375 gold standard is a marking that is placed on products made of precious metal. At the same time, in the store you can find any jewelry with a similar marking. In Russia, jewelry with such hallmarks is not in great demand, unlike jewelry with similar markings that are produced in the countries of the New World.
Hallmark 375 on a gold item
Distinctive features of 375 samples
Previously, gold standard 375 was discussed in detail - what it is. Now let’s pay attention to the distinctive features of this sample:
- Firstly, this alloy contains only 37.5% pure gold (as mentioned earlier).
- Secondly, the alloy in this gold consists of two precious metals - silver and copper.
- Thirdly, in Russia there are only five alloys that are allowed to be coated with 375 gold.
- Fourthly, these alloys are used in limited quantities, since their quality is low, and over time, products made from them turn into tarnished pieces, which are very difficult to return to their former attractive appearance.
- Products made from 375-karat alloys can have a shade from yellow to red, everything will depend on the proportion of which alloy predominates.
- Pink alloys are considered the hardest and highest quality.
- The most popular products using 375 standard are wedding rings.
Silver energy
The energy of silver corresponds to the Moon. It is used to create talismans for the seven planets and more. Protection is created from misfortunes - evil rock, induced damage, the influence of bad places. The energy of well-being, monetary wealth, and health is attracted. Monday will always be a good day, because it is on this day that the influence of the planet’s patron spirits is maximum.
It's no secret that on this day people most often start a new life and give up bad habits. Favorable circumstances will help your inner aspirations to unfold. All endeavors will be successful.
375 gold alloys
As already mentioned, gold of this sample is represented by an alloy of silver and copper. It follows from this that alloys with different percentages of silver and copper can be distinguished:
- If an alloy where the share of gold is 37.5% is bright red, the amount of silver will be only 2%, and copper - 60.5%.
- If the alloy is red in color, the proportion of gold is 37.5%, the amount of silver will be only 10%, and copper - 52.5%.
- If the alloy is red in color, the proportion of gold is 37.5%, the amount of silver is 16%, and the amount of copper is 62.5%.
All of the listed alloys can safely be considered low-grade, and therefore they are not popular abroad. But if you visit the UK or the United States, you are sure to come across a huge range of products with 375 proof. Before purchasing 375-carat jewelry, you should definitely study customer reviews about 375-carat gold in detail.
How to care for gold jewelry
Caring for gold jewelry consists mainly of proper and timely cleaning.
The fact is that all gold jewelry, without exception, becomes covered with a dirty coating over time. Such contamination has an extremely negative effect on the appearance and attractiveness of the specimen, which fades over time.
It is important to know the basic rules for caring for gold jewelry and apply them correctly.
- Under no circumstances should yellow precious metal be allowed to come into direct contact with any alkalis or acids, since the latter have a negative effect on the precious metal. Such substances are included in various detergents, cleaners, washing powders, solvents, nail polish removers, etc.
- Contact of gold jewelry with paints and varnishes and abrasives is also unacceptable.
- Before performing bath procedures, gold jewelry must be removed.
- Gold jewelry cannot be stored in cardboard boxes, since cardboard is a substance that necessarily contains sulfur. It leads to blackening of jewelry.
- Clean your jewelry regularly.
We recommend reading: Gold quotes today: November 29, 2014
The features of cleaning jewelry made of 375 gold are no different from those used in the case of gold products of higher standards.
Reviews
Many people very often, before buying jewelry, first read reviews, look through photo galleries of jewelry stores, study customer opinions, and only then make the final choice. On the one hand, this approach can be safely considered correct, since in a store they can deceive you and tell you many different fables just to sell their products. On the other hand, you should not trust everything that is written on the Internet, and especially on forums about 375-carat gold. Reviews may be different, since you can’t please everyone, and everyone has different tastes.
But if you analyze all the responses, there will be more negative than positive, and this is all due to the only drawbacks of this sample - low quality and fragility. Even this can be argued, since everything will depend on the care of the product and if it is correct, then even a budget product with low quality can last a long time.
