Which gold standard is better - 375 or 585? Pros and cons, how they really differ. How to distinguish 375 gold from 585

First you need to understand what a sample is. This term implies an assessment of quality. The numbers are a numerical indicator of the amount of gold per 1000 g of metal. For example, in 1000 g of 375-carat alloy there is 375 g of gold and additional elements such as copper and silver. The answer to the question of how 375 gold differs from 585 gold is very important because it helps to understand what the price of jewelry depends on. Many people do not understand why today jewelry looks almost the same, but their prices are different.

In the Russian Federation, careful control is exercised over the quality of gold. This is done by state assay services. Any jewelry product, regardless of whether it is supplied from abroad or manufactured at domestic enterprises, must be checked by this service.

As a result, a stamp of a certain sample is placed on it, which confirms that the precious metal corresponds to a certain sample. This helps prevent the illegal production of jewelry, as well as the sale of counterfeits.

The following types of samples are currently in use in the Russian Federation: 375, 585, 750, 958, 999.9. Let's look at the more popular ones - 375 and 585, and determine which standard of gold is better, more profitable and more beautiful.

What is 375 gold made from?

Due to its strength, malleability and ductility, this precious alloy can be used to make any jewelry.

You can use it to make chains, earrings, bracelets and pendants of amazing beauty and grace, but the most popular are wedding rings of 375 standard. They were in particular demand in the USSR.

This gold is often used to set semi-precious stones such as amethyst, agate, turquoise, and garnet. Also, it is suitable for the manufacture of luxury items that are actively used in everyday life.

These are cases of expensive watches, cigarette cases and lighters, nibs for prestigious writing pens, exquisite cutlery and much more. With proper care, such products can last for decades without breaking or losing their appearance.

Gold of this brand is often used to make decorative elements of furniture and picture frames. In general, the range of applications is very wide.

Where is this precious material used?

This precious metal is used to make chains, bracelets and other jewelry. In addition, watch cases and other elegant things that require a certain strength are made from this material. This material is also used for framing stones.

The degree of aesthetics, as well as the artistic appeal of products with the 375 hallmark, practically do not differ from things with more valuable hallmarks. In other words, the beauty of jewelry is not affected by the quality of the precious material.

Why does this sample attract buyers?

Jewelry connoisseurs who want to wear precious stones set in gold willingly buy metal of this standard. They are not concerned with the question of what percentage will be in the noble metal into which the precious stone they are interested in will be set. Such jewelry fans are interested in other questions. Will the shine of the metal disappear? How long will a beautiful stone hold on as thin tendrils or is there a risk of losing it?

Thanks to the use of precisely adjusted proportions of impurities, which provide jewelry with increased wear resistance, jewelry owners will not have to be upset by the sight of chips, scratches and surface deformation. Even the thinnest 375 bases, decorated with miniature details, will forever retain their original appearance.

Existing assays and uses of the precious metal

The higher the standard, the heavier and more plastic the decoration. Soft metal is subject to deformation, and its shine disappears due to numerous scratches.

375 has many advantages. It does not change color, does not wear off, does not fade. It is light and does not add extra weight to the jewelry. The noble metal in such an alloy holds stones well. Jewelry is strong and durable.

How is the 375 different from the 585?

The main difference is the gold content of 58.8% and 37.5%. The quality of the second alloy is lower. This is reflected in liquidity, price, and operating conditions.

The 585 keeps an attractive appearance and does not need cleaning. The 375 is cleaned regularly.

Composition and strength

Alloy components provide strength to the substance, since gold itself is too soft. Metal with a purity of 375 has greater hardness and is much less susceptible to deformation and abrasion.

Low-grade 375 gold appears slightly duller than the purer 585 alloy, but this becomes noticeable when compared closely. Depending on the composition, its shade can vary from red to cream and pale yellow.

With a decrease in purity, the metal’s resistance to oxidation also decreases - products made from a low-quality alloy darken, can leave marks on the skin and cause allergic reactions.

