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Widely deposited across the earth, Gold is one of the oldest metals known to mankind. It has been known for approximately 5,500 years in fact and man has always had an instinct to value and cherish it due to its natural beauty. Although the discoveries of iron ore and copper changed civilisation the most on an every day industrial basis, man has been working with Gold for much longer. The abbreviation for the element is “au” in the periodic table, named after “aurora”, the Latin for dawn due to its shining nature and it is universally held in high regard.
Gold is the most malleable and softest metal found on earth – just one ounce can create a 5m by 5m sheet, known as Gold leaf, used for gilding buildings and objects and therefore the true natural colour can be broadly seen in architecture and interiors in many cities around the world. Due to the soft nature of pure Gold, it must be mixed with other metals in order to make solid shapes such as jewellery. When talking about a metal object, one karat is equal to one part in twenty-four, so an 18 karat gold ring contains 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts alloy material. 24k Gold is Gold in its purest form and what we use but is only useful in plating. For example, you could not create a 24k Gold ring – it would have to be 24k Gold plated or 22k Gold if in solid form.
Gold Ore
Due to its shining light-filled quality and the fact that it does not tarnish or weather in the air, Gold was often used to symbol immortality in ancient Aztecs to the Egyptians and Chinese. From about 700BC, Gold gained a monetary value as coins were used for trade by the Greeks. Of course, due to its scarcity, this was not sustainable but the idea of money first stemmed from the exchange of gold in trade.
Image source: http://www.theguardian.com
Why is Gold so valuable? Firstly, its longevity ensures long-lasting value as it won’t deteriorate over time and secondly, while it is not impossible to find, it is still quite rare in comparison with other metals. As it is globally appreciated, Gold is regarded as a popular safe haven for wealth storage – less turbulent than currencies and yet as transferrable.
At Goldgenie, we love Gold of course. We believe in adding value and beauty to every day objects – embellishing technology, which has become so brilliant but transient, with the elements of everlasting light and radiance and of course, nature’s wondrous beauty.
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