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Gold Jewelry-The Rest of The Story
By Sam and Tami Serio
Morning Light
Jewelry
Gold is one of the metals taken from the earth and is probably the first
metal known to man. Its first use has been traced back to 3600 B. C. and
was probably originally obtained in Egypt, as the ancient methods of
obtaining gold in Egypt are illustrated in early rock carvings. It is said
in the book of Genesis that Abraham, in the twentieth century B. C., when
he went out of Egypt, was very rich not only in cattle but in gold and
silver both in dust and ingots. In Exodus xxv, 29, we read that Moses was
commanded by the Lord to make spoons of gold for the Tabernacle. In the
writings of Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus, Pliny and others, gold is
frequently mentioned.
Gold is widely distributed in nature and is found in many ways and in all
parts of the world. It is found in water, in the ice of Alaska, in the
sand of South Africa, and in the quartz of Colorado, and is frequently
found native, though usually alloyed with silver or iron. The purest
specimens of native gold have yielded from 96 to 99 per cent, pure metal.
It is remarkable that all of the races of mankind have selected gold as
the first and chief representative of value. In the earliest times it was
used as a medium of exchange in the form of bars, spikes and rings; the
rings could be opened and closed so that a chain could be made for
convenience in carrying. Gold was also used at a very early period for the
construction of personal ornaments, as the savage found it easy to beat
out the pure ore into circlets to adorn his limbs. The universal use of
gold in preference to all other metals is due to its many properties; its
color and luster, its malleability and its indestructibility. Gold does
not tarnish nor can it be destroyed. It may be reduced to a liquid and the
liquid transferred to a powder, and the powder when melted in a crucible
returns to its natural state. It is the most malleable of all metals and
has been hammered into leaves 1-282,000th of an inch thick. An ounce of
gold may be drawn out into a wire fifty miles long. The tenacity of gold
is seven tons per square inch.
Pure gold, being too soft for all ordinary purposes, is generally alloyed
with other metals. Silver and copper are the principal alloys used,
although iron is used in small quantities for different purposes. Pure
silver has a brilliant white color and is the whitest of all metals. No
metal surpasses silver in its luster and hardness it ranges between pure
gold and pure copper. It is more fusible than copper or gold, melting at a
bright red heat or at 1873F. It is commonly used for the purpose of
alloying gold in its pure state, but if too much is added it makes the
gold pale. Pure copper is the only metal that has a reddish appearance. It
is both malleable and ductile; hence it is very useful as an alloy for
gold.
The Authors
of the above Article, Sam and Tami Serio have been passionately involved
with Jewelry and Gemstones for over fifteen-years. You are cordially
invited to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com for a wealth of
information about the fascinating world of Jewelry and Gemstones. Together
they also shelter 20 abandoned and abused dogs & cats. A portion of their
profits goes to the care and feeding of the animals.
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