Since time immemorial, gold has always been one of man’s most valued possessions. Earliest metal artifacts found in excavations were made of gold. Wars have been fought and lives lost for the quest of gold. As its’ name connotes, the metal is golden yellow. It is heavy; a cubic foot weighs 1,200 lbs. It is soft and malleable and does not corrode hence it is the best metal for jewelry and money. Since it is scarce, all currencies in the world are measured against the gold standard. This is the reason why price of this metal keeps on rising to a new high.

Pure gold is 24-carat gold. Because it is soft metal, other metal alloys, like silver and copper, are added to harden it. For example, if a ring is 18k, that means it is 18 part gold and 6 part alloy; if you add 18 to 6, it equals 24. If the ring is 14k, it has 14 part gold and 10 part alloy, and 10k ring has 10 part gold and 14 part alloy. Gold is found as nuggets in streams and in rocks; it takes several tons of ore to yield an ounce of gold.