985 gold and silver: the characteristics of the highest grade, the correspondence of the carats, the use in various fields, the cost and the nuances of care

Clean precious metal is considered noble because of its unique natural properties. It is incapable of reacting to the environment and chemicals, a natural diamagnetic, a good conductor of current and heat. To improve its qualities it is alloyed with with ligatures. The process generates many samples, the quality of which is determined by the proportion of impurities in their composition. One of these gold The 985 hallmark, which by its chemical and physical characteristics resembles a pure precious metal as much as possible.

985 - what is it, metric and carat system of purity

The grade is considered worldwide to be an indicator of the quality of a piece of jewelry. The ratio of pure metal to additives can be determined on the basis of this grade.

A gold hallmark 985 means that 985 grams of pure gold and 15 grams of impurities were used per kilogram of gold.

985 proof gold and silver
Gold and silver jewelry

Since 985 is equal in properties to 999, it has a carat value of 24k. It is important to say that according to GOST, it does not exist, and the mentioning of it is considered an error associated with the 958 assay.

Samples officially accepted in Russia

Today, only the metric assay system is officially in effect on the territory of Russia. Officially accepted by the Assay Chamber designation of gold in the jewelry industry:

  • 375;
  • 500;
  • 585;
  • 750;
  • 900;
  • 958;
  • 999.
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Composition and characteristics of 985 gold
Precious metal assays

Composition and characteristics of 985 gold

985 proof is a noble metal that can be used for jewelry purposes. It consists of 98.5% of pure gold, which makes the pieces quite valuable and expensive. However, such jewelry does not justify its value because of the physical characteristics of pure precious metal:

  • Strength: it is characterized by high softness because of low percentage of impurities, the jewelry turns out fragile;
  • density: weighty, its density is 19.32 g/cm³;
  • melting point: melts only at high temperatures, melting at 1064.18°C, boiling at 2856°C;
  • thermal and electrical conductivity: the high values of these characteristics allow the metal to be used in microelectronics and radio engineering for contact coating.
  • Inertness: it reacts only with a small amount of alkaline solutions, dissolves with aqua regia, otherwise it is not affected by the environment, preserving its appearance;
  • hypoallergenic: not capable of causing allergic reactions, except when the alloy contains an admixture of nickel or other metals that cause allergies;
  • antibacterial propertiesThe material is believed to be capable of disinfecting and killing germs, thanks to which the ancient healers used it to treat infectious, skin diseases;
  • colors The highest grade: depending on the ratio of impurities, the presence of palladium gives a white hue, more copper - red, copper and silver in equal parts form a pink color, you may get a greenish tone if the ligature will consist only of gold and silver.
985 sterling silver
Ring 985 sterling silver

Benefits of 985 Gold

  • Jewelry industry. Gold 985 is hardly ever used by jewelers because of its excessive softness. They use it to create decorative elements for jewelry. Some engagement rings are of a massive size. Then the strength is enhanced by the weight.
  • Prosthetics in dentistry. Due to its chemical neutrality, the metal is used in the fabrication of dental crowns or other prosthetic implants.
  • Making electronic stuffing. It is customary to cover contacts and wires in computers, telephones, and other equipment with precious metal.
  • Chemical industry. The metal is used to coat other natural materials as a catalyst.
  • Investment activities. In some cases, 985 proof gold can be used for bank bullion and collectible coins.
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985 - what is it, metric and carat system of purity
985 gold hallmark ring

Pros and Cons of 985 Solid Gold Products

The advantages of metal:
its value as an investment;
the color as much as possible resembles natural gold.
Cons include:
The high price of jewelry;
soft, plastic products are not suitable for everyday wear;
It bursts, deforms at the slightest pressure;
Over time, it rubs off, loses weight.

Price of 1 gram of 985 gold

Price 999 tests per 1 gram, Central Bank of the Russian FederationMarket price of 985 proof gold per 1 gramScrap price, 985 proofThe price of 985 jewelry
3905 rubles.3847 rubles.3462 rubles.4101 rubles.
958 gold rings
Gold Engagement Rings 958

Formula for calculating the value depending on the exchange rate for gold and silver

When calculating grams necessary: Coefficient 0.985 * current exchange rate of the Central Bank of Russia = cost of 1 gram of 985-proof gold. The final value is determined by the markup of pawnshops, retailers and jewelry manufacturers.

