Medical gold: what it is, composition and purity, how it differs from regular gold, how much it costs and whether it turns black

What is it and why is it called that

There is an opinion that pure gold of the 999th standard is called medical. This is wrong. Pure gold is too soft a material, and its cost is high. All gold products in the world are various alloys of the main element and auxiliary ones.

Composition and properties

The alloy usually contains metals that have a shine. Sometimes it doesn't include a single ounce of AU. They try to combine in different proportions:

zinc,
copper,
nickel,
chromium,
molybdenum,
manganese,
magnesium,
titanium,
silver,
brass.

The alloy does not have a single composition; variations are possible. To obtain the white metal, titanium is added. This alloy is also called surgical; surgical instruments and dentures are made from it.

Vsevolod Kozlovsky6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds. The main advantage of the alloy is its availability and durability. The variety of combinations of metals allows us to produce jewelry that closely resembles precious ones.

Strength

Items made from medical alloy have increased strength. Jewelry has to be produced in simple shapes. But surgical instruments have the necessary hardness, and dental crowns do not wear out.

Shade range

The combination of components gives the medical alloy shades from light yellow to reddish. The use of different technologies for coating objects allows you to choose two colors. The decoration can copy white or yellow gold.

Does the sample

The test is applied to products made of precious metals. There is no sample less than 375. Jewelry containing a smaller amount of AU is classified as costume jewelry and is assigned a different label.

Vsevolod Kozlovsky6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds. The term “gold” for such an alloy is an advertising ploy that attracts buyers and inspires consumer confidence. The steel used for production is marked 03Х17Н14МЗ or 12Х18Н10. Products from America and Great Britain are marked with the mark 316L. The product must have a stamp, article number, and manufacturer's mark.

Does honey gold turn black?

Products made from medical gold retain their appearance for a long time. They do not darken when exposed to salt water, which can be a good solution for lovers of jewelry on vacation by the sea. The sun's rays also do not cause noticeable harm. Many women have had annoying troubles associated with the loss of their favorite ring or chain at sea. I think it’s a great idea to buy a couple of beautiful jewelry before your vacation that you don’t mind losing because of their low cost.

To read: The largest deposits of natural gold in Russia

Jewelry is not affected by chlorinated tap water, which allows you to fearlessly wash your hands without removing the rings.

The only enemy of products is time. They simply wear out, steel begins to show through the coating, and they have to be replaced with new ones. The alloy cannot completely replace noble metals.

Special processing

Medical steels have all the necessary characteristics for their use as tools, devices, and equipment. To reduce brittleness in production, each steel is sometimes “tempered.” The hardness indicator is reduced to 50-52 units. The essence of the process is as follows: parts are heated in a technological furnace to 1050ºС, then sharply cooled in a liquid medium - oil, water or emulsion. After this, the metal is heated again, cooling simply in air.

In this way, especially important instruments are made where plasticity is needed and fragility must be avoided: scissors, clamps, forceps, scalpels. After tempering, all instruments retain good thermal insulation, sparkling appearance, good ductility, and ease of use for a long time. The devices serve for a long period, performing their functions perfectly.

Methods of obtaining

To obtain products that look like precious metal, the steel alloy is plated with gold. The most popular methods of gilding:

Gold Filled – rolling. The workpiece is covered with the thinnest gold sheet, which is attached to an oil or adhesive base. To make the surface shiny, use glue, and if you want a matte surface, use oil varnish. On products coated with this method, it is necessary to indicate how many carats the gold leaf had.
Gold Plated – by galvanic method. The product is polished, degreased and cleaned of the effects of oxidation. A thin layer of gold plating is then applied using an electric current.

To obtain a white tint, the object is coated with PVD. Vapors of precious metals are sprayed onto the product under vacuum, and it acquires a cool white shine.

In addition to spray-coated steel, various alloys are used. In Europe you can find an alloy of copper and zinc (9/1). Copper is cleaned, polished, and becomes like real gold.

If aluminum is used instead of zinc, the resulting product is called aural (aufor, aufir). In Germany this alloy is known as goldin.

