Various metals are utilized in jewelry design. At first, the most ancient cultures wore copper ornaments. Later, bronze and brass gained popularity. When gold and silver were first mined, it became much more costly to ornament oneself with the lovely objects that resulted. Still, the people's love affair with jewelry went on growing. Along with gold and silver, many crave ornamental objects containing platinum, diamonds and pearls. And yet, gold remains the most sought-after substance for jewelry. The fascination with gold has never diminished throughout the ages.

Gold is, however, quite costly. Because of this people on limited incomes, or generally the 'middle class', are not able to afford to buy jewelry made from pure gold. Generally some lesser material, such as copper or silver, is mixed in with the gold to create a less costly jewelry. This process does not decrease the visual appeal of the gold jewelry.

The actual gold content in an alloy which is a combination of gold and a less expensive metal is measured in carats. In jewelry stores, you will notice on each golden object a numeral and the little "K" which is the symbol for "carat". Solid gold is indicated by the number 24, while 18 tells you that the jewel consists of an alloy which is made of 3/4 gold and 1/4 of something else not as costly.

It's hard to make ornaments out of pure gold, because gold is easily shaped but rather weak. Since it has low tensile strength, gold chips easily, and pure gold jewelry is susceptible to lots of nicks and cuts. On the market for buyers today, only biscuits or coins are available in pure 24 carat gold. There is, however, a wide selection of jewelry made from gold alloys.

In case your financial status does not allow you to buy 22 carat gold jewelry, please do not feel crestfallen. There are less costly options available which generate as much visual appeal as pure gold ornaments. 14k jewelry ornaments with embedded ruby, sapphire, emerald, and turquoise, known as semi precious jewelry, is one such option.

You can also choose instead to wear gold plated silver jewels. They bear a striking similarity to the real gold ornaments. In fact, where the quality of the plating is superior, it is almost impossible to distinguish which is which without a jeweler's loupe.