For many centuries, people have worn gold jewelry. In ancient times, the classic composition of jewelry was metal of a golden color or shade. But when humanity took the path of progress, other materials for creating jewelry appeared. They learned to combine the same gold and create various valuable metals from it. One of these was purple gold. This is exactly what will be discussed in the article.
What does it represent?
The purple precious alloy, which appeared in 2000, made a splash in the jewelry market. It is gaining popularity both in the East and in Europe.
Brief history of origin
Amethyst gold jewelry was first discovered during archaeological excavations in 1931 in Egypt. Purple precious objects were in the burial of Tutankhamun. The first to unravel the composition of the unusual metal was the American physicist Robert Wood. He was able to obtain 750 standard precious metal with an aluminum alloy. However, the material turned out to be so fragile that it was not used in jewelry production.
In 1999, an improved metal recipe was patented. Singaporean scientist Lo Peng Cham worked on his invention for 30 years. The secret of the alloy was bought by the jewelry company Aspial, the main producer of amethyst gold.
Composition and properties
In the process of scientific research, silicon, cobalt, and magnesium became additives in the composition of the master alloy. The combination of aluminum and palladium performed best. The main difficulty in producing the purple alloy is that each component has its own melting point. Thus, for gold it is 1064 °C, for aluminum - 660. As a result of their combination, an intermetallic brittle material is obtained that is almost impossible to forge. The alloy is susceptible to oxidation, so the products darken and become stained over time.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
Amethyst gold, like other high-grade metals, is safe for humans. This alloy does not cause an allergic reaction.
Strength
The main disadvantage of amethyst precious metal is its low strength. The alloy is so fragile that it is damaged when dropped or physically impacted. Such jewelry requires careful handling.
Shade range
Depending on the composition of the ligature and its proportion, jewelers can obtain different shades of the violet spectrum. For example, Singapore gold has a deep, dark matte color. When replacing aluminum with potassium, the alloy acquires a lighter shade, closer to purple and pink. If you reduce the proportion of ligature, green shades appear in the color, the color becomes close to olive.
Samples
The results of experimental studies show that the percentage of precious metal in the alloy should be in the range from 75% to 88%. The fineness depends on this - 750 or 800. The Singapore alloy has a fineness of 19 carats, which corresponds to 792–800 fineness.
What is purple gold?
Purple gold contains an alloy of palladium and aluminum. The weight measure is up to 19 carats. In addition to the standard name, this valuable type of metal is also called amethyst. Many jewelers struggled to create it. But no one has ever achieved success like Professor Lo. This man was able to create something that amazed all women on the planet. The revolutionary moment of the creation of purple gold occurred in Singapore. It is worth noting that its creator Lo Peng Chan also carried out design work in terms of creating black and green gold. In addition, the scientist led the development of a stainless metal based on silver.
Methods of obtaining
The main method for obtaining purple shades is melting. Due to the difference in the physical properties of gold and aluminum, this process is labor-intensive and complex.
There are other ways to make rare material. For example, RAS scientists use the experience of nanotechnology. Microparticles of aurum and aluminum are used in the production process. The resulting material has better qualities than conventional alloy. Egyptian scientists were able to obtain a purple alloy using a laser. The main task that inventors have to solve is to reduce the cost of the production process.
Should you buy purple gold?
Like classic gold, purple is very expensive. It is worth noting that the second option is even more expensive. Because the price is justified by labor-intensive production and other difficulties in the manufacturing process. For example, craftsmen need to ensure the quality of casting. This requires special attention to all details. Otherwise, all the work will go down the drain. For your information, purple gold has a shimmer of 50%, while white has a shimmer of 90%.
Since purple metal is quite fragile, it cannot be used as a base material for decoration. But the combination with other metals looks great and will please any woman.
Application of this alloy
Amethyst gold is used only in jewelry. This alloy often becomes a problem in microelectronics. It sometimes occurs at the junction of gold and aluminum contacts. Due to their high fragility, such boards quickly fail.
In jewelry, violet alloy is used as a gemstone - as inserts. It is surrounded by yellow or white gold. A product made entirely of amethyst material, such as a ring, has a frame made of a more stable metal. Most often, earrings, pendants and necklaces are decorated with this precious metal.
Precious metal of purple shades is used for inlaying works of art: sculptures, paintings, glass and crystal objects.
In decor
But its use is not limited to the jewelry industry. In the arts, this type of alloy is used to decorate sculptures, paintings, and crystal products.
Purple gold is also used in microprocessor technologies. However, the metal alloy, due to its instability, is subject to oxidation of the adhesions of aluminum and pure gold.
Scientists in the chemical industry have learned to produce a special composition based on purple gold by combining it with molten glass. As a result, the gold acquired a ruby color.
The modern nanotechnology industry has made it possible to mine purple gold in laboratory conditions. The process of joining microparticles of metals made it possible to achieve the production of a higher quality alloy. Egyptian scientists have begun to use lasers to produce the precious alloy. The main goal is to reduce the cost of precious metal production.
Where can I buy or sell?
Purple gold is an exclusive item. In Russia, it can only be purchased in online stores - official representatives of the Singaporean company Aspial. This company bought the patent for the invention from Lo Peng Cham.
You should be wary of Turkish companies that offer non-ferrous gold alloys. The quality of such goods is much lower than that of Singaporean manufacturers.
You can sell jewelry at a pawnshop, but the price will be much lower than the store price. Selling through a private ad will return most of the money spent. However, you should be more careful about your own safety.
