All about 585 gold: what kind of alloy is it, what is its composition and how much does 1 gram cost today?

Post updated: May 28, 2020

Various jewelry made by skilled jewelers at all times attracts the constant attention of the fair half of humanity, while men simply open their wallets to purchase exquisite and sophisticated products, especially the popular 585 standard. Gold has always been not just decoration, but a symbol of power, status, wealth and luxury.

In the Russian Federation, gold standard 585 received official recognition back in 1994. Along with the number indicating the hallmark, an hallmark was placed in the form of a five-pointed star, inside of which a hammer and sickle is engraved. At sample 585 in the early 2000s, when branding products, together with the number 585 they began to depict a woman’s head in profile wearing a kokoshnik. At the moment, 585 standard gold is the most popular standard not only in the Russian Federation, but also in other post-Soviet states. Products made from this precious metal have an optimal balance between quality and cost. Many families traditionally purchase 585 gold as a good gift for any occasion.

• How many carats corresponds to 585
• 585 alloy and its composition
• Cost 585 samples
• Peculiarities
• Investing in Jewelry

Sample 585: what is it - silver or gold?

The numerical designations of precious metal samples are similar. The minimum marking of modern silver alloys is 800. This material is used to make cutlery. But 585 is placed only on gold items and is not considered low-grade.

A frame in which the numerical value of the mark is written will help separate the metals. For gold, a figure in the form of a spatula is used, for silver - a barrel.

Brief history of appearance

Sample 585 appeared not so long ago, in 1994. It replaced the most popular marking in the USSR - 583, which was introduced in 1927, simultaneously with the approval of the metric system for measuring precious alloys.

The reason for the change was that domestic gold was priced lower than the equivalent 14 karat alloy in Western countries. It was decided to increase the amount of pure gold by 0.2% so that precious items fully comply with international standards.

Composition and properties

The alloy marked 585 contains 58.5 percent gold. The remaining 41.5% is the ligature. The additive gives the precious metal the necessary strength and helps reduce the cost and weight of the product. The main components of the alloy are silver and copper. Alloys with platinum, nickel, and silicon are less common; they are usually used to create white gold.

Thanks to copper, products become durable, but are more easily susceptible to oxidation processes. Silver is designed to maintain anti-corrosion properties.

Over time, 585 sterling silver jewelry may change color and become stained. However, this process takes years, and regular care can prevent unpleasant changes.

The density of the alloy ranges from 12.8 to 14.76 g/cubic meter. cm. This value largely depends on the composition of the ligature.

Strength

The strength of gold alloys comes from the copper content in the alloy. The higher its percentage, the more resistant to friction the product will be. Thus, red gold, with a high copper content, is more durable than traditional yellow or white.

However, this alloy also becomes covered with scratches and abrasions over time. Only careful, careful handling will allow you to preserve the attractive appearance of jewelry.

Alloy shade chart

The volume fraction of the alloy in the alloy allows jewelers to achieve a wide variety of shades of gold. In addition to the main ones - yellow, white and red, you can see black, green, gray and even purple shades. However, such exotic colors are not in demand and are difficult to manufacture, so traditional alloys are used in mass production. Let's look at their composition:

Brand

A hallmark is used to indicate the hallmark of jewelry. It not only indicates the type of product, but confirms its authenticity. In Russia, an image of a woman in profile is used as a brand. It is followed by a numeric value.

Soviet-era products depict a star with a hammer and sickle inscribed inside it. The numerical value is different: instead of 585 - 583.

How many carats are in this sample?

In Russia, the metric system for evaluating gold alloys is used. Its numerical value shows the proportion of pure gold in the product. In the countries of the USA and Europe, traditionally, a more complex system of perception is used - the carat system. Pure precious metal is valued at 24. The 585th sample corresponds to the number 14, which means it contains 14 parts of gold and 10 parts of alloy. Here is a table of correspondence between the two systems:

Historical reference

The opinion that white gold is a different metal did not arise out of nowhere. In the beginning, when platinum was not so well known and popular, it was actually called white gold. And they even replaced it with the real thing in jewelry and coins.

