Gold purity

  • Twenty four carat gold is pure gold in its elemental form. Rings are not normally made from twenty four carat gold because it is too soft and would get damaged through day to day wear.
  • Eighteen carat gold is made of seventy-five percent elemental gold and twenty-five percent other metals. The use of other metals helps to stabilize and protect the gold.
  • At Mad About Diamonds all the precious metals we use in manufacturing our jewellery are fully hallmarked by a UK Assay Office. We only use 18 carat (750) gold, platinum (950) and Palladium (950)

 

     Eighteen carat yellow and white gold

  • The final colour of the gold is determined by the twenty-five percent of other metals used with the seventy-five percent pure gold to create the eighteen carat gold. The two standard colours that gold comes in are yellow and white.
  • Mad About Diamonds only provide eighteen carat gold, which is the highest level of gold that is appropriate for jewellery. Both white and yellow gold rings often have white gold settings for diamonds because a white gold setting can be better for showcasing the diamond.
  • 18 carat white gold is professionally rhodium plated to enhance the brilliant white finish of the metal. As with all white gold jewellery this process will need repeating as and when required depending on wear and tear. The Mad About Diamonds guarantee does not cover this.

     Palladium

  • Palladium is becoming more and more popular and since July 2009 it can carry a legally recognised hallmarkin the UK. The characteristics of palladium are very similar to platinum and as with platinum it does not require rhodium plating like white gold. Palladium has a density that is similar to silver which makes it slightly lighter and comfy to wear.
  • At Mad About Diamonds we only use palladium with a high purity of 95% which is indicated i the hallmark by the stamp 950.

     Platinum

  • Platinum is much more expensive and less traditional than gold but is heavier, harder wearing and is also the perfect colour for showcasing diamonds.
  • The choice between yellow gold, white gold and platinum is down to personal taste so why not have a look at some of our rings and see which you prefer.