What Are the Different Colors of Gold?

Yellow and white gold are the most familiar,
but other colors are possible by blending
the gold with other metals.

Our traditional perception of gold, is a rich, deep, metallic yellow. But in fact, gold comes in many shades of that color, and in other colors as well.

The "purity" of gold is determined by its karat value, or how much real gold there is, in proportion to other metal alloys. For example, 14 parts gold and ten parts of a metal alloy, would give you 14k gold. However, the color of that gold depends entirely on the type of alloy that has been blended with the pure gold.

Next to yellow gold, the most popular or frequently seen color, is referred to as "white gold". This is not actually a white, but more of a silver colored metal. The alloy added must be carefully balanced with the pure gold, so that it suppresses the yellow color, but does not dilute the karat value. Nickel is one of the metal alloys used to produce white gold, but it has been known to irritate the skin of people who have allergies to it. Another alloy for making white gold is palladium. This is a much more expensive alternative to nickel, which shows in the price of jewelry and other items.

There are actually "colored" golds as well, with the colors being added through the type of metal that is blended with the pure gold. Copper is a substance that is sometimes added to enhance or alter the shade of the yellow gold. Some experts may find these mixes to be on a slightly brassier shade than other alloys. But copper when added in higher quantities, actually produces a range of pinks and rose-colored alloys. Again, the karat value would be determined by the amount of pure gold in it, and that figure would be stamped on your jewelry in many cases. It's even possible to get green gold, by a judicious balance of pure gold and silver.

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