22 carat gold: what standard corresponds to them, properties, cost and international experience of use

The hallmark of a noble metal is a mark used to indicate the composition of jewelry. It gives us the opportunity to find out the percentage of gold and impurities in the product, therefore it is assigned to all gold alloys. In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other CIS countries, there are 375, 500, 585, 750 and 958 samples of gold for jewelry. Where did 916 gold come from and does it exist?

Hallmark 916 on a gold item

What is 916 sample

The test is applied to both gold and gilded jewelry. In this case, it is difficult to distinguish the composition of the product, but it is possible. Nine hundred sixteenth corresponds to 22 carats.

In Russia, this test is now rarely used. You can find it in antiques. 916 or 917 hallmarks were used for gold in Russia before the revolution.

916 silver is considered a pure alloy for this metal - the share of silver is 91.6%. There are three more samples above this: 925, 960, 999. The difference in the samples is the composition of silver and alloy.

Gold 916 contains 91.6% precious metal and copper with silver, the color is bright yellow.

The concept of karat and fineness - the history of the emergence of the karat system of gold purity

The karat system has German roots and is only applicable to gold alloys. It is currently active primarily in the United States and Canada.

The word “carato” itself is of Italian origin and refers to the grain of the carob tree. Previously, such grains were used to establish and indicate the mass of any products, since they had a constant weight of 0.2 grams.

However, for a long time there was no generally accepted weight for carats throughout the world. All values ​​were approximate, which led to misunderstandings in international trade. Therefore, there was a need to adopt a common reference weight for all. This is how the metric carat was born.

Application

Used for small parts in jewelry production. Also, in combination with copper and nickel, it produces the popular cupronickel, from which cutlery is made. Thanks to copper and nickel, it looks like silver, but is more durable and wear-resistant. Used to create rings, shot glasses, cutlery, accessories, and dishes. Used in industry: microelectronics, instrument making, mechanical engineering, medicine, chemistry.

In the USA, South Africa, and Great Britain, 916 gold is used to make commemorative coins. In our country, coins are issued from the 999th standard.

Review of the largest finds

How much do the largest nuggets mined from the depths weigh? Depending on the luck of the miners, you can find ingots whose weight varies from several grams to tens of kilograms.

Expert opinion Vsevolod Kozlovsky 6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

The most successful finds end up in the book of records and participate in specialized exhibitions. Subsequently, they are either sent for remelting (in 95% of cases) or left as a visual aid.

In the world

In world practice, the largest nugget is the “Holterman plate”. It was discovered in 1872 in Australia at one of the quartz mines. The weight of the found cobblestone was 250 kg, of which 93 kg was pure gold. It was later melted down to make jewelry.

Since the block for the most part did not contain native gold, but quartz inclusions, scientists are still arguing whether it can be called a nugget. Many agree that it was just a piece of vein. However, even in this case, it remains the largest in the history of gold mining.

A few years earlier, in 1869, the record holder was the “Welcome Stranger,” which was found right on the road. Two fellow miners returning from work discovered a lump of native gold in the mud where their cart was stuck.

Weighing showed that the weight of the ingot is 71 kg. It is noteworthy that to determine the mass of the block it had to be cut into several parts due to the lack of suitable scales.

No less remarkable was the discovery of a piece of native gold in California (USA). While digging the grave of his comrade and colleague, a local town prospector came across a large cobblestone. After extracting the stone to the surface, it turned out that it was in fact native aurum. Wanting to pay his last respect to his comrade, the miner named the 36 kg nugget after him - Oliver Martin. Subsequently, the stone was sold for 22.7 thousand dollars.

In Russia

Like Japan, Russia is considered a country rich in gold, but most of it is represented by medium and small placers. However, there are also impressive representatives. The most famous of them is the Russian Precious Triangle. The native block was discovered in 1842 in the Southern Urals. In addition to its size, the stone has one more feature - it was found by an 18-year-old guy in a mine that until that moment was considered completely exhausted.

Another representative of especially large native gold ingots was discovered in 1895. His weight was 31 kg. The mass of subsequent finds did not exceed 20 kg.

Price per gram

For the period starting in 2010, the cost of one gram of 916 silver was no more than 35 rubles. The price varies depending on the policy of the Central Bank of Russia and the situation on world markets. In the summer of 2021, they paid 45 rubles for one gram. The product is sold more expensively in jewelry stores, and cheaper in pawnshops and resellers.

For gold of a similar standard, the price is from 3,700 rubles per gram.