There is a coating called music. It is based on tin and does not lose its qualities under the influence of environmental factors.

The combination of copper, zinc and tin is sold under the name Mannheim gold, and mosaic gold is a composition in which copper and zinc are almost equal.

The more copper, the lighter the resulting color. In French gold it is 80%, and zinc is only 15%. Decorations made from it are light yellow.

Basic properties of surgical steel

Let’s summarize and highlight the 5 most important distinctive properties that medical steel has.

Resistance to oxidation and corrosion.
Density and absence of micropores on the surface.
Ease of sharpening (a high-quality scalpel cuts through the skin like a hot knife through butter).
Lack of toxicity, despite the presence of alloying elements.
Hypoallergenic.

To ensure that steel instruments used in surgery and dentistry last even longer, special rules for their care are followed. To wash them, special solutions and materials are used, no metal sponges: only flannel or foam sponges. The length of time the instruments remain in the solutions and the method of drying are controlled. Scalpels, cutters, probes and other instruments are stored in closed sterile containers, which provides even greater protection from the external environment and prolongation of properties.

Alloy Application

In addition to the jewelry industry, the alloy is actively used in medicine. Instruments for surgical operations have the necessary strength, and dentures, thanks to the gold particles included in the composition, do not come off.

Now the latest developments make it possible to include small particles of AU in medications for oral administration as a cure for cancer and other diseases.

In cosmetology, gold threads are used to strengthen facial contours, masks and wraps with gold, and cocktails with AU inclusions.

The alloy is used to produce safe stud earrings, which are the first to be inserted into a fresh earlobe piercing. Wristwatches, men's accessories, and eyeglass frames are made from it.

Tools for manicure and pedicure made of medical gold are of high quality, durable and beautiful.

How to distinguish a medical alloy from gold

I think that you can easily distinguish precious metal from costume jewelry. In large stores that care about their reputation, no one will try to sell a fake under the guise of a real product. Good jewelry is highly valued by women; it allows you to complement your look with jewelry at a budget price.

But if you are in doubt about an item, evaluate its parameters to understand whether this is a precious metal or a jewelry alloy:

Availability of sample. Precious items will bear the hallmark of the Assay Office. Products of 585 fineness, beloved in Russia, will have an imprint of the head of a girl in a kokoshnik and the numbers - 585. For jewelry from the Soviet period, instead of a girl’s head, there is a five-pointed star, inside of which there is a sickle and a hammer, and next to it there are numbers indicating the fineness - 585, 850. For medical gold - stamp that looks like a line - 0317n14mz.
Price. For precious metals it is much higher.
Stones. If the item contains diamonds or sapphires, the item is most likely gold. Expensive gems are not used in jewelry.
Weight. Real gold is massive, the heaviness is well felt. Costume jewelry is much lighter, which allows manufacturers to produce large chains and earrings. This rule does not always work, because many non-precious products are heavy.
Shine. Non-precious products shine brighter and more easily, while precious ones have a noble, muted tint.
Scratch. Gold is easily damaged due to its softness, while jewelry metals are durable and weakly resistant. It is better to scratch with a real ring with a reliably known sample. Remember: if you scratch your gold jewelry, you will damage an item that does not belong to you, and the seller will be entitled to claim compensation.
When the decoration is already at home, you can test it with iodine. To do this, select an inconspicuous area on the product and place a drop of iodine. Real precious metal will oxidize and the stain will remain forever (so the area should be invisible!). Iodine can be easily wiped off from other formulations without a trace.
The jewelry can be valued at a pawn shop. The technician will use an x-ray to determine the thickness of the coating and determine the cost of the item.

To read: Are gold and silver worn together and how can they be combined?

Interesting facts about stainless cookware

Already in 1913, the world learned about the unique properties of steel and its resistance to corrosion. Harry Brearley, having added 10% chromium to steel, realized that the alloy was now resistant to elevated temperatures, but society did not accept the new material, since it considered all these properties to be completely unfavorable. Brearley tried his best to convince him otherwise and released the first ever batch of chrome steel knives. The knives quickly became dull and this significantly affected the popularity of the products. Only ten years later, Brearley's successor, Hartfield, managed to correct this flaw. He discovered that by adding nickel, any mechanical stress on the material does not affect the material and thereby ensures long service life of kitchen appliances. It is interesting that the alloy developed for the manufacture of knives subsequently began to be actively used in the oil production, engineering and even military industries.

