Gold is a rare, soft, and very valuable metal. It is based on a karat system where 24K gold is pure gold, and 10K gold is 10 parts gold with 14 parts alloy. Karat values in between correspond to a parts karat + parts alloy = 24 value.

Some tips to remember when caring for gold jewelry include

• Be wary of makeup, moisture, and chemicals that may affect your gold jewelry's appearance.
• Keep gold jewelry out of swimming pools with chlorine; chlorine can damage it over a period of time.
• Check your gold jewelry for scratches or other damage, and bring it to your jeweler if there is any; he or she may be able to repair it.