Gold 585: what is it and what does it consist of?
Gold jewelry will never cease to be popular. Precious metal products are durable and attractive, especially if they are made of 585 alloy. We will understand its features in today's article.
What it is?
Fineness means the percentage of gold in the alloy.
This means that 585 assay value indicates that special jewelry raw materials contain 58.5% of the purest gold, and everything else is auxiliary additives.
Often, a metal with 585 fineness displayed on it is called pure gold. In the past, tsarist gold coins were prepared from it. Since coins of the purest metal were soon subject to abrasion, it was decided to make wear-resistant raw materials. This is how the "prototype" of the current 585 gold standard turned out.
History of origin
585 standard gold appeared not so long ago, it gained popularity in 1994.
The new test has become a replacement for the 583 actual in the USSR, introduced in 1927, simultaneously with the fixation of a special system for measuring precious alloys.
The reason for such changes was the fact that gold of domestic origin was valued much lower than the same 14-carat alloy in Western countries. Then they decided to increase the volume of pure gold by 0.2%, so that the resulting products fully meet all accepted international requirements.
Advantages and disadvantages
Today goods made of 585 assay value gold are recognized as high quality, so they can be found in all jewelry stores. The demand for this alloy is explained by the advantages that distinguish it.
- Alloy 585 is characterized by sufficient density, which is enough for durable and attractive jewelry of various types.
- If we compare the price of the things in question with specimens made of high-grade alloys, then it will turn out to be more democratic and attractive.
- Alloy 585 demonstrates high plasticity and pliability, so it can be used to make jewelry with various cunning patterns and decorative inserts.
- A large proportion of ligatures in gold jewelry makes it possible to achieve all sorts of interesting tones.
Matter 585 does not "suffer" from serious defects. But some are worth mentioning.
Due to a certain percentage of the ligature in the composition, such a material may begin to darken or become stained over the years.
Scratches and other similar damage are quite easily left on the surface of the jewelry of the sample in question.
Composition and properties
The alloy marked with 585 fineness contains 58.5% pure gold as a percentage.... The specific gravity of gold is expressed in grams per cubic centimeter, and this figure is 19.3 grams per cubic meter. see The remaining 41.5% is allocated to such a component as a ligature. An additional element makes up for the missing strength and density with raw materials, and helps to reduce the total cost of gold items.
The main elements that make up the ligature are silver and copper. It is much less common to find products from compositions in which platinum, silicon, or nickel play the role of additional inclusions.
They are mainly used to create beautiful white gold. After a certain number of years, jewelry made of 585 gold is able to change its original color and even become covered with noticeable specks. However, this process takes not a day, not two, but many years. If you provide the product with competent regular care, then you may not encounter such a problem.
The density of the alloy varies from 12.8 to 14.76 g per cubic centimeter. These values depend on the composition of the ligature.
Gold alloys are made more durable due to the copper, which contains the ligature. The higher its percentage as a percentage, the more friction-resistant a piece of jewelry is. For example, pure gold. In its composition, copper is included in large quantities, it turns out to be more durable and strong than the classic yellow or white material.
However, the specified alloy over time can be covered with scratches or traces of friction. Careful wearing and storage will allow you to keep a good and fresh look of your products.
As for the melting point of 585 gold, it turns out to be insignificant. Because of this, the resulting products can undergo multiple remelting, including at home. For gold, the figure under consideration is 940 degrees Celsius. This value not only greatly simplifies the manufacturing process, but also reduces the power of the required furnace.
Shades and brands
The natural color of 585 gold is a bright, sunny yellow. However, the presence of different types of ligatures in the composition can make its own adjustments, endowing the alloy with the most beautiful shades. Jewelers use similar properties in the manufacture of quality jewelry.
Bright tones (up to deep red) are provided by the presence of copper in the composition.
The addition of silver, based on the percentage, can give products a greenish tint (with small dosages) or white, if silver accounts for a third of the total mass of the product.
The ligature of chrome or cadmium types can give the accessories an eye-catching black color. Such products must be coated with an additional layer of rhodium.
Yellow alloy combined with platinum platinum results in beautiful white gold... For many years, such products have been at the peak of popularity among people who know a lot about such jewelry.
However, the resulting alloy is quite expensive; therefore, more affordable types of ligatures are often used in the manufacture of such jewelry.
- Snow white tone gold alloy manifests itself in the case when it contains at least 10% palladium.
- If the decoration demonstrates a pleasant greenish color, this suggests that zinc additives are present in its content.
- Pale yellow tint is achieved when introduced into the nickel content. But here it is important to keep in mind that this metal may well cause the manifestation of allergenic or magnetic properties. The unfavorable factors of the effect of ligatures on the human body can be neutralized only by applying a coating to the jewelry, which subsequently has to be renewed.
To indicate a specific sample, for jewelry made of precious metals apply a special stamp... It not only testifies to a certain type of product, but also serves as confirmation of its true origin. In Russia, a relief drawing of a woman's face in profile is used as a hallmark. After it, a digital mark is set.
The jewelry of the Soviet era depicted a star, in the inner part of which a sickle and a hammer were inscribed. Numerical designations also differ. Instead of 585 samples, 583 were exhibited.
Comparison with other samples
Consider how 585 gold may differ from other similar alloys.
From 583
The main features of the 583 and 585 samples are the same and do not differ in any way. The difference lies solely in their composition - 0.2% gold. The main thing that distinguishes 585 assay is its fixation as an officially established standard. Jewelry with a 583 assay mark is currently no longer produced, the current hallmarks with such a numerical mark can no longer be found in modern products.