How to invest in fine gold and realize your gold savings

In itself, gold as a means of investment does not bring profits, but plays the role of an insurance mechanism in case of crisis. The rate of gold is steadily high. And this means that there are several reasons why it is still worth investing in the high-grade metal:

  1. All over the world, a country's gold reserve is a kind of protection against the crisis. It is important to buy up not the gold bars and coins themselves, but the valuable stock. The buyer cannot touch his wealth, but it is fixed by the system. Mutual funds, mutual funds and ETFs are a kind of stock exchanges where you can buy and sell your stake, regardless of time. Each has its own characteristics and risks.
  2.  Gold bullion, jewelry, and coins as a defense mechanism against warfare:
  3. More often than not, people buy jewelry that is in the public domain today. However, such investment is not always able to make a profit or at least to return the money invested.
  4. Buying bullion seems to be a profitable investment, but there are nuances and risks. When selling, the buyer will receive at least 20% (the rate of VAT invested in the purchase price) less than what he invested. It is worth investing, if you have large sums of money, the possibility of keeping bullion for a long time. Such services are offered by banks.
  5. Collectible coins are sometimes profitable. To stay in the black, it is important to buy coins whose prices will increase over time. The information is held by specialists in the banking industry.
  6. Accumulating gold to insure your own business against market turmoil. There are no guarantees of stable profits. Gold often fluctuates slightly in value, there is even a risk of losing a little, but the rate tends to rise. The metal does not depreciate, being a stable, physical asset in any crisis, providing a protective mechanism for the economy in case of war.
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Where is 985 proof on sale

Today, not a single store offers its customers items from 985 gold. This means that you can buy them from jewelers, making jewelry to order. Even a pawn shop very rarely buys such items, because of the official absence of the hallmark.

More often the 985 mark can be found on antique jewelry such as wedding rings. As a rule, they are distinguished by their massiveness, weight of more than 8 g, and bright, unusual yellow color. At the time of the Russian Empire it was fashionable to use pure precious metal for the production of pendants and festive pendants for the nobility.

How not to run into a fake

When there is a desire to buy special jewelry with a high content of pure gold, it is necessary to remember that they are not sold in the usual jewelry stores. That is, there is no way to guarantee the authenticity of the purchase.

Find the right product in a thrift store or pawnshop, you can, but stigma on it will be different from today's marking symbols. The name will contain the number 23 and the letter symbol of the producing country. This is due to the fact that these goods come from other countries where the precious metal 985 is used officially. The color of the products is still unnaturally yellow.

Depending on the composition of the ligature, there may be a faint white, green, red or pink hue.

Gold forgery
Fake branded gold bars

When choosing rare jewelry, it is important to consider:

  • the product must contain carat designation;
  • such items can be quality imitations;
  • Gold is always accompanied by certificates containing information about the product, the country of manufacture, etc.

Also, you can always get advice from a specialist, to learn what is the best simple method to use to recognize a fake.

Tips for home care of precious metal

985 gold standard In order to preserve its properties and appearance, it needs a special care. It is important to consider the following nuances:

  • Such items are not suitable for everyday wear, proper separate storage is necessary. For example, the gold pendant and chain must be separated from each other to avoid contact damage.
  • All jewelry is not resistant to contact with chemicals; pure gold is no exception. Despite its inertness, metal can lose its attractive appearance, luster when in contact with household products.
  • High-grade The jewelry cannot be cleaned at home. It is better to use ultrasound cleaning, which eliminates the mechanical effect on the product. Such care should be performed exclusively by a master craftsman.
  • High-carat gold is sensitive to atmospheric changes. Wearing it in hot or cold weather can cause it to crack or become damaged.  
Read also
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Precious jewelry

Subject: Q&A

Is there any sterling silver?

Opinion of an expert
Mikhail Petrovich Grishanov
Jeweler, Director of Grishanov & Co.
Officially on the territory of Russia, there is no 985 silver hallmark, and the price per gram of such a product is not regulated anywhere. The high quality silver jewelry hallmark is considered to be 925. Minimal acceptable for jewelry is mark 800, all the rest are considered technical silver.

Why is there no pure gold jewelry?

Opinion of an expert
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
6th class jeweler
Such items do not justify their value because of their strong softness; they can literally be cut with a knife. Pure gold can be used to make decorative elements for jewelry. It is not uncommon for jewelers to use 985 gold when making custom jewelry.

Is 985 silver good or not?

Opinion of an expert
Mikhail Petrovich Grishanov
Jeweler, Director of Grishanov & Co.
Since 985 silver is not officially used anywhere it is impossible to reliably assess its properties.

Video: Variety of gold samples

Jeweler's comment

Molokanov N.M.
Molokanov N.M.
Jeweler, experience in jewelry manufacturing 26 years.
Gold has always been highly valued, but it is not always justified. Pure precious metal is good to use as a means of investment by buying bank bullion. However, there are those who prefer it to jewelry, despite its lack of longevity. Gold 985 is a good inert metal with high conductivity, but it is better used in areas not related to jewelry.
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