Yellow Gold Bands

Yellow is the color of pure gold when it is mined. Gold does come in different colors, however yellow gold is what carries a lot of history with it – many rings from past eras have been made out of yellow gold.

Pure gold (24K) is too soft to be used to make rings, therefore, silver and copper are added to create 14K or 18K gold. 10K gold is also quite common in the U.S., while 9K gold is used in the U.K., both of which are less expensive options. Because yellow gold is mixed with silver (sometimes palladium) and copper, it is also the most hypoallergenic of all gold colors.

Since it's the oldest of gold colors, yellow gold has often been the gold from which jewelers make their most classic pieces. Yellow gold also forms a nice contrast with boldly colored rubies and emeralds. However, the popularity of yellow gold has in more recent years declined as people have started to favor rose and white gold.

Quick Facts

• A diamond set in a yellow gold ring might look a bit yellowish due to the reflection
• A famous design is the Trinity de Cartier ring, with three interlocking golden bands, available in yellow gold
• Mankind has always had a fascination for gold; Romans actually developed the first form of hydraulic mining in which water is used to free gold-rich ore from the soil, a method that's still used today