This is off the thread of everything posted in the last few
days. But: I wanted to know from the experts on this group. Why is
10kt gold being used in commercial jewelry so much. And why is
it being priced so high?
Is there that much of a difference between the price of 10K gold
and 14K gold fill. I know the process differences…but, the
jewelers are making a big deal out of 10kt as if it were the
hottest thing on earth. And yet the prices are not devalued as I
would expect. Is this just another selling ploy?
I don’t even know where to buy 10kt settings and blanks. The
dealers I use only carry Sterling, gold fill, or 14k and up.
m, Here 9k is the predominant gold alloy - 375 it’s stamped - and
it polishes up not unlike a slightly yellow sterling! Works like
mild steel, but people buy it. I like to say it’s really a copper
alloy
Hmmmm-why is 10k gold valued high in North America?
We live in a capitalist system. Other cultures differ. In Italy
is it against the law to sell anything less than 18k, (they make
tons of 14 k and lower for export only), in Asia 22 and 24k are
most valued (18k is considered junk in Vietnam for instance).
The manufacturers and retailers make more profit per gram on 10
k… That is about it.
You have to balance ecomomics against culture and actual working
characteristics. In reality, 18k, 22k and 24 k are lovely
materials to work in, 14k and 10k have certain tensile strength
characteristics that are useful for given problems (catches for
instance). Value is a culture issue. The mechanics of building
something for use, for culture, and to last for generations are
another story… Charles
Charles Lewton-Brain
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
10K, in my way of thinking, should not even be classified as
gold. It is only 42% gold. It seems as if it’s just another way
to maximize profits with an inferior product. It is similar to
the dilution of platinum by some manufacturers recently. For many
years platinum alloys were 90 - 95 % pure. This is what most
buyers expect when purchasing a platinum product. In the past
couple of years there have been producing platinum alloys of a
much lower % of platinum and passing it off as “Platinum” without
informing the public. It is just another example of more junk
being marketed by mass manufacturers.
Sorry to take that line out of context, Charles, but it’s was
just so provocative. (People ought to know by now that I live
for provocation). Anyway, that’s what I think the capitalist
experiment is. The test of cultural values against the power
of an elite. I think a lot of this comes about when you remove
art and music and other cultural studies from the educational
system. People lose their discriminating palate and begin only
to gorge, never feeling satistfied. Is it any wonder that most
of americans are overweight while their media ideals are
anorexic? We are gorging ourselves, unable to taste anything,
and the inner being is starved, like the image we portray to the
world. Sometimes I see this in jewelery. Big, flashy,
formless, stone encrusted lumps in Town & Country. No design,
no craftsmanship, no identity, just wealth. Burp!
The popularity of 10K that I’ve noticed seems to be in the “Pimp
jewelry” or “Gangsta jewelry” markets - big, lightweight,
diamond cut stuff with lots of flash and very little intrinsic
value. But it can be sold and promoted as “Rea l Gold” not gold
filled. As to the price - its the law of supply and demand at
work - people with more money than taste seem to love the stuff.
Ten Karat should be more expensive than 14K gold-filled - 10K
is 41.67% fine gold - 14K gold filled is 1/20 14K - or 2.9% fine
gold. 10K has about 14 times as much gold content. 10K findings
are available through New York suppliers - if you really want
some, yell and I’ll dig them out of my file cabinet. Mike
A lot of antique charms (especially those from England) were
made in 10K gold. I’d rather own one of them than any 2
commercially made 14K charms made today. The reason?
Workmanship - the detail is incredible. Martha from Long Island
Thanks for all the answers. Don’t bother going though your stuff
for 10K. I would rather not use it. I don’t do much, and the
people I sell to would just as soon have a gold tone, as 14 or 10
kt. So, thanks for the offer. I would rather not use the 10 kt. If
anything I will use 14kt.
In your question about gold the different mixtures, i.e., 8k,
10k, 18k, etc. I would like to be able to work with a yellow
colored material that would work similar to sterling silver and
would have a price more like silver. My wife likes the gold
color instead of silver. What little jewelry I make up is silver
but I would like to make some gold color that would not be so
expensive so I would be able to get the sheets, wire, bezels,
and other similar to what is made of silver. It is the cost of
the gold that I cannot afford any thoughts?
