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| ITALIAN
GOLD |
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Beauty
and Style are Italian Aspirations...
Italian Gold... a fusion of Beauty and
Style... Accept nothing
less.
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We visit
Italy several times a year... to see old
friends & family... and to find the latest
designs of hand-crafted Italian gold. Created
by Italian craftsmen's hands, hands that
remember & work on the ancient goldsmith's
tradition.
Italy is the foremost manufacturer and exporter of mass-produced and crafted gold
jewelry. Of over the 10,000 gold and silver production units employing more than 60,000 people, no less than 70% are family-run goldsmith workshops with less than ten workers.
Chain products are a major specialty of Italian production and account for more than one-third of the total production.
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It
is estimated that only slightly more
than 100,000 tons of gold have been
taken from the earth during all of
recorded history. And although gold
can be found in rivers, seas and land
in many parts of the earth, it is not
easily extracted. Opening a mine is a
time-consuming and costly operation,
and several tons of ore are required
in order to produce just one ounce of
the precious metal. Only about 2,000
metric tonnes a year is mined from the
earth but a little gold goes a long
way. Gold is so malleable that one
troy ounce (31.16 grams) can be
hammered into gold leaf so thin it
covers 134 square meters. It is also
so ductile, that the same amount can
be drawn into a fine wire 80 kilometers
long.
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Pricing
is based on four factors: karatage,
gram weight, design and craftsmanship.
The karatage and gram weight tell you
how much gold is in a piece, but other
crucial factors determining price are
the piece's construction and design. A
price based solely on gram weight does
not reflect the work that has gone
into the piece. It's important to
remember that each piece of gold
jewelry is unique and, if cared for
properly, can last a lifetime.
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Gold
comes in a variety of colors. Because
gold is alloyed with other metals to
increase its strength, it can also be
made in a variety of colors. For
example, yellow gold is created by
alloying the metal with copper and
silver; using copper only creates pink
gold; white gold contains platinum or
palladium, zinc and copper; green gold
contains silver, copper and zinc.
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Look
for quality construction. When buying
a piece of gold jewelry, be sure to
inspect it carefully. Pay special
attention to fasteners or clasps,
making sure catches work easily but
are secure. Likewise, the backs of
pins and earring posts should be
strong and firmly attached to the
piece with no soldering marks visible.
With gold chain, lay it flat and make
sure the links don't kink or bend.
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Eighteen-karat
gold is 18/24ths, or three-quarters
pure gold. Jewelry of this fineness is
marked "18k" or
"750," the European
designation meaning 75 percent gold.
In the United States, 14-karat gold is
used most commonly for jewelry.
Fourteen-karat gold is 14/24ths, or
slightly more than one-half pure gold.
Jewelry of this fineness is marked
"14k" or "585,"
the European designation meaning 58.5
percent gold.
Nothing less than 10-karat gold can be
legally marked or sold as gold jewelry
in the United States. These pieces are
marked "10k", the European
designation meaning 41.7 percent gold
Pure
gold, or 24-karat, is generally
considered too soft for use in
jewelry, so it is alloyed with other
metals to increase its strength.
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Caring
for Your Gold Jewelry
Remember that gold is lasting and
durable but can get scratched or
dented if treated roughly.
Gold's worst enemy is chlorine.
Repeated exposure can weaken gold's
structure, eventually leading to
breakage. So keep your jewelry away
from chlorinated cleaning products and
out of swimming pools and Jacuzzis.
Protect your gold jewelry by storing
it safely or keeping it wrapped in a
soft cloth when not being worn.
Clean your gold jewelry with a
cleaning solution of sudsy lukewarm
water, or let us do it professionally
when you visit our store.
Dry and polish jewelry with a chamois
or soft cloth after cleaning and
rinsing.
Keep gold jewelry free from dust,
moisture, perspiration and makeup.
Always inspect your gold jewelry for
weakness or damage and bring it to a
professional jeweler for immediate repair. Your jeweler will be able to
restore it for you.
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