Appearance and features of the brand

For alloys of different purities, the Assay Office in Russia uses the same type of mark - a female profile in a kokoshnik. Only the digital value differs in accordance with the composition of the metal to which it is applied.

Difference between different purity grades

In Russia, the metric system for testing alloys is used; abroad you can often find gold products with a karat designation of metal purity.

A precious souvenir with a 9K stamp corresponds to the 375th, 14K – 585th gold standard, respectively.

Differences in GOST standards and quality

The quality of gold alloys is regulated by GOST 6835-2002 and is strictly observed. Metal produced with irregularities must be melted down. According to the regulatory document, precious metals 375 and 585 are three-component compositions of gold, copper and silver, in which ligature occurrences are presented in different proportions depending on the grade.

Varieties that are used for making jewelry.

Price and demand

The cost of gold is higher, 585 is always higher. Today, the price per gram of alloy with the 585 mark is around one and a half thousand rubles. Metal marked 375 is valued at just under a thousand per gram.

If you purchase jewelry in a jewelry store, the price will be influenced by the cost of work on making the jewelry, which depends not on the alloy, but on the complexity of the execution.

The demand for precious metal is dictated by fashion. In Russia, the most popular jewelry is 585-karat; in the United States, some European countries readily use jewelry with a purity of 9 carats (analogous to grade 375); in Italy, they give preference to other, purer varieties. And Arab fashionistas prefer pure gold.

585 gold

An alloy of 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts metals such as silver, copper, zinc or nickel.

In percentage terms, the alloy contains 58.3% pure gold, so you can often see the numbers 583 or 585 on products. But most often, products made from this gold alloy are marked with 14K, 14KT, 14k or similar designations.

Quality

The main difference is the amount of gold in the alloy. The 375 material is of poorer quality because it contains 37.5% gold. In alloy 585 the share of gold is 58.5%, so it is of higher quality.

Strength

The more gold in the metal, the worse its strength. Therefore, 375 gold is stronger than 585 gold. Naturally, this is not as noticeable as we think, but it is true.

Price

The cost also depends on the volume of precious metal in the alloy. Therefore, the larger the sample, the more the jewelry costs. Accordingly, products of 375 standard are less expensive than similar products from more valuable samples. But the difference in the cost of products of 375 and 585 samples is not large, because their price includes the work of jewelers, taxes and markups of intermediaries, etc.

SampleMarket pricePrice in jewelry storesPurchase price

beauty

Both alloys allow jewelers to create unique creations using advanced metalworking techniques.

There is an opinion that jewelry with the 375 mark darkens and becomes dull after some time, unlike products 585, but it must be said that such changes can occur in any jewelry, regardless of the amount of gold in its composition.

Demand

In the Russian Federation, “585” items are sold in large volumes, but it should be noted that jewelry with the “375” stamp is a worthy and promising alternative. But the variety of such jewelry is small, because there is little demand for them. A small amount of gold in jewelry makes it not respectable, since everyone today wants to look chic.

In addition, this precious material is not in demand, because jewelry made from it often loses its attractive appearance during use. A small content of precious metal makes jewelry wear-resistant and durable, but at the same time the metal’s ability to oxidize increases.

If you do not wear or care for items made of low-quality gold for a long time, they will darken and lose their shine, which will make them impossible to wear. Returning jewelry to its original appearance will be extremely problematic.

Another disadvantage of jewelry with the 375 mark is that it can cause allergies. This can be caused by the body’s high sensitivity to certain types of metals that are present in the precious material.

There is little precious metal in it, so there are many impurities that often provoke an allergic reaction on the skin.

Advantages and disadvantages of 375 and 585 samples

The noble alloy 375 has an obvious advantage - hardness, which ensures the durability of the product and maintains a presentable appearance. Another advantage is the low cost of jewelry made from it.

The disadvantages include the lower inertness of the 375 alloy with respect to the environment and, as a result, a greater likelihood of dark deposits.

