Gold is a noble metal that indicates a person’s wealth. Therefore, the fashion for gold jewelry does not stop. This will be relevant as long as gold is quoted on the markets and stored in the largest banks of the states.
Even in ancient times, coins were made from gold and thus indicated the price of goods. Jewelry began to be produced a little later, and for this they used not pure gold, but some alloys. So, how to understand the price and quality of products made from this noble metal, and also understand what a sample is? The whole calculation system is quite simple. The main thing is to know what units of measurement there are and how to convert values between each other.
Why is 525 sterling silver confused with 925 sterling silver?
925 hallmark metal is often considered a white gold alloy. In the same way, the variety of material with a hallmark of 525 is misunderstood. In fact, there is no such stamp option in the carat and metric systems. But this does not mean that the alloy does not exist. It is used in various fields, but much less often in jewelry. It is precisely as a result of the infrequent use of this metal that many have no idea that it exists and mistake it for a silver alloy. In addition, there are other reasons:
- similarity of designations: if you do not carefully examine the small mark, it is quite possible to mistake sample 525 for 925;
- The precious metal contains silver, its quantity is significant, due to this, white products are obtained.
Stamp 925 on a silver ring
Objectively about 985 gold
Contents of the article: What are gold samples used for and what do they mean? Is pure gold found in jewelry production and why is it necessary to add various metals to it? What metals are most often added to gold alloy and why?
What does the 985th rare gold standard mean?
Pure gold, or pure gold, is an extremely soft yellow metal.
This material is very common in industry due to its physical properties: corrosion resistance, resistance to chemicals, high conductivity.
The precious metal has also been used in medicine. Not only are prosthetics made from it, gold is used for delicate work that requires a durable and malleable metal that will not cause an allergic reaction in patients.
We recommend reading: Country Macedonia visa for Russia
In jewelry, red gold does not justify its value - jewelry quickly loses its appearance due to the low strength of the metal.
Sample 525: composition, valuable properties
The content of 58.5% gold makes it possible to reduce the softness of the material and increase its strength. As a result, it becomes wear-resistant and tolerates exposure to moderately high mechanical loads. In addition, the properties of this type of gold are determined by the alloy. Commonly used components:
- silver;
- copper.
Metals that are used less frequently:
- nickel;
- platinum and other platinum group metals;
- cadmium;
- zinc.
In the 525 sample, the content of pure metal is 52.5% and 47.5% of various additives.
They are not used simultaneously. The combination of components used to obtain 525 gold is always different. The choice is made taking into account what kind of metal needs to be obtained: more or less soft, ductile, of different shades. Nickel is not used today for the manufacture of jewelry, as cases of allergies to such a component have become more frequent.
Platinum makes the alloy more expensive, many times over. It can be added to the composition when it is necessary to obtain white gold or to improve properties such as hardness and ductility.
Table: Alloy and shade options
Precious metal can change its color, which depends on the content of individual additives. The 52.5 percent Au material contains varying proportions of copper, causing it to appear green to white in color:
| Shade of material | Cu,% | Ag,%. | Pd,%. |
| Red tint | Up to 45 | up to 28 | — |
| Green | 14 | 33 | — |
| Yellow | 21 | 26,5 | — |
| White | — | 29 | 18 |
Brand on the product
525 gold purity is always found on products of this group containing Ag. The mark allows you to determine the properties and composition of the material (precious metal content). It stands next to the name plate, which identifies the manufacturer. The shape of the hallmark of gold products resembles a spatula - it has a complex configuration (when compared with palladium and silver).
The mark of the assay certificate may also be present here, as well as the code of the state inspection of assay supervision.
Silver ring with green stone
Features of making jewelry
Jewelers prefer to make jewelry of 525 standard. This is the most rewarding material, which is characterized by strength and durability. The ligature is responsible for the appearance. It can be made from:
Each of these metals has advantages and disadvantages, and the finished products will vary in color. In the USSR they preferred to add copper. The decoration took on a reddish tint, many did not like it. At the same time, Europeans preferred white gold. For its manufacture, alloys of platinum, silver, and palladium were used.
The most rewarding combination, and also the most frequently purchased, is an alloy of silver and gold. The price of such jewelry is cheaper than pure gold, it has a beautiful shade. Nickel has not been used in practice for a long time, since it gives the product a yellowish appearance and can also cause allergies.
Both white and red gold have their advantages. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and other precious stones look more harmonious on white. The decorations take on a discreet but noble tone. But red gold is more durable and scratch-resistant. Therefore, you have to rely only on your taste.