How much is 1 gram of purple gold worth today?
The purple precious metal is valued an order of magnitude higher than traditional jewelry. Reasons for high cost:
- complex production process;
- lack of competition in the market.
Here are the current prices for purple jewelry:
| Price 999 standard according to the Central Bank | Market value of the sample today | Scrap price | Price in jewelry |
Technological difficulties of production
As stated earlier, purple gold is quite difficult to obtain. The reason is both the complex formula for making the metal and the expensive production process.
Metals such as gold, aluminum and palladium are quite different in their properties. To obtain a single alloy of the desired shade from them is not an easy task. Gold has a high density, which is 7 times higher than the density of aluminum. And the melting temperature of the metal is twice the difference. At first glance, it seems that it is impossible to solve this problem. But Professor Lo Peng Cham from Singapore solved this riddle, thanks to which today you can buy unique jewelry made of beautiful purple gold.
Recommendations for care, cleaning and storage
A golden alloy of purple shades requires the most careful handling. Such jewelry is not intended for everyday use. Recommendations to help preserve your jewelry:
- When swimming, cleaning, physical labor, or playing sports, you must remove jewelry.
- It is better to store jewelry in a separate case, avoiding rooms with high humidity.
- Do not expose to aggressive cleaning agents.
- You can clean it with soapy water and a cloth; in case of serious contamination, it is preferable to contact a specialist.
How was purple metal created?
The formula for purple gold was that aluminum had to be alloyed with gold. This chemical compound gave the gold alloy its purple color. From a scientific point of view, this is explained in the form of the formula AuAI2, where two atoms of aluminum correspond to one atom of gold itself. In this way it is possible to achieve purple shades of metal. But in addition to the color itself, good quality metal is necessary. Unfortunately, the intermetallic compounds of purple gold were very brittle, which meant that further processing was simply not allowed. The alloy of gold and aluminum had to melt at a temperature of 5000 degrees.
Tips for choosing purple gold jewelry
When choosing amethyst gold, you should remember its fragility. You should not choose such products for everyday use. For example, wedding rings with a purple hue are extremely impractical. Jewelry made using amethyst gold is an excellent option for going out.
It is better to make a purchase in the official stores of the jewelry company. Products must have a certificate and passport, and the jewelry itself must be marked with the official mark of the manufacturer. It is not necessary to go to Singapore: you can use the services of online stores and company representatives.
Also watch the video to see what other rare varieties of gold there are:
Expensive gift
The question of who can give jewelry made of purple alloy will be answered by the amount that the person expects. In addition, you can make such a gift:
- a man of the Muslim faith, whose religion prohibits him from wearing ordinary gold (for example, giving a ring made of white and purple gold);
- for a 1-year-old daughter (earrings that can be worn until school age are perfect);
- for an engagement girl, if a classic is preferred for the wedding ring;
- a woman who cannot wear regular gold due to allergies or hypersensitivity to it;
- to all lovers of amethyst and violet.
Ring with purple gold stones
When choosing jewelry made from “Singapore gold”, it is worth considering that the purple hue goes well with brown eyes and dark skin. It is best to buy such jewelry in Singapore, paying attention to the quality marks of the product. After all, purple gold is a real luxury for every woman.
Kaya jam
Photo source: amazon.com
Kaya paste is a coconut jam that is Singapore's favorite breakfast treat. It can be bought in many shopping centers on counter islands. For example, Ya Kun Kaya, in Toast box coffee shops, BreadTalk store or in the gift-shop of the Botanical Garden.
Price - 3-8 sgd per jar or 2-5 €, 2.2-6 $, 143-380 ₽ or 15-20 sgd for a gift package of four mini-jars - that's 10-13 €, 11-15 $, 716-955 RUR.
Tea TWG
Photo source: napitkistore.ru
Famous Singaporean luxury tea brand. The brand has the world's largest collection of tea varieties - more than a thousand types from almost 40 countries.
Price:
15-40 sgd per 100 grams of tea or 9-25 €, 11-30 $, 700-1870 ₽.
The brand is also notable for its tea with 24-karat gold. 100 grams of this tea cost 900 sgd - 582 €, 680 $, 42,989 ₽.
How to wear such gold?
Unfortunately, the alloy does not have the best characteristics for use. Products require careful storage and handling. If you go to the website of the Singapore company (the world's most famous producer of purple gold), you can see recommendations for caring for the products. This helps to extend the service life and preserve the appearance and quality. You need to do this correctly:
- Jewelry should not be subjected to mechanical stress or contact with chemicals.
- It is not recommended to clean this type of jewelry, take a shower or wash dishes; avoid any contact with water.
- To remove smudges and fingerprints, use a cloth dampened with water. Be sure to dry the product with a cloth or napkin after this.
Since purple gold is rare and fragile, products are almost never made entirely from it. There may be inserts or inclusions in standard alloys. And if it is necessary to make a large part of the decoration, then a frame made of stronger metal is used. The disadvantage of this alloy is oxidation, which leads to the jewelry losing its appearance.
In addition, when purchasing a product, you should take into account one more point - you will not be able to repair it. Nobody does this, not only because few craftsmen are familiar with it, but also because both remelting and the inclusion of solders can disrupt the integrity of the alloy, because the manufacturing technology is still not fully known.
There is also purple gold produced in Turkey. Its production technology differs from Singapore's, which leads to losses in brightness and color saturation, but the cost is much lower.
