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Gold, a natural metal like no other
The origin of gold
The origin of gold on Earth has long questioned the scientific community. For some years now, however, various researchers seem to agree that the presence of gold on the planet is of spatial origin, and could result from two stars that collided. Exploded into thousands of fragments, the stars would then have seen some of their debris fall to Earth, then be imprisoned under its surface before rising naturally over time thanks to volcanic eruptions.
Gold is therefore a precious and rare resource, whose various known deposits and mines are gradually being emptied by man. Moreover, unlike other metals, and even some gems, gold is not manufactured (or at least not without using phenomenal resources). Taking all this information into account, we can better understand why it is necessary to recycle as much gold as possible that has already been extracted and is available to us!
Gold through time
A precious metal par excellence, gold has been coveted and used in the manufacture of jewelry, watches, coins, ceremonial objects and decorative items throughout the ages. It has been used to make religious icons or royal emblems such as scepters and crowns, to make highly symbolic jewelry such as wedding rings or baptismal medals, or even in the fields of medicine, technology, industry, art and even cooking... Gold is finally quite present in our daily life, and not necessarily in the form we think! Inalterable and stainless, it resists very well to the passing of time and to corrosion, which makes it a very popular metal.
But do you know why, deep down, man has always been attracted to gold, and more generally to anything that shines? Contrary to what one might think at first glance, this is not only due to the fact that, in many cultures and for hundreds of years, shine is associated with luxury and wealth. In reality, this attraction would be the consequence of a primary behavior, directly linked to our instinctive attraction for... water! Essential to the survival of individuals, water and its tendency to shimmer fill a vital need, so physiologically we would all be programmed to react and be irresistibly attracted by its shimmering, which translates to our eyes by a shiny appearance.
750k gold (formerly "18 carat" gold)
For a long time, the purity and quality of gold was designated by a carat indication, on a scale from 0 to 24. However, since January 1, 1995, it is mandatory in France to use the notion of thousandths instead, so as not to cause confusion, especially since the carat is used to determine the size of precious stones and gems, and the scale is more readable for non-professionals than an indication in percentages (in "per thousandths" as a result).
The titer in thousandths thus makes it possible to know the purity of gold, namely the proportion of gold which enters the composition of an alloy. Indeed, in its natural state, gold is a relatively soft and malleable metal. Therefore, making objects or jewelry using this metal without reworking it would result in pieces that would easily deform. Combining it with other noble metals thus allows it to solidify, make it durable over time and even give it a specific color.
For your information, if you still find indications in carat to inform the quality of a jewel, here are the equivalences in thousandths :
- 24 carats (24k) = 999 thousandths = 99.99%, also called "pure gold" or "fine gold”
- 18 carats (18k) = 752 thousandths = 75%
- 14 carats (14k) = 585 thousandths = 58.5 %
- 9 carats (9k) = 375 thousandths = 37.5 %
At Lepage, we use only 18k gold to shape our creations, i.e. alloys composed of at least 75% pure gold. This is the finest quality of gold that can be found in jewelry, and which serves as a standard for us to offer products that meet the standards of excellence that we wish to propose to our customers. We will talk about it a little bit further in this article, but if you ever have any doubt about the authenticity of the information provided to you concerning the gold grade of a piece of jewelry, you can consult the hallmarks that mark it.
The 18k white gold
Highly prized for its brilliance, 18k white gold (also known as "white gold") is composed of 75% pure gold, and 25% other noble metals, usually silver and palladium, to give it its color and strength. This material is even more expensive and precious than gold itself, which is why identical jewelry may not be the same price if it is made of yellow or white gold. At Lepage, we have decided to align the price of all models of the same piece of jewelry.
The last step that gives all its beauty to a white gold creation is rhodium plating, which means covering the piece with a very thin layer of rhodium, also a very valuable metal, which will whiten the piece and reinforce its shine. Rhodium plating is a step that we recommend to be done every two or three years, so that your jewel keeps its original beauty and whiteness! This operation should be done by a professional.
