Post subject: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 2:05 am
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:57 pm Posts: 2
Hi, I've been looking at rings recently and as I live in Australia, much of our gold jewellery is 9k gold (something I got really pissed off about when I read some other posts here and realised 9k gold isn't even considered real gold in other countries, why do we have such low standards? ) ANYWAYS, so the rings I've taken a look at, either have diamonds, emeralds, sapphires or rubies mounted on them. However, for such a low grade of gold, would these gems most likely be natural or created? If natural, how big of a carat would be mounted on a 9k ring (I realise nobody is going to mount a 932445734983ct on 9k ring just as nobody would mount a 0.0000000000000001ct on 22k) or if created, how big of a carat would be mounted on a ring of higher grade gold (e.g. 18k, etc)?
Post subject: Re: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 1:16 pm
Gold Member
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:44 pm Posts: 1079 Location: Washington State
The metal used for mountings has nothing at all to do with the stones which are mounted in it. I have seen fairly high value natural stones of all sizes mounted in silver. I have also made many rings using large synthetics in custom, high karat gold settings, (surrounded by large numbers of the smallest diamond melee available as pave). There's just no telling from the setting what it being held by it.
hi England made jewellery in 9k gold. the Americans had a revolution. figured if they outlawed 9k gold and made 10k the minimum that would put a spike in ole England's exports to the new world... now I live in Canada .... no revolution .. but hey no point in making something your largest trading partner won't and can't legally buy .. so 10k it is.
Other parts of the Common Wealth still follow the old English custom and with gold prices where they are makes for a more affordable piece.
personally even 9k gold is to rich for me As michael_e pointed out some of us work solely in silver.
_________________ A Chinese proverb says "Gold is valuable, Jade is Priceless."
Post subject: Re: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 11:03 pm
New to the Forum or The Quiet Type
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:57 pm Posts: 2
But I kind of assumed that if you put a really high quality and large gem on a low grade of metal, it'd be kind of a waste since it would be able to fetch a much higher price on a higher grade of metal and vice versa
Post subject: Re: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:49 am
Valued Contributor
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:55 am Posts: 236 Location: Paris - France
Here in France, we have the inverse phenomenon: you can find a lot of synthetics or CZ mounted in 18ct gold as no other gold alloy was allowed to sell for a long time. In the recent years, some 8/9 ct gold appears on the market but does not have a real succes as people are used to have at least 18 ct.
Post subject: Re: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 5:29 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:11 pm Posts: 657
This is a really interesting thread, and I to, thank Barbra for the lovely examples of jewellery. I don't know why any-one would declare 9ct gold, poor quality. The carat, or Karat rating is purely an indication of the % gold in the alloy. My favorite is 9ct pink, or Rose gold. I often commission jewellery made in silver, with gold claws for the stones, to keep it affordable to my clients. Don't fret, it's been around for 100's of years, and will continue to be the mainstay of jewellery production. Along with silver, of course.
Post subject: Re: Would gems mounted on 9ct gold be natural or created?
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 5:41 am
Gemology Online Veteran
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2012 5:11 pm Posts: 657
I posted too quick, and forgot to answer your question about the stones being real or synthetic. As you mention Australia, i figure you're looking at rings in the big mall stores, which invariably import their stock from China. Yes, the stones are synthetic, and of a poor quality. When you see 100's of Ruby, Emerald, sapphire rings, in every shop in town, looking exactly the same, well, go figure. If you see signs saying, " not by nature", or "created for you", it's a giveaway. Have fun looking. Barry.
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