You surely must have heard the saying that proposes diamonds as a woman’s best friend. But here’s something your ears might have missed- gold is the lion of the jungle, it predominantly rules over all other wearable metals. One can never go wrong with gold jewelry. It is the perfect match for the hearts of all those who wish to be minimalistic yet make a statement, effortlessly. The best part about gold jewelry is its fluidity- there is not a single gender or age group that it doesn’t compliment. For your unmatched level of class that exuberates just by carrying gold, the most timeless piece of jewelry hands down is a gold chain. Simply put, your appearance makes a statement just as you walk through the door, even before your lips begin to part. To leave an everlasting impression, a gold chain is your best bet. In a room full of people, it sets you apart as the alpha by screaming royalty. For such an asset, it is imperative that it should be rightly picked and bought. Below is a guide curated to help you and your gold affairs!
What to keep in mind while pricing the gold chain by the gram!
- Hunt for the gram weight- The first and foremost step to assure if a gold chain necklace is fairly priced, you must check the gold chain for its gram weight mentioned. If you’re wondering what gram weight is- it is simply the measure of gold content in the jewelry piece you are taking in consideration. If you’re questioning the importance of knowing the gram weight of the gold chain, it facilitates the comparison of amount of gold in the gold chain with other gold chain pieces, even from other brands or stores. An informed buyer always compares and considers his best options before choosing the best and therefore, this is the magic tool you need to do the same.
All traditional and branded offline jewelry stores without fail have in-house a highly sensitive jeweler’s scale that gives you the right gram weight within brief moments.
In the course of online shopping, the gram weight is already listed in the description of the piece you are eyeing.
- Find the Karat weight of the jewelry piece- This step further assists and facilitates a simpler comparison of gold jewelry. A greater Karat weight implies a greater gold content in the jewelry. For a simple example, an 18K gold chain will weigh more than a 10K or 14K gold chain of the same style, design and size.
- Be informed of the ongoing market price of gold- To do so, you can simply search online the ‘current market price of gold’ and from any credible source, educate yourself on the pricing of gold in the market. This step is very crucial. If you are informed and well versed with the pricing, no seller will be able to extract a single penny more than what you should be actually paying for the gold you are buying. To be more specific, you should be looking for the current market price of gold in grams and then do the math to calculate the price of your gold chain based on its gram weight with respect to the current market rate. This will give you the exact price of the gold item. Keep in consideration that the selling price might vary because of the other costs involved like labor and manufacturing.
- Find your right fit- The 3 tips given above are your ultimate companions in this endeavor. Following all three religiously will give you the most right and vivid insight on whichever gold chains you set your heart upon. You are now empowered enough to choose the pieces falling under your budget and then further compare and contrast all of them. You will now be able to find the best value for your hard earned money and not make a deal of your loss out of lack of knowledge. It is assured that these three steps will make sure you will be taking home all three- the best deal, a royal gold chain and a great sense of satisfaction.
How to evaluate the quality of your gold?
Gold is an all season and all favorite precious wearable metal. It never goes out of style. Because of its both- qualitative and quantitative worth, you are susceptible to sellers who might entrap you in unjust deals or worse, sell you fakes, better known as ‘artificial gold pieces’. To beat these frauds and outsmart such types of sellers, it is imperative to be educated about this business. Don’t fret; it is not anything like rocket science. To help simplify things for you, here are our top tips to help you distinguish the real from artificial-
Marked with Hallmark - A hallmark is a small carving engraved on the surface of gold jewelry pieces. They are mostly found in very unnoticeable parts so as to not affect the design or beauty of the piece. This Hallmark is more than a mark, it is your hero. It assures the pureness of the components of the gold chain. Most well named and reputed gold chain manufacturers without fail include a hallmark on their creation. If you don’t see one, feel free to take it as a red flag.
Porcelain tile test –The easiest way of firsthand finding the genuineness of the gold chain is simpler than you can imagine. It can be done by rubbing it on an unglazed porcelain tile. Be sure to not be too violent while doing it, you don’t want to damage the piece. After you are done, look closely at the color left by the piece on the tile. A real and genuine gold piece will leave behind the tile as golden or yellowish stained. If you’ve encountered a foul piece, it will leave behind black stains.
