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MTG,
Isn't 24K equivalent to 100% pure gold? I have quite a few 24K gold rings and should take some pictures for you. My favourite piece is shaped like leaves. Yours is beautiful! I don't think our usual PS favourite vendors work in 24K with the exception of those from Thailand. I do have my one heirloom ring (22kt though) set with a red spinel. It's in the Coloured Stone gallery right now. |
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I think your red spinel ring is gorgeous!
I know that 24k is supposed to be 100%, but in China they have 99.9% as one category and 24k as a separate (cheaper) one right under it. So maybe it''s 99.5 and people just round up? I don''t really know. My friend as a 24k ruby ring that I think is just stunning and always catches my eye when I see it. |
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I love everything (well, almost) in high karat gold and pretty much anything yellowish-orange or orangy-yellow (you''d never guess that by my avatar, right
), so I love this ring too. I just have some instant emotional reaction to the color, can''t really explain.P. S. I''m pretty sure that most of the world considers anything in the 99%+ region of gold purity to be 24k, since 965 (if I''m correct) is 23k. And I''m also pretty sure that there''s nothing above 24k (cause that would mean 25k ), unless it''s a cultural thing in a specific geographical region.
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Since gold karats are defined as parts of gold per 24, it wouldn''t be possible to go over 24k. The tolerance for fine metals is 0.1%, so 24k would be 99.9% pure.
There is no inherent difficulty in working with 24k, other than getting the material. Any vendor who alloys their own metals should be able to work with 24k (although many wouldn''t recommend it for certain applications). Since 24k gold is uncommon in the US, it may be worthwhile to ask a vendor. Maybe they will be willing to do a custom piece. Personally, I think 24k is good for bezeling softer stones, although many don''t agree (becaus eof durability issues). |
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MTG,
That's really interesting and the first I've heard of this because the gold calculation is parts per 24, so 99.9% is 24K which is pure gold. Where I'm from, 99.9% is pure gold (24K), although 96.9% (22KT / 23KT) tends to be used more for bracelets and rings because they hold up better. It could be that the Chinese 24K is akin to the slightly lower 99.5% or something similar although I've not heard of this. Hubby complains that I buy out the entire store when I go to his hometown because that's the only place I can get 99.9% gold in a huge variety of sizes and styles.
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