Advantages and disadvantages

Every woman decides for herself whether it is worth buying jewelry that is not precious.

The popularity of medical gold is due to its properties:

It perfectly replaces precious metals as jewelry and looks no worse.
It does not cause allergies, which makes it possible for people who are allergic to gold to wear items made of yellow metal.
It doesn't get dark.
It's inexpensive.
Items made from it are durable and last a long time.

Despite such serious advantages, jewelry also has disadvantages:

Abrasion of the surface layer over time. No matter how much you take care of your favorite chain or ring, sooner or later they will have to be replaced.
The lack of hallmark on the product makes it not a good investment, as is the case with gold, but simply the purchase of a fashion accessory.

Care

Despite the fact that the description of surgical steel states that it is undemanding in care, in order for the products to last longer, some rules still have to be followed:

Medical instruments, as well as those used in cosmetology, should be protected from contamination. To do this, they must be stored in individual packages or in special boxes. After disinfection, before placing in the sterilizer, rinse with water to remove any remaining “chemicals”. This will prevent the drug from becoming more aggressive when exposed to high temperatures, which causes corrosion. Do not exceed the dosage of the disinfectant solution.
Jewelry, regardless of composition, also requires attention:

It is advisable to store each product in a separate container (bag, box);
Wipe with a polishing cloth 1-2 times a week, removing traces of sebum and dirt;
Wear gold-plated steel jewelry separately from others to avoid minor scratches.

Costume jewelry is worn after applying cosmetics so that chemicals do not leave traces in the form of stains and grease.

Where can you buy or sell

You can buy jewelry in large jewelry stores in Moscow or other regions of Russia. They often have departments selling costume jewelry made from alloys with semi-precious stones. Online stores also offer a large assortment of medical gold; you just need to enter a query in a search engine.

The catalogs contain detailed photos, which allows you to choose jewelry without leaving your home. The order can be delivered by courier, transport company or Russian Post.

Vsevolod Kozlovsky6 years in the jewelry business. He knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds. But selling jewelry, if you are not an entrepreneur, can only be done through private advertisement sites. Pawnshops rarely take gold-plated items. In the best case, if the coating is significant enough, they give a very small price for it.

How much does medical gold jewelry cost?

The cost of jewelry depends on the alloy, the presence of gold directly in it, and on the design and weight of the product. The price range is from 150 rubles for small earrings to a couple of thousand for designer necklaces with stones. The average price is about 500 rubles for a beautiful, catchy “gold” decoration.

To read: What is a dredge for gold mining: types and principle of operation + how to make it yourself

Tips for choosing jewelry

When planning the purchase of jewelry, it is worth considering some points to minimize the risk of purchasing a low-quality item:

Costume jewelry does not have the usual gold standard, but it has its own marking. A conscientious manufacturer will indicate on the stamp the amount of impurities and the number of carats of gold plating, if any. Carats are designated by the letter K and a number. 375 standard - the lowest for gold - is marked 9K (British system) or 36K (Russian system). Anything containing fewer gold carats is a jewelry alloy.
The decoration is accompanied by a tag indicating the manufacturer, his details, and alloy composition. If stones are present, then information about them.

Reviews

Natalya “I decided to check my rings to see if they were gold. The iodine method works, there are traces left on mine. It’s good that I didn’t think of smearing iodine on a cotton swab, but used a thin needle!”

Olga “I’ve met such shops with medical gold. Somehow I didn’t trust it, I was afraid, I thought it was some kind of fake. Now I understand that it is not a fake, but simply something completely different than gold. I’ll have to buy a set for the holiday!”

Irina “I had a bracelet made of medical gold. I wore it for about a year, most often I wore it in winter, in summer I don’t like jewelry on the skin. The lock was wiped first, then the links that were located nearby. The metal itself under the gilding turned out to be dark. But I enjoyed the year.”