Red Gold
Also: Red gold, Copper gold
Red gold is a gold alloy with a high copper content that gives the metal its characteristic reddish to warm bronze-coloured hue.
Red gold is created when copper – and, depending on the recipe, small amounts of silver – is deliberately added to pure gold. The increased copper content overlays the warm yellow tone of gold and produces colour nuances from delicate rosé to a rich, almost copper-coloured red tone. The higher the copper content, the more intense the red colouring. Knowing the gold price and the copper price is therefore decisive for calculating the melt value of red-gold jewellery – both feed into the Melt Value Calculator.
Composition and fineness levels
The exact colouring depends on the ratio of the alloying metals. The following combinations are common:
| Fineness | Gold content | Copper content | Silver content | Colour effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 333 (8 carat) | 33.3% | up to 60% | remainder | Strongly reddish-coppery |
| 585 (14 carat) | 58.5% | 35–41% | 0–6% | Strong red-golden |
| 750 (18 carat) | 75.0% | 25% | 0% | Warm reddish-golden |
If the alloy contains no silver, it is called classic red gold with maximum red colouring. If silver is added, the colour tone tips towards rose gold, which differs from the stronger red gold by its pastel-pink tone. These transitions are fluid; the terms red gold and rose gold are occasionally used synonymously in trade, although strictly speaking they denote different copper contents.
Calculating the melt value
The material value of red-gold jewellery is derived from the fine weight of the gold (and proportionally of the copper, which, however, is usually neglected in valuation, since its contribution is small). The formula is:
Melt value = gross weight (g) × fineness (‰) / 1000 × gold price (€/g)
A 10-gram ring in 585 red gold therefore contains 5.85 g of fine gold. The current price per gram is determined by the Gold Calculator.
Properties and processing
Copper makes gold alloys considerably harder and more wear-resistant than pure fine gold (999). Red gold with 585 fineness solders, stamps and engraves well. The greater hardness is an advantage in jewellery – rings and bracelets withstand the mechanical stresses of everyday life better than those made of yellow gold.
However, the high copper content also brings disadvantages:
- Tarnishing: Copper oxidises in humid air; red-gold jewellery can tarnish slightly over the long term, though this can be remedied with common jewellery-care products.
- Allergy risk: Copper-containing alloys can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals, which is why 750 red gold (less copper) is better suited to sensitive skin.
- No more protective than white gold: Unlike rhodium-plated white gold, red gold offers no additional protective layer.
Distinction from related alloys
| Term | Main alloying metal | Typical tone |
|---|---|---|
| Rose gold | Copper + silver | Pastel pink |
| Red gold | Copper (higher than rosé) | Warm red-coppery |
| Yellow gold | Silver + copper balanced | Golden yellow |
| White gold | Palladium or nickel | Silvery-white |
Market and purchase
When selling or buying, only the fineness – i.e. the gold content – counts as the value-determining factor. Copper and silver are not remunerated separately in a typical precious-metal purchase. The Purchase Price Calculator helps to estimate the realistic proceeds for red-gold jewellery in advance. Note: tax aspects on sale vary individually. In Malta there is no capital gains tax on private disposals of movable assets such as precious metals – this is no substitute for tax or investment advice.
In brief
Red gold owes its warm, reddish colour to the deliberately increased copper content in the gold alloy. Depending on the fineness (333 to 750), colour, hardness and melt value vary – the latter can be conveniently determined with the Melt Value Calculator.