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Gold that is alloyed with copper is called rose gold. The alloy is sometimes also known as red gold or pink gold, and at Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery we tend to use the term ‘rose’ as we think this best describes its beautiful colour. Some people use the term to differentiate between the different alloys.

This precious metal was popular in Russian jewellery in the 19th century and is making something of a comeback in modern times as people are thinking about using more interesting precious metals and stones in their engagement rings.

Gold used in engagement rings (or any jewellery for that matter) is alloyed with other metals to make it  harder and more suitable for every day wear. This is true of rose gold as much as ordinary yellow gold and so the purity is measured in carat in exactly the same way as the purity of yellow gold is measured. 18 carat is 18 parts gold with 6 parts alloy (i.e. out of a total of 24 parts).

9ct Rose Gold

The 9 carat alloy is a beautiful pinkish shade and very popular

18ct Rose Gold

The 18 carat alloy is a much darker metal with a more pronounced yellow tinge to it – this is due to the extra proportion of yellow gold to copper. 22 carat yellow gold is not a practical choice for jewellery, especially engagement rings because it is so soft, so this can be used as a practical alternative.

Find out about using Fairtrade Gold