Pure Gold is 100% - 24 karat by definition.
As other metals are added to the gold, they become alloys. Alloys are mixes of metals, or at the very least involves metallic bonding! Steel, solder, brass, pewter and bronze are alloys. AND, if you've ever had a cavity and then had it filled with an amalgam, then you have an alloy in your mouth!
So something that is half gold and half another metal is considered 12 karat (since 24 karat is 100% gold) Following are the breakdowns of how many parts gold are in the different shades of red to pink gold! Maybe you can cook some up at home (kidding!!)
The higher the copper content, the stronger the red coloration. Pink gold uses the least copper, followed by rose gold, with red gold having the highest copper content:- 18K Red gold: 75% gold, 25% copper
- 18K Rose gold: 75% gold, 22.25% copper, 2.75% silver
- 18K Pink gold: 75% gold, 20% copper, 5% silver
Rose Gold is a gold and copper alloy, also know as pink gold and red gold. Rose Gold was popular in Russia at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and was also known as Russian gold although this term is now obsolete. It came back in popular force during WWII, when platinum was needed by the military and therefore left the yellow golds available for fashion! And NOW, rose gold is having a hey day once again - you KNOW it's popular when Apple releases a watch AND phone in that color :) Read an entertaining article about rose gold in the New Yorker here! This quote made me laugh and think about my rose-gold lovin' friends... You KNOW who you are! "Rose gold is decadent. It is gold for people who already have enough gold gold."