it when doing any type of activity that might expose it to a rough substance or a hard blow. It is recommended that you remove your diamond when gardening, doing the dishes, intense exercise, and etc.

If you have any further questions about anything mentioned above, please feel free to contact us at info@minkjewels.com - we love showing off how much we know!

Gold will not tarnish, rust or corrode. Although it is strong, it is the most malleable of all metals. Pure gold is too soft to endure the stresses of every-day wear, so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel and zinc to give it strength and durability. Karats, noted by a number followed by "k", indicates the purity, or how much gold is in the piece in comparison to the alloys (other metals). Karats are expressed in a fraction of 24, making 24k 100% gold. The color of gold is determined by two factors:

Cut - The Cutting Edge
Cut is the factor that fuels a diamond's fire, sparkle and brilliance. Cut refers to the facet proportions on the surface of a diamond. Though immensely difficult to analyze, or quantify, the cut of any diamond has three attributes:
Brilliance: the total light reflected from a diamond.
Dispersion: the dispersion of light into the colors of the spectrum
Scintillation: the flashes of light, or sparkle, when a diamond is moved
An understanding of diamond cut begins with the shape of a diamond. The standard round brilliant is the shape used in most diamond jewelry. All others are known as fancy shapes. Customary fancy shapes include the marquise, princess, pear, oval and emerald cuts. Hearts, cushions, triangles and a variety of other shapes are also gaining popularity in diamond jewelry.
When a stone is cut to maximize brilliance and dispersion and scintillation it usually loses size. Conversely, when cut for size the diamond usually loses brilliance, dispersion and scintillation.

Color - When Less Is More
Diamond color is all about what you can't see. Diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness - the less color the higher their value. Many of these color distinctions are so slight they are invisible to the untrained eye. But these subtle differences make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.
The GIA's (Gemological Institute of America) color grading scale for diamonds is the industry standard. The scale begins with the letter D, representing colorlessness, and continues with the increasing presence of color to the letter Z, or near colorlessness. Each letter grade has a clearly defined range of color appearance. Diamonds are color graded by comparing them to stones of known color under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions.

Carat - Weighing in on Beauty
The weight of a diamond is measured in metric carats. One carat equals 0.200 grams. Just as a dollar is divided into pennies, a carat is divided into points. For example, a 50-point diamond weighs 0.50 carats.
Carat weight alone does not determine a diamond's value. Two stones of equal weight can vary widely in price because of quality differences. In fact, a smaller diamond may actually be more valuable than a larger stone with inferior cut, clarity and color.
When considering diamonds of equal quality, the larger stone will have considerably more value. Usually, a two carat diamond will be more than twice as valuable as a one-carat stone.

Clarity-Clear as Day
Clarity measures the flawlessness of a diamond. A diamond's clarity rating has a direct effect on a diamond's beauty and price. Because diamonds are formed deep within the earth, under extreme heat and pressure, they often contain unique birthmarks, either internal (inclusion) or external (blemishes). No diamond is absolutely perfect, though some, even under a 10 x magnification, come very close. All gem-grade diamonds can receive a clarity rating based on an industry standard scale. FL (flawless) to I3 (heavily included).

If you have any further questions about anything mentioned above, please feel free to contact us at info@minkjewels.com - we love showing off how much we know!