{"id":8243,"date":"2025-06-06T17:32:25","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:32:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/gold-origins-properties-and-significance-in-jewelry-design\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T07:38:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T05:38:48","slug":"gold-origins-properties-and-significance-in-jewelry-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/gold-origins-properties-and-significance-in-jewelry-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Gold: Origins, properties, and significance in jewelry design."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A gift from extinguished stars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

All the gold found on Earth today originated in space. In the final stages of their lives, massive stars explode in colossal supernovae. During these cosmic events, neutrons fuse to form heavy elements\u2014including gold. It ultimately reached our planet through massive asteroid impacts around four billion years ago. Had this not occurred, the precious metal would have remained inaccessible to us\u2014locked deep within the Earth’s interior. <\/p>\n\n

Gold: a metal with a history<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

After copper, gold was the second metal to be discovered and worked by humans. The oldest known gold artifacts are over 5,500 years old. To this day, the metal has retained its allure. In many cultures, it has been\u2014and remains\u2014a symbol of power, wealth, and immortality. <\/p>\n\n

The most significant deposits are located in countries such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, Russia, China, Chile, and Indonesia. Extraction involves various methods, including prospecting, open-pit and underground mining, blasting, and the crushing of rock. Gold is frequently found in quartz veins embedded within the surrounding rock. <\/p>\n\n

Gold in application<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Gold has long been used in a wide variety of fields: for jewelry, coins, religious objects, medals, minting dies, and textile embellishment. In modern times, its use has extended to electronics, aerospace, medicine, and dentistry. Due to its rarity and the complex extraction process, it remains a valuable and finite resource. <\/p>\n\n

What does karat mean?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

The term “carat” refers to two different things:<\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. For precious metals<\/strong>, “karat” denotes the purity of gold. The scale ranges from 1 to 24. Pure gold is 24-karat (100%); however, since it is too soft for jewelry, it is alloyed with other metals. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Examples:<\/p>\n\n

      \n
    1. 24 Karat = 100 % Gold<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. 18 Karat = 75 % Gold (18\/24)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. 14 Karat = 58 % Gold (14\/24)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. For gemstones<\/strong>, particularly diamonds, carat refers to weight. One carat is exactly equal to 0.2 grams. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

      Average diameters of diamonds:<\/p>\n\n

        \n
      1. 0,05 ct: ca. 2,5 mm<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. 0,50 ct: ca. 5,2 mm<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. 1,00 ct: ca. 6,5 mm<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

        Word origin: “Kerat”<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

        The word “carat” comes from the Greek “keration,” referring to the seed of the carob fruit. In ancient times, these seeds served as a natural unit of weight due to their remarkable uniformity. A single seed weighs approximately 0.2 grams\u2014the modern definition of the gemstone carat. <\/p>\n\n

        Gold content in piercing jewelry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

        For piercing jewelry, the gold content typically ranges between 14 and 18 karats. Higher levels of purity are unsuitable for this purpose because pure gold is too soft. An excessively high concentration can negatively affect stability and skin compatibility. <\/p>\n\n

        The top priority is always suitability for skin contact. Safety and the healing process come first. <\/p>\n\n

        How gold gets its color<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

        Gold is alloyed with other metals for jewelry making. This alloying process affects not only the hardness but also the color. <\/p>\n\n

          \n
        • Yellow gold:<\/strong> This classic color is created by combining gold with copper, silver, and zinc. The higher the fine gold content, the more intense the yellow. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • White gold:<\/strong> To achieve a lighter, silvery tone, gold is combined with metals such as silver, palladium, or platinum. It is usually also plated with rhodium\u2014a silvery-white metal that adds luster and protects against scratches. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Rose gold:<\/strong> This warm, reddish color variant is created by a higher copper content. The shade ranges from a delicate pink to a rich red. Rose gold was particularly popular during the Art Deco era and has been making a stylish comeback in recent years. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

          Which gold suits which skin tone?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

          The ideal gold color often depends on skin tone:<\/p>\n\n

            \n
          • Warm skin tones<\/strong> (golden or olive undertone): harmonize with yellow gold and rose gold.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Cool skin tones <\/strong>(pink or bluish undertone): suit white gold and platinum.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Neutral skin tones:<\/strong> suit all shades of gold.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n

            Tip: If you are unsure, you can look at the color of the veins on your wrist. Green veins indicate a warm complexion, while blue veins suggest a cool one. <\/p>\n\n

            Of course, anything goes. Playful approaches to color, such as color-blocking or mixing, are absolutely on-trend. <\/p>\n\n

            Individual selection: Gold with style<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

            Choosing a particular piece of jewelry is always an expression of personality. Whether it is a gift or a treat for yourself, it is worth considering style, skin tone, existing jewelry preferences, and budget alike. <\/p>\n\n

            At MAYDUNA, you will find delicate pieces of jewelry crafted from certified yellow, white, and rose gold. From minimalist classics to exclusive one-of-a-kind pieces featuring diamonds or colored gemstones, we are happy to help you select your own personal highlight. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            A gift from extinguished stars All the gold found on Earth today originated in space. In the final stages of their lives, massive stars explode in colossal supernovae. During these cosmic events, neutrons fuse to form heavy elements\u2014including gold. It ultimately reached our planet through massive asteroid impacts around four billion years ago. Had this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-schmuck"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8243"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8244,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8243\/revisions\/8244"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mayduna.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}