Precious metal 585 is more expensive. Since things related to luxury goods are made from it, this is rather a plus. It has better reflectivity, due to this the products shine brighter and are objectively more beautiful. It has better oxidation resistance, and the likelihood of allergies to such jewelry is low.

The main disadvantage of 585-carat metal is its softness, which leads to damage and scratches on jewelry. Such a product requires additional care and periodic polishing in a jewelry workshop to maintain its beauty.

For what purpose was the sampling system introduced?

Gold in its pure form is characterized by softness and a dull color of an indefinite shade. It is easily bent, deformed, and loses its shine. Jewelry made from such metal will have an unpresentable appearance.

To give it a certain density and shade, various alloys are used in the jewelry industry. Control and regulation of this process is entrusted to government agencies. To determine the amount of precious metal in alloys, a sampling system was introduced.

In Russia there is a law according to which if products produced in industry contain 30% gold, they must be branded. The most famous gold samples are 375.585, 750.958.

These numbers determine the measure of gold included in 1 kg of the alloy. If there is no mark on this product, this may indicate that the item was made illegally. It is impossible to be sure that it is of high quality and purity.

What types of tests are there?

There are several sample designation systems:

1. Metric.
2. Carat.
3. Lotovaya.
4. Zolotnikovaya.

Now we will talk about the two most widely known and used today:

The unit of measurement for the purity of an alloy in the karat system is the carat . One carat is 1/24 of the total mass of the substance. Accordingly, pure gold corresponds to twenty-four carats. This system is most common in the West - in the USA, Canada and Europe.

In the CIS, people are much more familiar with the metric system, in which the purity of the alloy is determined by the number of milligrams or grams of gold in a gram or kilogram of the alloy, respectively.

Recommendations for care and cleaning

1. Jewelry from three hundred and seventy-five is cleaned regularly, for example, in a solution of washing powder. It is not recommended to use soap - it leaves a greasy film on the surface.
2. Polish with a soft cloth.
3. Avoid contact of the product surface with aggressive chemicals - acid, alkali, acetone, solvents. Household cleaning products, cosmetics and perfumes destroy the surface.
4. Do not use abrasive paints or paints or products for decoration.
5. Remove gold before water treatments, baths and saunas.
6. It is not recommended to swim in the sea with jewelry, as the clasps begin to rust.
7. Store jewelry in cloth bags or boxes with soft walls. In cardboard boxes they will turn black.
8. You cannot store jewelry of different samples and compositions together, or gold and silver.

How to store 375 gold?

The best place to store gold items is in special cases, lined with soft fabric on the inside. If this is not the case, you can use a canvas bag.

• Do not store in cardboard boxes, as they contain sulfur and dark spots will quickly appear on the gold.
• It is not advisable to store gold items of different grades and compositions together. This makes them lose their appearance.
• You cannot keep gold together with silver and jewelry.
• Storage near heating devices, as well as in places exposed to direct sunlight, is contraindicated. Gold loves dryness and darkness.
• It would also be a good idea to use a reliable safe for storage.

How to clean a gold ring at home

Cleaning gold items (of any standard) at home is simple:

• For light soiling, a warm solution of washing powder is sufficient. Keep the products in it for 10 minutes, then rinse well with running water.
• 10 drops of ammonia per glass of warm water - if the contamination is severe.
• Stains from a gold item are removed with a special paste; if they are ingrained, hold them in a concentrated ammonia solution - it will not dissolve the precious metal, but will remove the oxidation of copper and silver.

Proper care of gold jewelry

The most important rule is to clean your jewelry regularly. It doesn’t matter what precious metal they are made of, and even more so, what grade they are made of - over time, a dirty coating appears on all of them. Body sweat, dust and environmental pollution settle on your rings, which is why they lose their former attractiveness and become dull.

Be sure to remove jewelry from your hands if you work with alkaline or acidic compounds. They are components of many cleaning products and solvents and have a negative effect on gold, even to the point of damaging the structure of the alloy.