In addition, the price of a gold product may depend on the ligature. For example, 525 gold with copper will be much cheaper than the same standard with palladium. And platinum as an addition to the alloy is always more expensive than even 999 gold. Therefore, the price of 525 samples may also change.
You can find out the sample of the product by looking at the stamp. This is a special sign that is placed on the reverse side of the decoration. It must be on all products, since its presence confirms the gold content and also meets international quality standards.
Lately, private jewelers have been neglecting this rule. And instead of a brand, you can see a seal with a tag indicating the characteristics of the jewelry. This is also a reliable option. But if there is neither one nor the other, it is considered that the authenticity of such a product is in doubt. The buyer also has the right to demand certificates and licenses from the seller. The main thing is not only to trust the manufacturer, but also to be guided by written confirmation of the quality of the products.
Application of 525 samples
Today, option 525 is not found very often, but this does not mean that it is not in demand in Russia, it is simply used where the majority of people are unlikely to pay attention to it. According to the main characteristics, the material is good. It exhibits properties that allow it to be used in areas of high responsibility.
Rare in jewelry
In jewelry manufacturing factories, precious metal 525 is not used as the main one. This is due to a combination of characteristics that make it difficult to obtain the desired product. Even the system for assessing the purity of metals does not contain this sample. Previously, wedding rings were made from it. Also, this type of precious metal can be combined with other materials to obtain products with improved properties.
Important! If a ring or bracelet is sold as jewelry with a 525 hallmark, there is a high probability that it is counterfeit or does not exactly match the stated characteristics.
Silver men's ring
Vintage and costume jewelry
The material performs well when used to create a coating for other jewelry (made of precious as well as base metals). Given its relatively simple properties, it is less often applied to expensive products. It is used to coat cheaper products. This allows you to give them nobility. Most often, 525 gold is applied to vintage items:
- cigarette cases;
- pendants;
- brooches;
- luxury sewing accessories;
- stationery items.
Silver samples - what are they?
Silver is incredibly beautiful, but if it is not used in its pure form, it quickly loses its appearance - it becomes tarnished and damaged. Therefore, alloys with different ratios of precious metal are used. Therefore, a method for assessing the silver sample was introduced.
What does a silver sample mean and what markings exist? The three-digit sample system was developed in 1927 and is still successfully used today. According to the stamps, the quality and value of the resulting jewelry is determined by how much pure material is per 1000 grams. The most common ones include 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960 and 999.
All alloys differ only in the percentage of pure precious metal content. The sampling system adopted in Russia is one of the most accurate; this number gives a more accurate result of the ratio of pure metal and added alloys.
It is customary to use hard materials as additional components: nickel, copper, aluminum, zinc.
Current cost of 1 gram of gold and price calculation for 525 samples
The exchange rate is set by the Central Bank, you need to monitor changes every day. However, there is a tendency for the price of gold to increase.
| Precious metal 999 (CB), per 1 gram, rub. | Market price, rub. | Scrap, rub. |
| 4250 | 2900 | 2631 |
To determine what the price of different precious metals will be, you need to use the formula:
Central Bank rate (gold 999) x 0.525 = current rate of material with the stamp 525.
The result of the calculation using this formula is the number - 2251 rubles. There is a pattern: the lower the gold content, the lower the actual cost of the metal. If you plan to purchase a 525 gold alloy, the price per gram is constantly changing, you need to monitor the changes on the Central Bank website. As soon as the exchange rate becomes more favorable, you can buy goods made from precious metals.
1 gram gold
What is the best standard of silver, how to choose
› Having considered the varieties of noble metal, you can understand what grade of silver is most loved by jewelers.
It all depends on the characteristics of the alloy and the purpose of the manufactured item. Contents: The numerical value that is present on a silver product shows the ratio of the precious metal to the ligature.
The main values of samples that are used for the manufacture of jewelry, dishes, and decorative items: 720 - a metal that oxidizes and changes in appearance under the influence of time. It is mainly used to make small parts of clothing: clasps, zippers, decorative elements.
800 and 825 - this type of metal is suitable for making dishes and interior elements. The percentage of silver content in such products is 80% and 83%, which allows them to be actively used for household needs. However, the surface should be periodically cleaned of oxidized film.
Question-answer section
How to test a gold sample at home?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The only option is to study the mark on the product. The golden objects depict the likeness of a spatula with the head of a man in a kokoshnik. It is impossible to determine the composition of the metal at home; special equipment is used for this. You can check whether it belongs to low- or high-grade. If you apply a reagent (gold chloride), the metal will darken. The lighter the spots, the higher the gold content.
