Everything‘s Coming Up Rose Gold
Everything‘s Coming Up Rose Gold
Rose or pink gold is a current hot trend, originally pink gold was made fashionable at the turn of the 19th century, mainly in Russia. Since this time, rose gold has remained a stylish alternative to yellow and white gold.
Rose gold has been a staple of the male celebrity’s fashion lexicon for decades. Take Elvis Presley for instance: the King of Rock N’ Roll stood out for his mostly pink attire, he even had his blue Cadillac repainted pink.
The fashion industry has pushed the trend even further, bringing rose gold into the fold as a popular option for jewelry and accessories, from sunglasses, furniture décor, iPhone has even dedicated an entire line of phones to the newly popular colour.
What is Rose Gold?
Gold and silver have generally dominated jewelry designs. White or yellow gold is mostly prominent among high rollers, with silver another popular alternative. But rose gold has taken the jewelry world by storm, providing a modern alternative to traditional designs, known for its warm pink and red hues that make a well-designed piece stand out.
All varieties of gold are technically the same and valued in its purest form. Yet gold can create issues for designers because it’s very ductile, soft and is easily misshapen. To alleviate these issues, metal alloys are added to improve strength and durability.
The only alloy added to rose gold is cooper, providing it its distinct red or pink hue. How deep the rose gold turns out depends on the amount of copper that’s been added to pure gold. For example, 18 carat red gold is 25% copper by mass, while pink gold of the same carat value has a lower copper content (about 20%).
Rose gold has taken the fashion world by storm, and become a particularly attractive option for mens jewelry. Below are a few accessories that look great in rose gold:
Watches
Rose gold or “pink watches” were first used in World War II when copper was added to gold to create sturdier wrist wear for soldiers. During World War II, platinum became a scarce material due to the fact it was being repurposed for military use. Numerous countries throughout this time period restricted or in many instances completely halted the sale of platinum for any use that was of non-military purpose. This prompted a wave of popularity for gold/rose gold jewelry. Since the mid-1940s, rose gold has continued to be a fashionable choice in the jewelry industry.
Sunglasses
Men no longer wear sunglasses just to protect their eyes – they’re now an accessory staple in a man’s fashion, with rose gold eyewear becoming a great way of completing a cool look.
Bracelets
The prehistoric man wore bracelets made of shells and bones to protect themselves against evil spirits. The wealthy used bracelets as a statement of power and status. Today, bracelets are gathering steam among fashion-forward men. Rose gold varieties provide a unique look to reflect the fashion-forward male’s personality.
Bangles
Bangles have also evolved to become part of the modern gent’s jewelry options. More and more celebrities are taking to social media to show off new outfits complete with a rose gold bangle and matching necklace. A bangle can add a final magic touch of elegance to any outfit. Rose gold is better suited to the majority of skin tones, unlike yellow gold and silver. The fact that rose gold matches with almost any pattern, skin tone, or attire makes it an extremely complimentary addition to any jewellery collection.
Necklaces
Necklaces are the most popular jewelry among men.Necklaces are always a great accessory to any outfit, which can also be tucked out of sight when circumstances demand such.
Classic and basic necklaces are acceptable in all setups. Thin and short rose gold necklaces for men on matching shirt or t-shirt are great at enhancing a masculine look.
Rings
In the past, the only adornment on a man’s finger that many considered appropriate was a wedding ring. However, this trend is changing among the millennial cohort. On top of being flashy, a rose gold ring is a definite conversation starter.
Smartphones
A rose gold smartphone makes a definitive fashion statement for men who view their phones as a statement of class, and not just a gadget. A number of smartphone manufacturers are producing rose gold options, including Apple, which began the hype with the iPhone 6. Others that followed suit include Sony’s Xperia X, and Samsung’s Galaxy C5 and C7.
Rose gold jewelry isn’t just a fad. It’s become a mainstay in the male fashion lexicon – adding a few pieces to your collection are always guaranteed to be a great addition.
How to Tell If Your Rose Gold Piece is Real
Always look for a hallmark to see if there is an indication of the karat weight. By definition rose gold is an alloy metallic, which means there is no such thing as “pure rose gold”. That being said, if your rose gold jewelry is stamped with “24K”, it is more than likely fake.
Rose gold jewelry that has a darker red tone indicates that it is made with a higher amount of copper. Which means that the fainter or softer the shade of pink in rose gold the more gold is present in the piece. For this reason, if your jewelry indicates it is 18K, but is darker in red tones, it is probably a fake or it is not 18K.
One test you can do at home to determine if your jewelry is fake is the magnet test. If jewelry is drawn to a magnet, then it is probably fake gold.
If you’re planning on purchasing pre-owned rose gold jewelry, be sure to look for any noticeable discoloration in areas that a person would continually wear down the jewelry. For instance, look at the inside of a ring. If you notice another color coming through, then the jewelry is probably only gold plated.