Disadvantages of precious metal
The bad thing about this precious metal is that it oxidizes faster than others. Dark spots appear and reduce the decorative value of the cigarette case, flask or dishes. It also has other disadvantages:
- jewelry and household items have a less aesthetic appearance that does not comply with the canons - they look more like fakes, imitation, costume jewelry;
- gold of this standard is considered low-quality in society, that is, it is not actually endowed with status, which calls into question the relevance of its use in investing, for example;
- hypoallergenic properties are reduced.
The main advantage is the ability to invest a small amount of money. It’s easy to start changing the surrounding space with such little things as a golden frame for a family photo, a frame for a collection of paintings by a talented, little-known artist, a pen with which to sign important documents.
The most common cleaning methods
Just a few simple manipulations and your jewelry will sparkle like new
Wearing dirty jewelry is not only unsightly, but also harmful. This is fraught with the appearance of local inflammatory processes if microparticles get into an open wound or scratch on the skin. For this reason, we will consider the most effective and affordable methods for purifying gold at home.
Ammonia
Ammonia is a miracle remedy for cleaning yellow and red gold.
The best option is non-abrasive cleaning of gold jewelry, as this reduces the risk of damage to zero. For this method you will need to prepare the following components:
- washing powder – 1 tbsp. l.;
- warm water – 200 ml;
- ammonia - 1 tsp.
The cleaning process looks like this:
- Take a deep glass container and pour hot water into it.
- Pour out the washing powder.
- Add ammonia to the contents and mix the contents thoroughly.
- Place your jewelry in the solution for 2 hours.
- After the specified time has passed, remove the gold items, hold them under running water and wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Hydrogen peroxide
Using hydrogen peroxide to clean gold is an effective, fast and affordable method
An equally effective remedy for cleaning tarnished gold is ordinary peroxide, which is found in each of us’s medicine cabinets. The solution is prepared from the following components:
- hydrogen peroxide (3%) – 20 ml;
- ammonia - 1 tsp;
- water – 1 glass;
- liquid soap – 1/2 tsp.
The cleaning process looks like this:
- Pour water into a deep ceramic or glass bowl.
- Then add hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and liquid soap.
- Mix the contents thoroughly, add your decorations to the resulting mixture and leave for 1-1.5 hours.
- Then keep it under clean water.
- Dry with a cotton cloth.
Toothpaste
If you need to clean small stains, you can use toothpaste
Few people realize all the beneficial properties of toothpaste. Due to its mild abrasive effect, it can also be used to clean gold items. To do this you will need to prepare the following components:
- chalk;
- toothpaste;
- laundry soap;
- water;
- Vaseline (approximately 10 ml).
The gold purification process is as follows:
- Grate the soap on a fine grater.
- Grind the chalk into powder.
- Combine all the dry ingredients, ¼ tube of paste in a deep container and carefully place and pour 50 ml of warm water.
- Treat the decorations with the resulting mixture.
- Take a dry, clean cloth and wipe the gold item until completely clean.
Important! To prevent the decoration from being sticky due to Vaseline, after processing, rinse it in ethyl alcohol or vodka. Then rinse with water and dry the product.
Soda
A mild abrasive effect of soda will do a great job of darkening the metal.
This option also offers a simple and affordable solution to the problem of darkened gold jewelry, because... Every housewife has baking soda in her house. So, to clean your jewelry you will need:
- boiling water – 200 ml;
- dishwashing detergent – ½ tsp;
- baking soda – 1.5 tsp.
The gold purification process is as follows:
- Take a small but deep saucepan and place a clean cloth on the bottom.
- Place your decorations on top.
- Combine all ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Pour the resulting mixture over the gold items and place the pan over low heat.
- Boil the decorations for 15 minutes, then let the water cool.
- Finally, simply rinse the gold under the tap and dry with a towel.
How to independently distinguish from a fake
To distinguish a 375-carat product from a fake, standard and simple rules apply, which are also used in other gold samples. The easiest way is to bite the product with your teeth. This method will allow you to clearly identify a fake 375 sample, since it is quite hard. If you see a fake, the product will bend or a small dent will appear on it.
Another simple way that will allow you to distinguish a fake from a genuine product is to use a ceramic cup. Ceramics are much stronger than any gold alloy. If you rub your item against the bottom of a cup or plate that is made of ceramic, you will be able to see a yellow mark. If you have a fake in front of you, the mark will not be yellow, but will have a black tint.
