A Brief History of Gold (Part 2)

 

Welcome to part 2. For part 1 click here; for part 3 click here.

Gold is a ductile material with an unmistakable texture. It can be hammered into paper-thin layers and the material will not shatter. For thousands of years artisans molded this precious material into various shapes, working it into jewelry and sculptures.

Experts in the field of geology, mineralogy, and mining estimate that more than 100,000 tons of gold have been taken from the earth during all of the planet’s history. Even though the prized material can be found in rivers, seas, and on land, in many places of the earth, it is not easily extracted. As the backbreaking work of the California Gold Rush miners can attest, opening a mine or sifting for gold is a time-intensive and costly venture; several tons of ore are required to produce just one ounce of the metal.

Pure gold’s brilliance is indubitable, and has driven men across oceans and dangerous terrain to obtain it. In both alchemy, astrology, and western mythology, gold is the physical symbol for the divine radiance of the heavenly sun. The Aztecs believed that gold was delivered down to heaven by the gods. Famous tales by Spanish conquistadors tell of pre-Columbian empires draped in gold. Today, little of this gold from the Incan, Aztec, and Mayan civilization survives. The bits of it that are left can be found in museums, or private antique jewelry or estate jewelry collections.

No one knows exactly how gold is formed on earth. One theory popular in geological circles claims all the gold currently on earth came about as a result of a meteor’s impact. A 2011 paper in Nature, a weekly journal of science, claims a meteor bombardment more than four billion years ago brought 20 billion tons of gold and other valuable metals to our planet. In short, all the gold unearthed throughout man’s history on earth - from the first nugget unearthed by cavemen to the California gold rush of the 1800’s, came from space. If the ancient Aztecs are to be believed, perhaps gold truly did come from a celestial place. It’s no surprise then that the material continues to hold us in its grasp.

Top 4 Tools for Jewelers and Gemologists

 

Tweezers and Gem Holders

Diamonds are forever but not when you can’t grip them. Tweezers are number one on the list because you need to be able to maneuver diamonds and gemstones as you work with them. These are not the tweezers you use to pluck your eyebrows with, although the concept is the same. Instead, these tweezers have a fine tip with a special satin finish on the tips (and inner grip) so as to not scratch the gemstone.

Loupe or Magnifier

You’ll need a 10X or better pocket magnifier to check the quality of gemstones up close. A jeweler specializing in fine estate jewelry and antique jewelry must have a loupe free of distortions. He or she needs to carefully observe the craftsmanship that went into a certain piece in order to determine its year of manufacture and other historic qualities. Look for a loupe that slides into a protective cover - that way the surface won’t be scratched due to wear.

Diamond Scales

These scales are extremely accurate and give the precise weight of the items placed upon them, be they gold or precious stones. It helps to have a scale with multiple weighing units (i.e. grams, carats, troy ounce, pennyweight, pound and ounce) in order to be able to speak to international clients and use their preferred system of measurement. Look for a scale with a low profile and portable compact size. You may need to take it as you go on an adventure for gemstones.

Refractometer

Critical in gem identification, a refractometer is used to give you a clear focus on the refractivity of light within a diamond or clear gemstone It determines the refractive index of a clean, flat, well polished gemstone facet. A good refractometer will give results that are both accurate and precise so be sure to check the market for the most reputable brands.