The 18k yellow gold
With its beautiful sunny color, 18k yellow gold shines. Composed of 75% gold and 25% silver and copper, in different proportions depending on the final color desired, it is a precious metal extremely present in jewelry and jewelry.
Prized for its resistance to time, 18k yellow gold must however be maintained in order to keep its beauty. Although, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is a metal that, in its pure state, resists oxidation, like all natural elements it can however be altered by chemicals! This is why it is always recommended to remove your jewelry before putting on perfume, when you go swimming in the sea or in a pool, when you wash yourself, when you do the housework or for any activity that could damage them (sports, gardening...).
To maintain your yellow gold jewelry, you can use warm water and soap without detergent, and a soft brush. However, the best solution is to regularly take them to a jeweler, who will clean them properly using specific techniques and products, such as an ultrasound bath. When you are not wearing them, store them carefully in a case, if possible without putting them in contact with each other, in a temperate place, away from light and humidity.
The 18k rose gold
As with its white and yellow versions, the 18k rose gold is an alloy. Comprising 75% pure gold, it is accompanied by 25% silver and copper. The latter being present in greater quantities than in 18k yellow gold alloys, in order to give its beautiful pink color to the metal. The final color of rose gold depends on the proportion of copper in its composition, which means that from one jeweler to another, the shade of pink can be very different! At Lepage, the rose gold we use for our jewelry is very soft, and its pink is not too pronounced.
Is rose gold a feminine metal? Not necessarily! Certainly, it is certain that a delicate rose gold jewel can seduce women, but used used on watches for example it also pleases men a lot! Not to mention that it is also regularly found on signet rings or bracelets in the men's jewelry collections of the major Maison dinh van, Le Gramme or even Boucheron for example, who pride themselves on developing more and more inclusive and mixed collections, without addressing a specific gender when they propose new products...
Hallmarks, essential to authenticate the quality of gold
Tiny patterns on gold jewelry, the hallmarks have an authentication role and attest to the origin of the material that shapes them. These are present on gold jewelry and watches, but also on platinum and silver. From a point of view legal, they allow to regulate the proportion of precious metal used in the alloys, in order to protect the consumer against the risks of fraud and deception. They are therefore mandatory, with some exceptions.
There are different types of hallmarks, and each has a different purpose :
- the hallmark of guarantee (or title hallmark) is used to establish the purity of the metal (the hallmark corresponding to 18k gold represents an eagle's head, that of 925 silver a Minerva's head and that of 950 platinum a dog's head) ;
- the hallmark of responsibility, oval shape, refers to the importer of the metal or the precious object, thus attesting its origin ;
- the master hallmark as for him embodies the signature of the jeweler or the goldsmith. It is always in the shape of a diamond, and contains elements specific to each jeweler. For Lepage it is an apple, in reference to the origins of the Maison in Normandy, surrounded by the letters L and B.
There are many subtleties and patterns, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any doubt !
The hallmarks are affixed either by authorized and licensed jewelry makers (as is the case at Lepage), or directly by the competent authorities (the customs administration or accredited private laboratories), using a special tool and a small steel hammer.
If you want to know more, you can consult the site gouvernemental which deals with the subject in depth, or our blog article which goes into more detail.
The difference between a gold, gold-plated, gold gilded or vermeil jewel
In gold, gold plated or gold gilded
If you are looking for gold jewelry, pay close attention to the shade "gold", "gold plated" or "gold gilded" because, as
as the saying goes : all that glitters is not gold... The first formulation, in gold indicates that the jewel has been entirely made of gold, it only remains to know in which proportions (for that, find out the content in thousandths thanks to the hallmarks, as indicated above). In the second case, gold plated, the jewel was actually made of another metal (silver, steel, brass...) and then covered with a thin layer of gold, at least 3 microns thick. Finally, in the case of a jewel gold gilded, this one was also shaped in another metal (noble or not), then covered this time with a layer of gold less than 3 microns thick.