Magnet - Another easy testing can be done by checking if the gold chain is magnetic. Under no circumstance should your gold chain show signs of magnetism. If it does, then it means that the quality of the jewelry piece has been compromised by incorporating cheap elements like iron and nickel that result in the gold piece showing magnetic qualities. While it is a simple and doable test, it cannot be considered failsafe as some fraudulent manufacturers can also use non-magnetic elements like lead, aluminum, etc to steer clear of this test.
Acid Test – This test falls on the slightly less doable side of the spectrum considering the ingredients involved. But if you wish and are able to procure the items needed, you can perform it with nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid. You simply need to drop a very small amount of acid on the body of the jewelry piece. Remember, to failsafe this test you particularly need to test the body of the piece and not its clasps because some fraudulent manufacturers can be smart enough to just make the clasps out of gold to entrap you. If the acid doesn’t cause a reaction on the gold piece then there is a high chance you have a genuine item in hand. However, if there is a chemical reaction, it can signify that you’re being conned by the seller who is selling you a gold plated piece or a piece that has a very small composition percentage of real gold, which isn’t the deal you want to go for.
Appraiser – This way is a sure shot one of determining how authentic your gold chain is. This method can be expensive but if you are making a high risk purchase, it is suggested to pay for an appraiser to be on the safer side and free from fraud risks.
Know about the design of the gold chain
The chain style you select not only plays an important role in the design of your jewelry but it also affects the sturdiness of the piece.
Whether you buy a statement piece to add to your collection or something durable to withstand daily wear, you must go for sturdy designs and that is what we are here for.
You must consider the following factors to ensure you choose the right chain for your purposes!
Types of link
Gold chain jewelry includes links that make the piece malleable enough to be twisted or bent. The toughest styles of chains are made up of intertwining links that do not have a bending point, and won’t break even if you twist or fold them.
Cable, mariner, curb, Figaro, and rope are just some of the strongest chain styles that we will be talking about. Wheat chains are made up of a number of links that won’t easily kink or break that makes it durable to be worn on a daily basis.
Unfortunately some chains are delicate. Flat chains like herringbone and omega are made up of links that are attached on a backing rather than being intertwined, which makes them prone to twisting and breaking.
Go for a thicker chain
A chain that is thick will make subtle styles stronger and will be able to bear the extra weight of a pendant. For instance, a box or snake chain is delicate but it can be more durable to endure twisting and bending if it comes with thicker links. However, the thickness of gold chains will depend not only on your style preference and if you wish to style a pendant along with it or not.
Chains with self-reliantly fused links
Soldering is the process of mending breaks in chains, closing its gaps to make it unbreakable in jewelry making. Soldered chains are more resilient to tugging since the links are closed and gaps won’t form. Anchor, Figaro, and curb chains are some of the styles that have soldered links. Unluckily, some gold chains cannot be easily soldered therefore you must ensure that the links are durable enough to handle daily wear.
How to finalize the gold chain?
Now that you know about the factors you must consider, it must be clear for you to pick the one. You can go with the durability or the design while making the final decision. If you want a thick and a durable design then go for curb, anchor or Figaro which are not only apt to wear daily but also have a great look.
If want something that is lightweight yet tough to wear with pendants then go for wheat, cable and rope chains. Box chains are durable if they are thick but they simply break if the links are too thin. The ball chain has a fragile structure but can be more durable in solid links.
If you need a solid-looking jewelry piece then omega and herringbone chains can be your pick. Snake chains have a smooth look with pendants but they are a bit gentle and need fusing for mending.
You should also consider the length of the chain. You wouldn’t want to strangle yourself by going for a close to neck design or want to look like a goon with the hanging one. The ideal length to go for is 14-22 inches. Short chains are good for a daily basis and they are so much more convenient as well. However, it is not suggested to sleep with the chain on as it can cause marks on the neck and can damage it too.
You can go for a longer chain if you want to show off a bold personality. They are great to be worn at functions or parties and make heads turn.
No matter what chain you go for, it should go with your style. You can also wear a pendant for a minimalistic yet stylish look. If you want all eyes on you then you can opt for a larger chain and you won’t regret the attention.