From 375
Jewelry made of gold of the demanded 585 assay value differs markedly from low-grade items made of 375 alloy. They differ not only in their external qualities, but also in their physical qualities. The 585 assay material is not so rapidly losing its original colors and does not leave marks on the skin, which cannot be said about the 375 alloy.
Application
Today, an alloy of this category, characterized by excellent quality, is the most common jewelry raw material in Russia... All kinds of jewelry are made from it. It is also often used in the role of gilding fashionable products made of noble silver.
Often, gilding is also found on high-quality jewelry, which was not originally made from precious materials.
In more detail, alloy 585 can be used in the following areas:
- in the jewelry industry for the manufacture of accessories;
- in the production of electronic systems;
- in the manufacture of church or objects of various cults;
- in chemical industries;
- in the role of capital preservation products.
How to determine the fineness of gold?
Finding out what is the fineness of gold is not difficult. Jewelers can quickly calculate the level of value of an item, they can give a guarantee... This is an elementary and one of the most reliable solutions.
If you want to approach the determination of the sample more seriously and responsibly, then individuals are accepted in the Russian State Assay Office.
Here they will be able to accurately determine the sample, and then put up a confirmation stamp.
If you want to identify the sample of gold at home, then several relevant methods are suitable for this.
- Check out the jewelry with vinegar. Submerge the accessory in there and see the result immediately. Natural gold of 585 assay value will not change its color.
- TYou can also check use magnet - this is another popular way. If a piece of jewelry is well and trouble-free magnetized to it, this will mean that it is made of steel or gilding, since a high-quality 585 alloy cannot magnetise.
- Smell the decoration in question. A genuine product made of high-quality alloy will not exude even subtle odors.
- If your home has unburned ceramic tiles, you can gently rub the gold jewelry against the surface. If you notice that dark or grayish traces have appeared after such manipulations, this will indicate that this is not genuine gold of the specified sample.
- You can also check gold using a powder for cauterization of wounds or lapis. These are simple ways to identify metal. Lightly moisten the decoration, apply a small amount of lapis to its surface. If the material suddenly turns black, this will indicate that in front of you is not gold, but a fake.
Despite the large number of different ways, for sure you still cannot determine the fineness and origin of gold at home... This is due to the fact that for all tests, it is necessary to have specialized materials on hand, namely, chloric gold, nitric acid and an assay needle.
Care features
Despite the fact that 585 gold does not suffer from serious flaws and looks attractive, this does not mean that jewelry made of it does not require proper and regular maintenance. Let's take a closer look at how you can take care of such jewelry in order to maintain their attractive appearance.
- You can prepare a special solution. To do this, mix a tablespoon of any detergent and a teaspoon of ammonium hydroxide. The resulting mixture will need to be mixed with boiling water. This is best done in a deep container. Further, the gold that needs cleaning is added to the prepared composition and left there for some time. After that, it is enough to rinse the gold jewelry under running water, and then wipe it with a dry cloth or napkin.
- To purify gold, a special soap solution is often used, in which 40 ml of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of ammonia are present. Gold jewelry of 585 assay value is placed in the resulting composition. It should be soaked in solution for at least 30 minutes. After that, the jewelry needs to be taken out, rinsed and dried.
- You can update the look of gold jewelry with ordinary table salt. This is a cheap and effective method. It will take 3 tablespoons of salt to dissolve in half a glass of warm water. After that, the jewelry will need to be lowered into the resulting liquid and left there for 12 hours.
- You can lay a foil sheet on the bottom of the saucepan. On it should be laid out the gold jewelry that needs cleaning. Pour the dishes with a solution prepared from 2 tablespoons of soda and 1 glass of water. The composition together with the product should be left overnight. In the morning, the jewelry will need to be removed from the solution, rinsed under running water and wiped dry with a cloth or dry napkin.
- If the usual methods of refining gold turned out to be useless, it makes sense to turn to mechanical stress. If there are no additional inclusions in the form of precious stones on the jewelry, then you can do this: squeeze a little toothpaste onto a toothbrush with soft bristles. Then the contaminated areas of the gold jewelry will need to be brushed and wiped with a sponge dipped in an alcohol solution. After all the above steps, the gold jewelry must be rinsed under running water and wiped dry.
- If you need to clean white gold jewelry, a solution made from ammonia and alcohol will do. You will need to immerse the jewelry in the resulting mixture and leave it for several hours.After that, the thing must be thoroughly rinsed and dried properly.
- If you have a gold piece of jewelry with inserts of precious or semi-precious stones, you need to remember that in the case of too rough and inaccurate cleaning, the inclusions can come off the base. You can get rid of the dirty particles that have accumulated on the stones using ordinary cotton swabs, pre-moistened with alcohol.
- If the jewelry is supplemented with diamonds, then in no case should it be soaked in the compositions described above and even in ordinary water. This is because the vast majority of gemstones simply stick to the gold base and can fall off.
- Today, gold jewelry with a matte surface is very popular and fashionable. They also need to be properly looked after so that they do not lose their pristine beauty. You cannot use any abrasive compounds, too hard towels or toothbrushes for this - the listed products can leave a lot of damage on the matte surface.
- To clean matte gold jewelry, immersion in 25% ammonia solution is a safe bet. Soaking should take no more than 12 hours. After this time interval, the jewelry must be thoroughly rinsed under running water and then dried.
The following video discusses some of the features of 585 gold.