Paints, varnishes, and substances with abrasive properties can also harm your jewelry. Take them off before going to the bathhouse or sauna. Exposure to high temperatures also has a negative effect on gold alloys.

Do not store gold jewelry in cardboard boxes - the sulfur contained in it causes the items to turn black.

As can be seen from the above, it is not the sample that is to blame for the fact that the products have lost their appearance, but incorrect wearing and irregular cleaning.

Why does gold turn black?

The composition of the alloy affects the appearance of the product. The less precious metal, the higher the chance that over time the jewelry will become covered with a dark coating and leave marks on the skin. Darkening occurs as a reaction to contact with cosmetics and cleaning products. Another reason is increased sweating of the owner.

Why can gold jewelry make your fingers dark?

1. These are the characteristics of the impurities contained in the alloy.
2. Reaction of gold to components of decorative cosmetics, detergents and cleaning products, etc.
3. Increased sweating, which causes the skin to release nitrogen compounds. These react with the copper and cause black ring marks to appear.

Appearance of gold streaks

The presence of a large number of impurities in 375 gold makes products made from it susceptible to chemical reactions when exposed to an aggressive environment. Acids, alkalis, high humidity - these are just the main factors affecting the condition of the product, its appearance and the possibility of darkening.

When interacting with a harmful environment, gold begins to oxidize and leaves black marks when it comes into contact with the skin. As a rule, they take the form of stripes.

What to choose: 375 or 585 gold

• It is impossible to say for sure which type of gold alloy is better. When choosing, there are many factors to consider, as well as individual preferences. If you want everyday jewelry that you will wear all the time, then it is better to opt for a product made from 375 gold - it is harder and more scratch-resistant. A ring made of 585 gold will wear out faster and become scratched if worn constantly. An additional advantage is the lower price of products made from 375 gold alloy.
• As noted above, diamond jewelry is typically made from at least 585 gold alloy.
• If you are allergic to nickel, it is best to avoid jewelry made from 375 gold and opt for jewelry made from 585 gold or a higher purity alloy.
• As for appearance, it’s up to you to decide which of these types of gold looks more attractive, and whether it’s worth paying extra for a higher standard.

Customer Reviews

Julia: I chose an expensive pen with a gold nib as a gift. They explained to me that using a high-grade alloy for such things is impractical, since the material is too soft.

Diana: I love gold very much and try to choose 585-karat items for myself; they seem more beautiful to me.

Dmitry: I don’t see much difference in appearance, but there is a noticeable difference in price. For myself, I would choose 375 sample as a harder and more practical alloy.

How to choose jewelry

It is recommended to make purchases in trusted jewelry stores. Check the surface of the product and the certificate.

In Turkey, China, Egypt, it is recommended to buy gold with caution. A hallmark for jewelry in these countries is not necessary, and cheap alloys are sold under the guise of 375.

In conclusion, we note that the 375th is unpopular in Russia; the 585th is preferred to it. In the USSR, three hundred and seventy-five were made into items for everyday wear - watch bracelets, wedding rings, earrings.

The test is popular in the USA and Europe and is used by youth jewelry brands.

The price for 375 depends on the market value and instructions from the Central Bank of Russia. Pawnshops buy the alloy from 500 rubles per gram. A product in poor condition will cost less.

Among the disadvantages of the 375 are:

• loss of attractiveness:
• the need for regular cleaning;
• allergies and black spots on the skin;
• low liquidity.

Advantages:

• price;
• wear resistance;
• strength;
• the author's work does not differ in appearance from the 585th.

It is not recommended to purchase 375 in Egypt and Turkey, where they sell cheap alloy for a high price.

Store jewelry in bags or boxes with soft walls in a cool, dark place. Clean regularly with special products or ammonia. Avoid contact of the surface of the product with sweat, cosmetics, and cleaning products. Dangerous are acid, alkali, acetone, solvents, and sea water.

How to care?

The best option would be not to engage in amateur chemistry, but to use special cleaning products such as “Aladdin”, “Unicum” or “Talisman” (not advertising).

