750 Gold

What Is 750 Gold?

"750 gold" is an alloy of gold that is at least .750 (i.e. 75%) pure gold. It is also known as 18 karat (or 18 "carat") gold (you might also see it written as 18K gold or 18kt gold). A "karat" is a measure of purity of gold, with 24 karat being "pure" gold (i.e. at least .999 pure).

Note that the carat or Karat of gold purity should not be confused with the carat of diamond weight. For diamonds, a carat is 0.2 grams of weight. The two meanings of the word are not directly related to each other.

The "750" of 750 gold is what is known as a millesimal fineness mark. In simple terms this means a measure of purity written in thousandths. Thus for example 585 gold is gold which is .585 pure gold. The millesimal fineness system is popular and widely used, especially in European countries.

750 gold is basically 18K gold which has been mixed with a certain percentage of other metals. Jewelry you wear is often marked with 9K / 375, 18K / 750 or 22K / 916, signifying the purity. 22K or 916 gold is considered the most pure gold that can be used for making ornaments - as totally pure gold is soft and not ideally suited to the manufacture of durable objects. 999 gold is typically only used for bullion.

750 gold consists of 18 parts of gold 6 parts of other metals like copper which of course makes the gold 75 percent pure. Similarly 22K gold consists of 22 parts of gold and 2 parts of additional metals thus making it 91.6 percent pure gold or "916". In most countries like the United States 9K gold which is just 375 pure can be called gold, however in some other countries (for exmaple India), anything below 22K is not considered pure enough and hence is not used to make ornaments.

Gold jewelry has been used by the human civilization for centuries now. The craze for gold began with the Incas and Aztecs and led to the myth of a golden city, named El Dorado. The fascination of the human civilization for gold since then has never abated - and in the modern era, turbulent financial times have seen a spurt of gold purchase. Ever since the Great Depression gold has been considered one of the safer investments to secure the financial position of the investor.

If you are calculating the value of actual gold in an item of gold jewelry, perhaps to ascertain scrap value, first find the carat value. Then divide this number by 24 for the percentage of gold. Then weigh the item, and convert the weight to troy ounces - this is the special type of ounce that is used by the bullion markets for the gold price.

Gold fashioned as jewelry is considered the most wearer friendly metal you can find. Gold is very unreactive, and has even been used in dental fillings.

Other Metals used in 750 Gold

750 gold, being 75 percent pure, is mixed with other metals that make the soft gold metal hard to be used for ornaments. These can include for example palladium, copper or silver. The other metals can also impart some varied color to the gold - hence pink gold typically is 750 gold with more copper and "white gold" contains a blend of gold and silver.

750 Gold Markings

If you are wondering how to identify and ascertain 750 gold, simply look for a small inscribed "750" marking on the jewelry that you use. There may be additional markings which often appear as small symbols - these are a form of code giving information about the manufacture of the item.

In general, the markings are very small and may even require magnification to see clearly. On antique pieces such as rings the marks may even have worn smooth from continued daily use. The markings on jewelry vary from country to country and era to era - and some of the "hallmarks" that may have been assigned, especially on antique pieces, may be complex, requiring expert identification.

In some countries, including India, the UK and the USA, the purity is more commonly marked in karats such as 18K or 22K, and millesimal fineness marks are less common.

Gold Hallmarks

The best form of certification that a precious metal can have is a hallmark, which specifically (although the term is often used as a blanket term to encompass all forms of precious metal marking) denotes that the a purity or fineness of the metal has been determined and guaranteed by an officially authorized assay office. The hallmark system has been in use as a form of consumer protection for many centuries.

In the UK for example, all gold items that weigh 1 gram or more cannot be legally described as gold unless they are hallmarked.

Bear in mind that although an item of precious metal may be marked with "750" or another number, that does not necessarily mean that its purity is "certified". In theory, anyone can obtain a "750" punch and mark a gold object as 750, however it is illegal to pass off gold of inferior quality as 750 gold and this would face very strict criminal penalties. However the good news is that in modern times fakery of gold is less common than in bygone centuries. Things to look out for include hallmarks that are unevenly applied, that have an inferior quality appearance, that reveal another metal below a worn area, or even that contain random symbols that do not correspond to any actual hallmark. If you are uncertain, a qualified jeweller will be able to identify genuine gold.

* * * * * * *

Privacy Policy and contact info:- viewable via the homepage

Disclaimer - While every care was taken in the preparation of this website (www.troy-ounce.com) and its contents, no guarantee is made as to the suitability of this website for any purpose whatsoever, nor of the accuracy, timeliness or usefulness of its information. This website is provided for general information and entertainment purposes only and the information provided on this web site should not be seen as, nor as a substitute for, legal, business or investment advice. The website's owner specifically disclaims any and all liability arising in conjunction with the use of the materials / information herein.