What is 375, 585 and 750 in Gold
375, 585 and 750 numbers in gold jewelry tell the purity level of a particular jewelry item. These are same as 9 karat, 14 karat and 18 karat gold jewelry. If a jewelry has a mark of 375, it means that it is made of 9 karat gold. Similar goes with 585 as 14 karat and 750 as 18 karat. These numbers are very important because they determine what kind of properties your gold jewelry will have and how should you care for it.
All of these numbers are in percentage terms while 9k or 14k are in karat units. Difference between the two is the usage of different unit systems. Although, karat system is the most widely used one, but some jewelers might use percentage system as well.
Composition of 375, 585 and 750 Gold
375 gold tells that it contains 37.5 percent of gold by weight and the remaining part is of any other metal. This other metal can be copper, silver, nickel or platinum.
585 gold tells that it contains 58.5 percent of gold by weight and 750 gold tells that it contains 75 percent of gold by weight. Remaining part of both of these is any other metal like copper, silver, nickel or platinum.
As percentage of gold increases in a gold alloy, its quality increases. But, with this it also becomes expensive.
Comparison of 375 vs 585 vs 750 Gold
Properties of a gold type greatly depend on the purity level of gold. Here is a comparison of different gold purity levels among each other with different aspects.
1. Appearance
When it comes to appearances of these gold alloys, a certain rule is followed. Greater the purity level, more yellowish the alloy will be and vice versa.
By this rule, 750 gold will have the closest appearance to pure gold among these three as it has the greatest amount of gold. Similarly 375 will have the weakest yellow appearance and 585 gold will lie in between.
If you are one who is looking get jewelry for its appearance, then 750 is the one you should buy. If budget is a problem for you, then go with 585 gold.
2. Hardness
The same rule of appearance is also applied here but oppositely. Lowest the purity level of a gold alloy is, the more hard it will be.
We all know that gold is a soft metal and it is needed to be mixed with other metals to make it harder enough for jewelry making. The more metals you add, harder it becomes. Harder alloys are easier to make complex customizable designs and do gold plating as well. So, 9 karat gold is the hardest among these three. So, you can expect a lot of complex designs in 9 karat jewelry as it is hardest of the three.
One thing is to noted here. If you’re one who does not want to compromise on purity of their gold jewelry, 14 karat gold is a good one to go with. It provides a good balance of hardness and purity in these three.
3. Durability
Softer gold alloys like 750 or 18 karat gold can get scratched and damaged easily. Greater content of gold makes it softer. Similarly, 14 karat is more resistant towards scratches than 18 karat as it is harder than it. 9 karat is the most durable among the three.
This can be a good thing for ones who can’t take care of their jewelry properly. 14 karat and 9 karat can resist damages more than 18 karat. If you are aiming to wear it on regular basis, then 14 karat is a good option. Otherwise, 18 karat can also be an option.
4. Cost
Cost of 750 gold is the highest as it contains biggest percentage of gold. 585 gold will be relatively cheaper than this and 375 gold will be the cheapest.
If you don’t want to spend big amount of money, then you should look for jewelry in 14 karat or 9 karat.
5. Hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic means that a jewelry will not react with your skin. People with sensitive skin can get allergies by wearing non-hypoallergenic jewelry. This can also include skin turning green.
750 gold or 18 karat is completely hypoallergenic and you can wear it whether you have sensitive skin or not. 585 might not also react with skin. But people with sensitive skin should avoid 375 gold jewelry. It can react with cosmetic items and skin to form different reactions.
6. Shelf Life
Shelf life of a gold jewelry is never a big concern. Regardless of their purity level, gold jewelries remain in useable condition for at least 30 to 50 years or may be more if proper care is taken care of. Tasks like regular cleaning, proper storing and saving from damages will always end your jewelry with a longer shelf life.
7. Maintenance and Care
Maintenance is another important aspect of owning gold jewelry. Gold alloys with lower purity get tarnished quickly. Main reason for this is the presence of copper. Gold alloys with higher copper content get tarnished quickly. That’s why lower purity alloys like 9 karat require greater maintenance and regular cleaning than others. You are also expected to use tarnish removing chemicals from time to time for removing any tarnish.
585 and 750 require less maintenance. However, they should be cleaned as well. But it will not be that much often as in 375 gold.
8. Resale Value
As far as these three types of gold are concerned for investment purpose, 750 gold stands out on the top. The main reason behind it is having greater gold content than others. Usually gold prices are more stable and offer better returns than copper, nickel or other metals. This brings a sense of stability in terms of investment.
Similar goes with the resale value of the jewelry. Jewelries made of 375 gold are going to depreciate at a faster rate than higher purity types. Apart from this you can expect an easier and smoother process of selling with higher purity level gold alloys as they have more demand.
Why Can’t we have pure Gold Jewelry
Gold is a soft and malleable metal which can change its shape on smallest of forces. This makes it really impossible to be dealt with in terms of jewelry making. Jewelry often has complex designs where jeweler are needed to fit in small stones and make definite angles.
Under such circumstances, a metal being used for this purpose should be hard enough to hold stones and its shape. Unfortunately pure gold metal is unable to do it. That’s why we mix it with other metals to make different compositions like rose gold, yellow gold, white gold etc. The whole purpose behind it is to make it hard enough to fulfill the checklist. In this way, different purity levels of gold exist. The more hardness you want to get, lesser the gold you will put in.
What to Choose?
Before deciding, first a buyer has to make it clear what is their budget and what qualities do they want from their jewelry. If you’re one who is looking for a cheaper gold alloy and can compromise on appearance and tarnishing, 375 might be a good option for you. People looking for a low maintenance demanding gold types can definitely go with 750 gold. But it comes at a cost. If you want to remain in between the two, 585 is the best option to have.
Conclusion
375, 585 and 750 are different purity levels of gold alloys used in gold jewelry making. All of these alloys contain different properties in terms of appearance, durability, maintenance required and cost. It all ends up on one’s personal needs and choices that what they choose. But before buying any jewelry made up of these alloys, make sure to have all the necessary information in making an informed decision.