What is "tri color gold"?  Is it cheap gold?  Is it a mix of gold and
other metals? I am interested in buying a locket for my mother which
is advertised as "tri color gold" and I am wondering if it is
"worthless" jewelry?

Hello Steve

You're quite right that other metals are mixed with the gold to create
"tri-color gold". This doesn't have to mean it's worthless, however.
I've been interested to find out what's actually in the three
different colors that make up tri-color jewelry and I'll explain that
next.
First of all I need to point out that completely pure gold is too soft
to use for jewelry and has to be mixed with other metals to make it
stronger. Expensive 18 carat gold, for example, is only about
three-quarters gold. So even the best quality gold jewelry is a
mixture of gold with a small amount of some cheaper metal.

WHAT IS TRI-COLOR GOLD?

Tri-color gold jewelry is made up of 
1  yellow gold ('regular' gold - what we normally think of as gold)
2  white gold
3  rose gold

This information is to be found in lists of frequently asked questions
about gold.

"Q: What's two-tone and tri-tone color gold?  A: Two-tone gold is
white and yellow gold in combination in the same bracelet. Tri-color
is a combination of rose, yellow and white gold combined in a piece of
jewelry."

http://www.golditis.com/faqs.htm

"Tri-Color/Two Tone
Refers to the use of more than one color of gold in making an item of
gold jewelry."

http://jewelry.bz1.com/home.shtml


WHAT IS WHITE GOLD?

White gold is gold mixed with silvery colored metals.

"White Gold has extra silver and nickel added."

http://www.golddeals.com/store/basicgold/basicgold.html

"Our white gold is 14kt white gold and that means that it is 58.3%
gold and a mixture of other alloys making up the rest of the gold."

http://www.goldenwebjewelers.com/jewelry/gold/gold_white.htm


WHAT IS ROSE GOLD?

Rose gold is gold mixed with copper.

"Rose Gold has extra copper added."

http://www.golddeals.com/store/basicgold/basicgold.html

"It is very simple to produce a gold alloy with a reddish colouration.
All that is needed is to increase the proportion of copper in the
mixture."

http://www.24carat.co.uk/whatisrosegold.html


I'm afraid we can't help you decide whether the locket you're thinking
of buying is worth the price being asked but I hope this answer helps
with the facts about tri-color jewelry. You might find it helpful to
compare quality and prices on a random selection of jewelry sites:

://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tri-color+gold&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

Good luck with your gift-buying decision. I'm sure your mother will be
delighted with your thoughtfulness.

Please ask if any of this needs clarification.

Regards - Leli


more info on "white gold"

://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22what+is%22+white+gold&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

more info on "rose gold"

://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22what+is%22+rose+gold&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

info on purity of different golds from 9 carat to 22 carat

http://www.18carat.co.uk/why18carat.html

---

Clarification of Answer by leli-ga on 07 Oct 2002 14:14 PDT

Thank-you for the feedback - glad the answer was helpful.

Thank you very much for your answer, it was very helpful in making my
decision on my purchase. Thank you again!

My grandmother had a filigree ring of tri-color gold, and growing up
it was my understanding that jewelry of this type was called "Black
Hills Gold". A definition of this can be found at
http://www.oneida-medical-jewelry.com/blackhills.html. I believe that
the use of this combination of differently colored gold alloys in
jewelry is not for the purpose of reducing the cost of the jewelry,
but rather for the pleasing visual blend that it creates.

From the above definition, it would appear that this term can not be
used to describe jewelry of this type if it is NOT made in South
Dakota's Black Hills; thus someone making it elsewhere might call it
"tri-color gold".

About.com has a nice page of links regarding Black Hills Gold:
http://jewelry.about.com/cs/blackhillsgold/

You can find a veritable PLETHORA of sites for Black Hills Gold
jewelry on Google:
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=%22black+hills+gold%22&btnG=Google+Search

Hope this information is of assistance to you!

Thanks aceresearcher-ga for your help as well, I will be sure to check
out the links you provided :)