When you buy gold jewelry you will know that you are not buying something that is made of pure gold. When mined gold is actually anything but pure, being an amalgamation of several metals including silver, platinum, copper and others. We actually purify gold these days but it is then re-alloyed before being used in jewelry making. Each country has its own standard when talking about the purity levels of gold but in the UK 9 carat, 14 carat, 18 carat and 24 carat are used to determine exactly how much gold is in your jewelry.
How do you know that the gold you buy is as pure as it says on the tin? All gold vintage jewelry manufactured in the UK must be sent to an Assay Office to be independently tested to ensure it meets the standard and is Hallmarked if it does so.
