For a long time, when people said black gold, they were colloquially referring to oil. Now, there is such a thing as the black gold jewelry industry, and it is increasing in popularity day by day too.
One reason that black gold is so popular is due to its unique, edgy look. It makes for non-conforming, non-conventional jewelry choices and has an eye-catching, beautiful appearance. Although there are other types of black metals used for making no.1 Greek jewelry, black gold comes with its distinct advantages.
In this article, we cover everything you need to know about black gold before you buy it.
Table of Contents
What is black gold?
The original color of gold is yellowish that everyone associates with the term gold. With the new technologies and methods keeps on arising, varieties of gold have become popular, which include buying blue gold, rose gold, green gold, and buying white gold.
In the case of the black gold, there are a few different ways to create the metal. Let’s take a quick look into what these are, without going into too much technical detail.
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Alloys
To simply form a black gold alloy, gold is mixed with another metal such as cobalt, usually to the ratio of 3 parts gold to 1 part metal. Moreover, although this is called an alloy as it is not really one. The black layer is only on the surface, unlike the other alloys where the metals are combined.
Electroplating
This is a more common method used for black gold. This is where the gold piece of jewelry is plated with the black finish, usually with the black ruthenium or rhodium. The clear disadvantage with the electroplating is that over time, the color wears off, and replating will be required.
This is also the most affordable option. Rhodium plating is an industry-standard, and the rhodium gives the gold a shiny, polished surface.
Femtosecond laser-treated black gold
This recently discovered method involves using a powerful femtosecond laser to manipulate the surface structure of the metal with high amounts of focused energy. What results is a How to mix metal jewelry that is pitching black. This is the most durable of the details of the methods here.
This is, moreover, an extremely expensive and energy-consuming method at this stage. If in the future, this method becomes more readily available in the jewelry industry, it would provide a very durable version of the black gold.
Is black gold valuable?
This would totally depend on how much real gold is in your black gold jewelry. The higher the percentage of gold, the more valuable the piece is.
The black metals used in the creation of the black gold do not add to nor detract from the original worth of the gold.
As gold does not lose its worth, the value of the black gold will likely remain consistent.
Black Gold vs. Other Popular Black Metals
There are a few different options available in the market, so how does black gold comparable?
Black tungsten is resistant to scratching and maintains its finish for a longer period of time. It is also hypoallergic jewelry and quite affordable. Moreover, tungsten can shatter or break if dealt with a hard blow, and tungsten rings cannot be realized.
Black ceramic jewelry is known for its ability to maintain its luster forever and has a consistent color throughout the ring. Black ceramic is also an affordable option, but like tungsten, it too can shatter or crack if knocked or dropped.
Black titanium is extremely durable, scratch and lightweight, and is smooth and shiny, somewhat similar to enamel. Moreover, it cannot be resized, and its surface can show scuffs and scratches over time. Because titanium is a very strong metal, cutting a titanium ring in an emergency can prove very difficult.
Black carbon fiber is a very strong, extremely durable, heat-resistant, and lightweight material. It is not a metal but rather a type of very versatile fabric. Carbon fiber is also very affordable and is a good choice for jewelry.
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Is Black Gold Real?
“Unfortunately, there is no such thing as black gold. Most people confuse gold that has undergone metal mixing and corrosion to a point of blackening for a pure metal. The truth is, black gold does not exist. Jewelers mix normal gold with other metals such as copper and silver, and in the process, the gold corrodes and turns dark. Sometimes black. In a different context outside of metals, people refer to unrefined petroleum as black gold.”- says Jay Scott from Pugsquest
Is black gold more expensive than gold?
Due to the presence of pure gold along with precious metals like Titanium, tungsten,black gold becomes ,more valuable.
Which mineral is black gold?
Coal is called black gold because it is black in color, and it is costly too.
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