Platinum came to the Old World from America. The ancient civilizations of the Incas and Mayans have been processing the precious metal since time immemorial. Its refractoriness, inertness and high density were valued at the level of gold. However, these properties were not immediately noted. The metal was even disparagingly called “silver” (in Spanish, plata - silver) due to its color similarity to argentum.

The first deliveries of platinum were simply drowned in rivers and the ocean. The Spanish monarch issued a decree prohibiting its import into the territory of his country. Only 40 years later the new chemical substance was rehabilitated. The king's descendants began to counterfeit gold coins with his help. Platinum had a higher specific gravity than silver, and therefore the fact of falsification was not immediately discovered. The color of the new connection was revealed to the greedy rulers.

Even with 8–10% platinum alloy, the coins became white and resembled silver.

The second case in history when platinum was mistakenly called white gold happened during the development of the Ural mines. The new "Siberian metal", discovered in veins and impurities of gold ore, differed from previously known chemical elements. Having highly appreciated its properties, Russia began its production on an industrial scale. Within a couple of years, a method was invented to make platinum forgeable.

Differences from other samples

Let's compare 585 sample with similar alloys.

From 583

The basic properties of samples 585 and 583 are no different, because the difference in their composition is only 0.2% gold. The main thing that makes grade 585 stand out is its establishment as an official standard. 583 is not currently issued, and there is no modern hallmark with this value. When examining products of this sample, experts can evaluate them only as grade 500.

From 375

The 585 compares favorably with the low-grade 375 alloy both in terms of external characteristics and physical features. Its shade is closer to the natural color of pure gold. 585 alloy does not darken as quickly as low-grade metal and does not stain the skin.

Officially recognized chemical compositions of white gold

The interstate standard, described in GOST 6835–2002, clearly defines the proportions of officially accepted compounds of gold with other metals. There are only 37 of them. The table below shows only white gold compositions:

This classification is followed by 10 countries of the post-Soviet space:

• Armenia
• Belarus
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Moldova
• Russia
• Tajikistan
• Turkmenistan
• Uzbekistan
• Ukraine

Application of this alloy

Grade 585 is the most popular jewelry alloy in Russia. All types of jewelry are made from it. It is also used as gilding of silver jewelry and high-quality costume jewelry made from base metals.

Advantages and disadvantages

The popularity of 585 sample is due to its advantages:

• sufficient strength for jewelry;
• lower price compared to high-grade gold;
• the necessary level of plasticity, allowing you to create complex patterns;
• a significant proportion of the ligature allows you to achieve a variety of shades.

585 sample has few disadvantages. Due to the fairly significant proportion of ligature, products of this grade may darken and become stained. Scratches may appear on their surface; this is typical for all gold jewelry.

Color palette

The natural color of gold is bright, sunny yellow, but various alloys can make their own adjustments and give the alloys amazing shades. Jewelers use this property to create original products and do not refuse the opportunity to add less valuable metals with desirable qualities to noble metals.

Bright colors up to red are provided by the presence of copper. The silver additive, depending on the percentage, will give rise to a greenish tint at low doses or white-yellow if the argentum is about a third of the mass of the alloy. Chromium and cadmium alloy will color the alloy black. Such a product must be coated with a rhodium layer.

Which sample is better: 585 or 750

585-carat jewelry has its advantages and disadvantages compared to high-grade gold. They have a lower cost and yet have a high level of strength. This alloy is suitable for jewelry that is worn constantly.

Expert opinion

Vsevolod Kozlovsky

6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

Products of 750 standard are considered more elite; they emphasize the high status of the owner. Such jewelry almost does not darken or change color, but requires more careful handling. It is better to wear them on special occasions.

Where can I buy or sell?

The safest place to buy jewelry is in jewelry stores. Products must have a certificate and passport. You can buy and sell gold in other places:

• in the online store;
• in a pawnshop;
• on Avito and similar resources with private advertisements;
• On the market.