But the cost of the finished product will include not only the price per gram, but also the work of the master, the price of precious stones,

How surfaces are finished with gilding

Osmium price per 1 gram

Today, two methods of applying leaf sheets are used. Depending on the materials used and nuances in the technique, different results are obtained. Oil gilding consists of three stages:

1. Applying oil glue to the sanded surface.
2. Covering with tinsel (special tools are used).
3. Applying a second layer of glue to secure the result.

This treatment produces matte gold plating. It is not afraid of moisture and does not crack during temperature fluctuations.

Glue gilding is more complex and closer to the work of ancient masters:

1. Primer is applied to the polished surface in layers.
2. Then the adhesive composition of the polyment is applied.
3. Gesso, white primer for gilding.
4. The process is completed by applying and processing tinsel.

A video of the filmed process will give a complete idea of ​​what painstaking and beautiful work this is.

How to buy and sell the 916

When purchasing a product in a jewelry store or workshop, study the documents. They contain information about the manufacturer, sample, weight, mark, and precious stones.

There should be a stamp on the inner surface. The low quality of the stamp indicates a fake or handicraft production.

Rare collectible jewelry can be found in the pawn shop. There will be no documents on them, but there must be a stamp. Jewelry made of precious and semi-precious metals is not sold in Russia without a hallmark. Therefore, before selling jewelry in Russia that was purchased in another country, it is necessary to take it to a jewelry inspection, determine the sample and put a stamp on it.

Pawn shops buy products in any form, but the cost will be significantly lower. Therefore, it is recommended to repair and clean the product before selling it to a pawn shop. The presence of stones increases the price, and broken or missing elements reduce it.

We do not recommend buying and selling jewelry from resellers and gypsies.

Price and collection points for secondary precious metals VDM

The demand for secondary precious metals is constantly growing. And in fact, it is much easier to process and refine a finished product than to mine it. However, there are not so many official factories that carry out refining.

Therefore, most citizens have to deal with resellers of precious metals. The latter, by the way, are also official enterprises - they have the necessary permits and pay taxes. But their purchase prices are often different. Business is business. How to make sure you don't get deceived?

The price of gold of the highest standard is published daily on the website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation: https://cbr.ru/hd_base/metall/metall_base_new/. At the time of writing, it was 4126.35 rubles. per gram. Accordingly, 585 gold will cost about 2,500 rubles. per gram. From here you need to dance, selecting a buyer within this price - who will give more.

Here, for example, is a picture from the Hay Pawnshop website.

It looks like my estimate was higher than the price the pawn shop was offering.

The main player in the retail gold market is Sberbank. Its website (https://www.sberbank.ru/ru/quotes/metal) displays the purchase and sale prices of precious metals for every day. A table of price changes by date is also presented, which makes it possible for investors to study quotes.

Characteristics of 916 silver

916 sterling silver is a high quality metal. He is in fourth place in the ranking. There are only three higher - 925, 960, 999. It is followed by five brands - 750, 800, 830, 875. In terms of physical and chemical indicators, it is no worse than the closely related 925. By the way, the stamp “750” is also rare.

Composition and properties

Silver alloys differ from each other in the percentage of impurities. The grade of silver itself in question is 91.6%. Other elements in alloy 916 account for 8.4 percent. Mostly it is copper.

The presence of impurities cannot be considered an absolutely bad property, because thanks to the alloy, silver becomes more resistant to damage.

How are these metals different?

When choosing jewelry from a particular metal, you need to know that they differ not only in color, but also in some characteristics, cost, and markings.

Composition, strength and weight

White gold is obtained by creating an alloy based on yellow metal and a ligature. The latter includes the following elements:

• platinum;
• silver;
• nickel;
• palladium;
• zinc.

Thanks to the alloy, gold acquires the necessary strength and wear resistance, but at the same time remains quite ductile.

Silver in jewelry is also used in the form of an alloy, to which copper, lead, antimony, oxygen, and bismuth are added. They provide the necessary strength and wear resistance of the alloy. However, if we compare the strength characteristics of precious metals, the advantage will be on the side of gold.

Expert opinion Vsevolod Kozlovsky 6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds

Different densities of metals affect the weight of products. Depending on the composition and standard, the density of white gold is 12.85-16.44 kg/m3, and that of silver is 10.49 kg/m3. Accordingly, a gold ring will be heavier than its silver counterpart, given the same size and shape.

Effect of acidic environment

One of the advantages of white gold over silver is that it is not afraid of acid. That's why one of the most popular ways to test jewelry at home is to dip it in a container of vinegar. If the product contains aurum, it will not change its color.