What grade of gilding is on the watch?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Most often, materials with a purity of 740 and higher are used. It is also acceptable to use option 585, but not lower. Sometimes unscrupulous sellers use metal with even less valuable components. If you need to plate jewelry with gold, but not jewelry, it is permissible to use the 525 variety.
Why did the finger under the 525 ring turn dark?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The reason lies in the interaction of the components contained in 525 gold with the environment: oxidation of impurities occurs with the participation of oxygen in the air, as well as from process water. Another reason is the low quality of the ligature.
Golden ring
Is there 525 sterling silver?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
There is no hallmark for metal with the designation 525. Silver is graded using a different system. The lowest value is 800.
Is 525 silver good or bad?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
It is impossible to detect this type of mark on silver items. Option 525 refers to gold items. You can't say he's good or bad. This depends on the conditions of use: when strength is important, the metal is at its best by all estimates, but if you want to obtain quality, it is better to look further - among precious metals from 585 and above.
Differences between 875 and 925 silver.
What types of silver are there?
Today, there are special tables of silver samples that allow you to independently determine how high-quality the metal was used to create a certain product. Silver products are very popular in society due to their visual and technical characteristics. In this article we will talk about what types of silver exist, where and how stamps are placed, and how the authenticity of a product can be established.
Silver itself has a soft silvery tint, is easy to clean, and does not darken for a long time, but there are conditions under which the appearance of the metal changes.
Here everything depends on the sample or on the volume of impurities contained. Next we will talk about what sample of silver is the best.
This question is often asked by novice collectors and simply amateurs who want to purchase a truly worthwhile item. The fact is that all silver products can be divided into groups according to
Sample systems
The hallmark is placed not only on gold jewelry, but also on bank bullion. But gold medals, orders and coins are not branded, although the precious metal content in them is strictly regulated and subject to control. To understand what standard gold is, you need to decide on the counting system used.
What are the sampling systems?
- Carat. Pure gold is defined as 24 karat. Jewelry can be 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 18 and 22 carat. Our 585 corresponds to 14-karat, 750 - 18-karat. For example, 14 karat means that there are 14 parts of Au in 24 parts of the alloy.
- Metric. Everything is simple here. The percentage content is reflected in the number, in thousandths: 585 sample is 58.5% of the precious metal in the alloy, 750 is 75%.
- Spool valve, obsolete. In the old days, a spool (digital) sample system was used in Rus'. It indicated how much pure Au was in the alloy. 1 spool equaled 4.25 g, and there were 96 spools in a pound. The hallmarks of that time were 36, 48, 56, 72, 82, 92, 94. For example, if we talked about 72 hallmark gold, this meant that 1 pound of the alloy contained 72 spools of pure metal.
The carat system originates from Great Britain, and therefore the term “British carat” is often used. It is applicable in Switzerland, Turkey, USA, Canada, Spain. The metric system operates in the territory of the former USSR, in Italy.
What standard is pure gold?
In the carat system it is designated as 24 carat, in the metric system it is designated as 999.9. Why is there no 1000 sample? You won’t see this even on a bank bullion. The highest possible in reality is 999.9, this is the so-called. bank gold, although liberties are allowed in the karat system, the bar indicates 24 carats, that is, absolutely pure metal. The carat, which is used to measure the purity of gold, and the carat, which is used to measure the weight of precious stones, are fundamentally different units of measurement. The first one in English is written karat and means a share, the second one is carat and means a unit of weight of 0.2 grams.
Who tests
Each country determines its own sampling system, this indicator is guaranteed by the state. In Russia, the sample is applied not by the manufacturer, but by a government agency - the Assay Chamber. The first law on mandatory hallmarking of gold items in Russia was issued in 1700. And today, all jewelry produced in the Russian Federation must comply with the standards established by law, that is, it will not be possible to make a ring containing gold to your taste, even if you ordered it from a jeweler in a single copy. The master will turn a deaf ear to the request “add more gold”...
Is sampling a guarantee of quality?
On the territory of our country, it is almost impossible to buy gold of a low standard or a counterfeit of a precious metal with a hallmark (unless, of course, you decide to purchase it second-hand or in a dubious establishment), since the circulation of precious metals is under close control.
Not all countries carry out testing by a government agency. For example, in Turkey the brand is put by the manufacturer himself. Hence the numerous problems with authenticity. Moreover, if Turkish gold is sold in Russia, you can be sure that the declared share of the precious metal corresponds: before it reaches the counter, imported jewelry is sent to the Russian Assay Office, which is part of the Ministry of Finance.