In all these cases, the buyer has no guarantee of quality and cannot return the product if a defect is discovered. However, you can find antiques and jewelry here at lower prices.

How to enter

As the shapes of products became more complex and jewelry production technologies developed, electrical erosion and laser methods were added to the oldest, mechanical branding. The mechanical method, which remains the most widespread, consists of applying an impression by hand, hitting a stamping tool with a hammer, or performing a similar manipulation on a machine. The stamps are clear and durable, but there is some possibility of product deformation. Since the late sixties of the twentieth century, when branding hollow and fragile products, the electroerosive method has been used, which is the burning of an imprint with a spark. Such marks are also highly visible and durable, but their application requires careful preparation of the metal surface.

The most modern, universal and productive method of branding is laser, carried out using a laser machine. This method also requires good preparation of the surface of the product and eliminates its subsequent polishing. The quality of the branding is high, it is possible to place an imprint on the surface of any relief, but there is a significant drawback - instability in places of contact with the skin, which reduces the service life of the brand to 5 years with daily use of the product.

Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage

Gold jewelry requires regular care and careful handling. If you follow the basic rules, they will serve for many years:

1. It is necessary to store gold jewelry in individual cases and fabric bags. It is better to place chains in elongated boxes so that all the links are straightened and do not break.
2. From time to time, jewelry should be washed in warm water and soap. Do not use hard brushes or aggressive chemicals.
3. A special paste for cleaning gold jewelry, which can be purchased at a jewelry store, will help you get rid of darkening. It is better to trust the cleaning of antique and especially valuable jewelry to professionals.
4. Gold requires careful handling: it is better to remove jewelry during swimming, physical work, and sports.

In what areas is ligature used?

The admixture is aimed at improving the physical and chemical characteristics of precious metals. A metal additive is introduced when cooking the base, making it refractory. In the process of adding the alloy, experts take into account the loss of metal that occurs during melting. This means that the share of impurities directly depends on the volume of the precious metal after the “waste”. Due to their physical properties, alloys are used in many fields:

• Jewelry craftsmanship. All GOST alloys are represented by alloyed metals. The fineness with the minimum allowable amount of gold is 350, which contains only 35% of it, and is not used for jewelry. However, you can find jewelry of 375 standard. The most popular is 585 red gold. The alloy includes 58.5% precious metal, 20% copper and other impurities. Such products are distinguished by a scarlet tone. You can work with scrap gold in the jewelry industry thanks to a ligature.
• Musical instruments. Ligatures are used in saxophones and other instruments. There is an impurity on the part that is attached to the mouthpiece. The precious alloy part reduces air loss, making the sound especially colorful and drawn-out.
• Dentistry. There is a special ligature alloy for dental braces, which is used to bind the metal and plastic parts attached to the teeth.
• Medicine. Ligature thread is used by surgeons to ligate severely damaged vessels.
• Production of equipment. A strong ligature is used to make many modern gadgets. The electrical connector, microcircuits, and contacts are covered with ligature material.

585 gold from different countries: how is it different?

When buying jewelry abroad, you should remember that not all countries have introduced global gold quality standards. In Russia, each product has a stamp, a passport, and the exact composition of the ligature. The same cannot be said about Turkey or Egypt, the most popular tourist destinations.

Egypt and Türkiye

Often Russians, after a holiday in Turkey, bring gold jewelry as souvenirs. Buyers are attracted by the unusual oriental design and low price, comparable to the cost of silver jewelry. Often such a purchase brings disappointment.

Expert opinion

Vsevolod Kozlovsky

6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

Turkish legislation does not regulate the jewelry industry and does not require mandatory stamping of jewelry. Moreover, some stores offer a service for stamping the alloy. Tourists risk purchasing beautiful costume jewelry instead of gold jewelry.

Even genuine items usually have a lower purity than what is stated by the seller. Real jewelry can only be purchased in large jewelry stores. However, the quality of Turkish gold is lower than that of European or domestic products.