Silver jewelry will make the liquid cloudy. Because of this reaction, they must be removed before cleaning.

Appearance and markings

White gold has a varnished appearance, while silver metal has a matte finish. With the special lighting available in every jewelry store, the jewelry may shine equally, but when worn, the difference will become more noticeable.

Based on this, in a salon environment, the difference between metals can be determined solely through markings. In the first case, a stamp is placed on the jewelry with the designation of the sample (585 or 750), enclosed in a blade or rectangle. In the second case, the sample (800, 830, 875, 925, 960) fits into the barrel.

Difference between different purity grades

Precious metals have differences not only among themselves. Products made from seemingly the same metal will also have differences depending on the sample. It is determined by the percentage of the main precious metal in the jewelry. Due to the difference in proportions, the density of the alloy, melting point, and hardness change. GOST-approved options based on silver and gold can be seen in the tables below.

Graduation of gold-based alloys:

Graduation of silver-based alloys:

Differences in guest standards and quality

The chemical composition, as well as the physical characteristics of white gold and silver alloys are regulated by law. Each product must comply with GOST 30649-99 “Alloys based on precious metals for jewelry.”

Price and demand

The main difference between precious metals, which immediately catches your eye, is the cost of the products. The price of both yellow and white precious metals is much higher for a number of reasons:

• There are fewer gold veins in nature than silver ones;
• complex production technology;
• unique properties of yellow metal.

What stones are suitable

White gold is eye-catching even without inserts. However, bright precious stones make jewelry especially attractive: sapphires, emeralds, diamonds. Also popular are products that harmoniously combine several types of metals, such as white and yellow gold.

Application of this alloy

If silver of low grades is used mainly for the manufacture of cutlery, dishes, and household items, then grade 916 is a material not only for jugs or enamel cups, but also for jewelry.

Silverware has always been considered a wonderful wedding gift. Small objects made of this metal, which have bactericidal properties, are given as gifts for the birth or christening of a child. As a rule, this is a dessert, tea, or coffee spoon. There are vintage pieces on the market that are wonderful in design.

How much does 1 gram of silver of this standard cost?

Prices are constantly changing, and this also applies to the brand we are discussing. In the precious metals market, it was sold in the range of 20 to 35 rubles per gram in the last decade. When measured on the stock exchange, the price is set per troy ounce. When prices jump, there is a steady tendency for the cost of silver of this standard to increase.

Silver prices are constantly changing. Therefore, the article presents an online graph:

The price table for 1 gram is given below:

Table: correspondence between metric and carat systems

In order to quickly convert the numerical value of a sample from one measurement system to another, it will be convenient to use the table:

Gold ring 22K

Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage

Caring for any silver product must be thorough. There are modern sprays and aerosols with a special composition. They can also clean it in a workshop. At home, dark plaque can be easily removed in this way:

• wash in warm soapy water,
• clean with a soft cloth with a mixture of ammonia and chalk,
• rinse with warm water and wipe dry.

Once upon a time it was suggested to rub silver with tooth powder. There are two more ways to refresh your silver items:

• rinse in warm water with baking soda (50 g per 1 liter of water),
• rinse in warm soapy water with ammonia (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water).

But there is nothing better than the old method of gently rubbing silver surfaces with a piece of wool or suede. You will have to spend a lot of time, but the effect is wonderful.

Also watch a video on how you can test silver at home:

Methods for purifying refined gold

We have already agreed that refined gold is already pure. It’s so clean that there’s nowhere else to go. But what to do with it now? How to clear it legally, so to speak? I mentioned: it will not be possible to officially sell homemade refined precious metals. Businesses are prohibited from purchasing such products.

It is probably possible to find gray schemes, but firstly, then it will be difficult to get a real price. Secondly, this is a troublesome and unsafe task.

In my opinion, it is easier to give your wealth for official recycling. Your home will be cleaner, and you won’t have to spend money on extra acid (toilet chemicals). Decide for yourself.

Reviews

Galya: I decided not to take the filigree silver cracker to the pawnshop just yet. I don’t know what year it is, there is a mark, I need to learn to decipher it before I take it.

Nadya: I bought vintage Soviet-era gilded coffee spoons with enamel from an ad. It seemed inexpensive, but I still can’t figure out the prices correctly.

Maria: Previously, a care booklet was always included with a piece of jewelry. There was a lot of practical advice from Jewelrytorg.

Elena: I always wonder why some silver chains darken and others don’t. Even one sample.