To give you an idea, one micron is equal to one thousandth of a millimeter... In other words, the value of a gold jewel or a gold-plated jewel will not be the same at all! Like gold jewelry, gold-plated jewelry is generally identified by a square hallmark containing the inscriptions "Oria", "Fix", "Murat" or "Métal Doré".
The vermeil
If the hallmark on your jewelry has a "V" in a diamond shape, it indicates that your jewelry is made of vermeil. This legal term designates objects made of 925 silver, covered with 18k gold to a minimum thickness of 5 microns. These materials remain noble and thus give birth to a relatively precious piece, whose value is however much less than a creation in gold !
To put your mind at ease, you should know that all Lepage jewelry is made of 18k gold, no plating or gilding! The same goes for the jewelry of our partner Maisons, which are available for sale in the boutique and on the website.
Gold, infinitely recyclable
One of the advantages of gold, in addition to its incorruptibility, is its ability to be remelted and endlessly reused. The search for and extraction of gold is a polluting and time-consuming operation, which is why Lepage has decided to work exclusively with recycled gold. In order to use this more responsible material, we propose to buy back your 18k gold jewelry by weight. As the price of gold is constantly changing, the redemption price varies over time, so do not hesitate to contact our Maison if you want to know the current rates.
Gold redemption is a highly regulated practice. All jewelers or specialized stores that practice it hold a register called policy book, or Register of Movable Objects (ROM). This tool is compulsory, and allows to fight against tax evasion and concealment of stolen objects. The police can at any time ask to consult the information concerning each transaction recorded in the register.
This approach to using reused gold has been practiced for years by Maison Lepage, and has contributed to obtaining the RJC certification, which guarantees responsible methods and good practices on both environmental and ethical and social levels. The RJC (Responsible Jewellery Council) is a label that is obtained following the submission of an application and careful examination by the relevant authorities. The particularity of this certification, unlike the Kimberly process for example, which focuses only on diamonds, concerns the entirety of a company's practices and the entire value chain, from mining to retailing. The fact that a company is RJC-certified is therefore a guarantee that the gold and diamonds used by a company have been mined, transported, processed and worked according to strict human rights and environmental standards. Consult this link if you want to know more about the RJC.
The various uses of gold
As we have seen, gold is a precious metal that is extracted from the subsoil, but it can also be found in the form of flakes in rivers for example (we all have in mind the representation of the gold digger with his feet in the water, sifting the bottom of a river in order to unearth the nuggets of this so precious treasure...) However, in order to collect the necessary quantities, industries focus on extraction directly from the ground, a method that is much more efficient than other research methods.
Once it has been extracted from its deposit and separated from the rock, gold is usually smelted into ingots, to be sold and mined for its various uses: jewelry, industry, technology, medicine, aerospace, but also as an investment. Known as a « safe investment », gold is a way to invest your money and to secure your savings, as well as your purchasing power. In fact, for many years, the precious metal has resisted the main economic and financial crises by maintaining its value. Buying a gold jewel is not as effective a protection as buying investment gold to secure your savings but it can still, on its own scale, be part of your family heritage and be passed on as a heritage (symbolic and sentimental as well as financial) to future generations...
Choosing a gold jewel or watch: Lepage at your service
Birthday, wedding proposal, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, coming of age, graduation, birth... There are many reasons to want to buy a jewel or a watch, and the options are numerous... If you have any questions or need help in choosing your 18k gold jewel or watch, please contact us by phone at 03.20.12.02.13, we will be delighted to help you make your decision. Our sales consultants are also available in store* to accompany you throughout your purchase, and help you find the jewel or watch that best suits your expectations !
* Our stores are located in Lille, Rouen and Le Havre. You can find all the opening hours on our website, or contact us directly by phone at 03 20 12 04 04.
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