There are no gold deposits in the country; all metal is imported. The cheapest, low-quality ligature is added to the imported gold, as a result of which the jewelry quickly darkens and often causes allergies.

Another trick that enterprising counterfeiters resort to is the combination of gold and non-precious alloys. For example, a chain may consist of links of different origins. It is not uncommon for gilded silver to be sold as gold.

In Egypt, they also often offer to buy cheap gold as a souvenir. However, local decorations do not meet international standards. In Russia they will not be accepted at a pawnshop. This is due to the fact that the Egyptians did not add silver and copper to the alloy, but brass.

In addition, you should be careful about products with stones. Local sellers usually assure tourists that the country is rich in them, which is why jewelry is cheap. In fact, there are no deposits of precious minerals in Egypt. Jewelers use imported material or fakes. You should only buy jewelry in large stores.

Italy

Italy is one of the leaders in the global jewelry market. There are two common hallmarks here - 585 and 750. On the products you can find a mark - 14 carats. Italian jewelry is a true work of art. The quality of the alloy is combined with a unique design and high-quality processing.

When purchasing such jewelry, you must check the certificate.

Jewelry identification marks

Each product containing precious metals contains certain information. The process is called branding. This is a kind of quality guarantee for the buyer. The question of who carries out and controls the branding process is resolved in different ways. In the Russian Federation, these are functions of the state. The structure that carries out these functions is the State Assay Chamber. In its regional divisions, state assay marks are placed on products containing precious metals - marks that reflect the following information:

• try;
• identification mark;
• name tag (special sign of a factory, company or craftsman);
• information about the structure that performed the branding.

Nowadays stamps are used that differ from those in the Soviet Union. They have been introduced into the Russian Federation since 1994. The stamp is an image of a woman's profile wearing a kokoshnik. The woman's face is turned to the right, located inside two combined rectangles. The Russian letter indicates the code of the assay office, the numbers indicate the sample. The name tag is the manufacturer’s mark that he puts on the product; it can be located either inside the outline or separately. It can belong to both a legal entity and an individual master. Names are subject to mandatory registration and approval by the Assay Office.

There are countries, for example, Turkey, Egypt, in which the state does not carry out assay control, so all the marks are placed by the product manufacturers themselves. In this case, the compliance of the affixed sample with the actual content of the precious metal is entirely on their conscience.

As a result, the sample is often a fiction that does not correspond to the precious metal content in the jewelry.

Tips for choosing gold jewelry

A few tips will help you make a successful purchase in a jewelry store:

1. It is necessary to study the certificate or passport of the product.
2. Carefully check the appearance of the product; for this you can ask the seller for a magnifying glass. The surface should be free of scratches, abrasions, and poor-quality polishing. All fastenings and inserts must be strong. In Russia, the return of jewelry is possible only if an undeclared defect is discovered, so you should carefully choose the size of the product.
3. You should not buy jewelry to invest money. Jewelry is very difficult to sell at market price. Pawnshops accept them for the price of scrap gold.
4. You should trust official documents; popular advice on determining the quality of a precious metal can be misleading. Even a specialist will not be able to correctly assess the quality of gold only by how the product looks.

Chemical compositions of white gold not included in the standard

Our fellow citizens purchase some of their jewelry abroad. In other countries, they adhere to different proportions when creating jewelry. As a result, the noble metal does not lose its properties. But owners may have difficulty selling such jewelry or obtaining a loan for them at a pawnshop. Below are the most common chemical compositions of white gold.

Reviews

Anna

I have always preferred 585 sample – jewelry made from it is of good quality. I have never noticed them getting dark or stained. Yes, if you wear it constantly, small scratches will appear, but this is normal for gold.

Svetlana

Once I saw a photo on the Internet of an amazing gold set made in Italy: a ring, earrings and a necklace. They resembled lace or cobwebs. Since then, I have been a loyal fan of Italian jewelry houses. Yes, such things are more expensive than Russian ones, but they are very beautiful. And the quality is excellent.