There are dozens of these means. They are sold in hardware departments and jewelry stores. The cost varies from 150 to 600 rubles.

If you suddenly don’t want to go to the store, but really want to clean your favorite chain (ring, ring, grandfather’s cigarette case), then you can use the means at hand, which, as a rule, are found in every decent home.

For example, here is a good way:

1. In a glass bowl, mix 250 ml of boiled water, 4 ml of ammonia and 1 tablespoon of washing powder without coloring additives. If you don't have powder, dishwashing detergent will do just fine.
2. Mix all this thoroughly and completely immerse the gold product in the resulting mixture for 2-3 hours. Then we take it out, rinse it under clean running water and wipe it with a clean, dry cloth, preferably lint-free.

Another method is perfect for those who don’t have ammonia in the house:

1. Choose dishes taking into account the fact that they will need to be heated, for example a metal mug or ladle.
2. Lay a soft cloth on the bottom and place the gold item on it.
3. Mix water and dishwashing detergent at the rate of 1 teaspoon of detergent per 200 ml of water. It is necessary that the product is completely recessed.
4. Afterwards, heat over low heat for 7-10 minutes.
5. Then remove the product, rinse with running water and wipe with a dry, clean cloth.

This method is well suited for cleaning red and yellow gold.

And one more method, for those who do not have not only ammonia in their home, but also dishwashing detergent:

1. Mix 150-170 ml of water and 3 tablespoons of salt. She certainly is.
2. Stir in a glass container until the salt is completely dissolved and immerse the product there for 12 hours.
3. Then we take it out, rinse it under running water and wipe it off.

There is another option - trust the professionals and take the item to a jewelry workshop for cleaning.

Do not clean with soap, as it forms a greasy film on the surface of the product. Never use abrasives or products containing chlorine and active oxygen to clean gold.

375 gold is contraindicated for those who are allergic to nickel

This is the biggest drawback of 375 gold alloy - the nickel in its composition can cause an allergic reaction.

Because the percentage of nickel in this gold alloy is higher (compared to 585 and higher alloys), products made from it are more likely to cause skin irritation and other allergy symptoms.

Jewelry made of 585 gold practically does not cause allergic reactions, and yet people prone to allergies are recommended to test the product first.

Reviews

There is nothing absolutely bad or absolutely perfect under the sun, that’s a fact. 375 gold is no exception to the rule. It, like everything in the world, has its pros and cons. We will look at both.

Despite the fact that 375 gold is officially considered a precious metal, jewelry made from it is quite rare on the shelves of Russian stores. Domestic consumers are not very fond of this alloy.

There are a number of reasons for this.

Negative feedback:

1. Less aesthetic appearance compared to products where the mass fraction of “despicable metal” in the composition is higher. A large amount of copper and silver causes 375 gold to quickly oxidize and become stained. He needs frequent and careful care. If, at the same time, the jewelry contains small and hard-to-reach elements, cleaning it will not be an easy task.
2. Quite low status of jewelry. Many people consider it unprestigious to wear items made from gold of such a low standard. Even poor people, in general, prefer not to skimp on the quality of jewelry, being confident that the more expensive the better. Stereotypes, where would we be without them?
3. Due to its relative cheapness and low demand, 375 gold is not suitable for investment.
4. Sometimes it can cause allergic reactions in areas where it comes into contact with the skin. This is due to individual intolerance to the metals contained in the impurity.

Positive reviews:

1. The very first and main advantage is strength. Products made from 375 gold are very durable due to the high copper content. Some jewelry or trinkets can be passed down through families from generation to generation with little wear and tear. Maybe their market value will be low, but not all things need to be valued solely in monetary terms. For many, grandmother's earrings, left as a memory, or a chain, once given by parents, mean much more than a handful of the purest gold in the world.
2. The low cost of 375-grade products (approximately 800-900 per gram) is also an advantage. Not everyone can afford to spend money on expensive trinkets.