The beauty and elegance of gold bangles jingling on a lady’s wrist are ethereal. The shine of the gold can add a touch of radiance to otherwise dull outfits. It is also a sign of luxury and wealth. It is quick to catch the eye of the viewer and keep them entranced. Also, buying gold jewellery is not just an indulgence but could also be an investment. To make the right choice, you need to know the science behind gold purity and certifications. Read on to learn more about buying gold bangles. [1]
A tip on gold purity
Perhaps the most crucial aspect of a gold bangle is its purity. Unlike diamond and other rare stones, the worth of gold is decided purely by its concentration. The easiest way is to look for certification or hallmarks provided by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The purpose of hallmarking is to protect the public against unlawful adulteration. At the same time, it obligates the manufacturers to maintain the standards. All you need to do is to ascertain the following:
- Look for the BIS hallmark.
Any gold jewellery is hallmarked by BIS and will have the logo on it. It means that the purity is in accordance with the set standards and has been verified in the laboratories. Remember that the BIS scheme is voluntary, and not all sellers offer hallmarked jewellery. Buying a non hallmarked gold bangle is a gamble as you cannot be convinced of the purity.
- Hallmarking centre’s identification number and markings
Apart from the hallmark, your gold bangle also needs to have the logo of the laboratory where it was checked. Only licensed laboratories have the authority to check gold purity. One can cross-check the hallmarking centre given on the bangle with a list provided on the BIS website.
- Jewellers identification number and mark
In most cases, the jeweller you are buying from will also put their mark on the gold bangles. It could either be a mark of the jeweller or the manufacturer as long as they have a BIS certification. BIS website also has a list of jewellers with certification.
Pricing your budget
The price takes into account multiple aspects like the purity of the gold used, the workmanship required to make the gold bangle, the intricacies of the design and the presence of other precious stones or metal are some of them. The most significant marker of the price is the concentration of gold which is measured in karats. You could buy a gold bangle in 24k, 22k, 18k, 14k, 12k and 10k. Obviously, the higher the caratage level, the greater the purity, and the more expensive the bangle will be.
24 carats
A thing to note here is that even though 24k is the purest form of gold but is not used for jewellery making. 24k implies that all 24 parts of it are pure, and the impurities only make up 0.1% of the weight. Because of its purity, the metal in question is soft and pliable, thus unable to maintain its shape. 24k gold is sold in bars or chips and is bought as an investment.
22 carats
Now coming to real jewellery matters, 22k is the most common fold of gold used to make bangles. It is 91.67% pure, and the rest impurities comprise silver, zinc, nickel and other alloys. 22k gold jewellery is priced the highest. 10g of gold is priced at Rs 47,800. An interesting fact about 22k gold is that it is suitable for plain gold bangles but not when studded with diamonds or other precious stones.
18 carats
A cheaper option, which is preferable when buying gold primarily as an indulgence, is 18 carats. It is 75% pure, and the impurities are mainly copper and silver. 18k gold is used to make stylish jewellery designs that combine it with diamonds and other precious stones. However, your gold bangle will have a slightly dull shine, a telltale sign of its low purity level.
14 carats
It has a gold concentration of less than 50%. Yet, it is considered valuable and is easy to wear. The damage caused due to exposure and friction is lesser as the percentage of silver is higher.
The Bureau of Indian Standards only hallmarks gold for purity levels of 22k, 18k and 14k. As long as you stick to BIS certified jewellers and choose within the caratage levels mentioned above, the gold bangle will be worth its price.
Re work article in the active voice. And use less complex sentences.