Did You Know This About Gold? 10 Surprising Gold Facts

Pure gold doesn’t rust or tarnish

Pure gold doesn’t react with air or water, so it doesn’t rust or corrode. Jewellery alloys are a little different: lower carats such as 9ct contain more other metals and can darken slightly over time – which is no sign of fake gold, as we explain in how to tell if gold is real at home.

A broken chain can be worth as much as an intact one

The gold value of a piece depends on its weight and purity – not its condition. A snapped chain, a single earring or a bent ring contains just as much gold as an undamaged piece of the same weight. Scratches and engravings don’t change the purity either.

Gold is soft – and surprisingly heavy

Pure gold is soft enough to dent and scratch easily, which is why jewellery gold is always mixed with other metals. It’s also very dense – about 19.3 grams per cubic centimetre, roughly 70% denser than lead. That’s why even a small gold piece feels heavy in your hand.

Almost all gold ever mined still exists

Because gold doesn’t wear out, nearly every ounce ever mined is still around in some form. The World Gold Council estimates the total at around 220,700 tonnes, about two-thirds of it mined since 1950. Cast into one block, it would form a cube only about 22 metres on each side.

Old jewellery can end up in your phone

Recycled gold keeps all its properties, so melted and refined jewellery gold can be used again in new jewellery, electronics or medical equipment. Reusing gold also reduces the need for new mining – more in the circular economy of gold.

Colour doesn’t tell you the purity

Yellow, white and rose gold get their colour from the metals mixed in, not from the amount of gold. An 18ct white gold ring and an 18ct yellow one contain the same amount of gold. See understanding different gold colours.

Gold is priced in a special ounce

The gold price you hear in the news is per troy ounce – about 31.1 grams, a little heavier than a standard kitchen ounce of about 28.3 grams. It’s the price of pure gold on the wholesale market, which is why it isn’t the same as an offer for jewellery.

Gold is found almost pure in nature

Most metals are locked inside ores and need heavy processing. Gold, by contrast, can be found as nearly pure flakes and nuggets in rivers and rock – one reason people have prized it for thousands of years.

The UK has hallmarked gold since 1300

A statute of Edward I in 1300 introduced the testing and marking of precious metal in England – one of the world’s oldest forms of consumer protection. London’s leopard’s head mark is still used today. The marks you’ll see now are explained in understanding gold and silver terminology.

A valuation doesn’t reduce your jewellery’s value

A professional valuation weighs your items and, only if a mark is missing, tests them carefully on an inconspicuous spot. It doesn’t reduce their value, and if you decide not to sell, everything is handed back to you. See what happens during a gold valuation.

Old, broken or out-of-fashion pieces still contain the same gold they always did. Its value follows the gold market, which can rise as well as fall – so the only way to know what your items are worth today is to have them weighed and tested.

Gold Arthur visits local stops across the UK. Your free, private valuation takes around 15 minutes, everything is evaluated in front of you, and there is no obligation to sell. If you do sell, payment is made by bank transfer no later than the fifth banking day – never in cash.