Our next blog post in this metal series is about 22K gold, a softer metal containing at least 92% pure gold. 22K gold is often used for more intricate designs because it can be shaped and bent into all kinds of forms fairly easily.
While 22K gold is very common in some countries, it is much less common in the United States where 14K gold is the most common gold used in jewelry. 22K gold contains a very high amount of pure gold (92%), which gives it a very rich and beautiful yellow color. As mentioned above, 22K gold is also quite soft compared to 14K gold. We recently created a custom Infinity Cuff out of 22K gold for one of our customers, and it was amazing how easily the piece would bend into shape.
Since 22K gold is almost pure gold, it will never tarnish. However it can still get dirty from regular wear. To clean your 22K gold piece all you need is a mild soap and water solution and a toothbrush to get rid of tougher spots and a polishing cloth to shine the gold up. After you cleaned your jewelry dry it and store it in a dark and dry place. Make sure your 22K gold jewelry does not mix with other jewelry, especially jewelry with gemstones such as diamonds can easily scratch your 22K gold jewelry as it is so soft.