9ct Gold Jewellery: Few interesting curiosities about gold

Believe it or not, this rare and precious metal – 9ct gold for jewellery – was the first metal discovered by human beings. That happened recently.

The first evidence of a gold mine comes from the Egyptians, who have been mining for over 5,000 years. There are 4,500 years old writings that show that the Assyrians were fighting to conquer their neighbours to take their gold. The Turkish, Greeks and Romans also loved gold – they used to steal lots from other cultures but also used slaves to mine 18ct, 14ct, or 9ct gold for jewellery.
Gold has been considered one of the most precious metals in the world ever since the ancient world. The smartest investors who keep investing in diamonds and other precious stones also invest in gold bars or 18ct, 14ct or 9ct gold jewellery.

Here are a few interesting facts about gold:

• With its discovery six thousand years ago, Gold is one of the first metals discovered. The Golden Age overlaps with the Stone Age. The evidence is some of the oldest artefacts in the world (dated 6000 years ago), which have been discovered in Europe.
• Gold has subsequently been discovered on all continents.
• The oceans contain about 19 billion tons of gold. The largest reserves of gold (about 19 billion tons) lie deep in the oceans.
• All carats of gold (even 9ct Gold for jewellery) exist on Earth due to the meteorites that fell 200 million years ago.
• A US study shows that 52 000 tons of gold are still in the ground and on the verge of being discovered and mined.
• In the modern era, the first piece of gold was discovered in North Carolina, USA, in 1799. It weighed around 8 kg and was used for more than 3 years as a doorstop. At one point, a jeweller identified some potential in the metal and sold it for just 3.50 dollars (less than 1% of its true value). The first piece of gold discovered and used as a doorstop would be worth at least $150,000 today.
• Today, the country with the largest gold hoard is the United States of America.
• Gold is the most recycled metal. 85% of the gold discovered throughout history is still in use.
• Gold is one of the densest and heaviest metals (the heaviest in the world is osmium). It is even heavier than lead. The density of gold is 19,300 kg/m3.
• Gold is an edible metal. According to research, it has no harmful effect on the body. In addition, it helps to slow down ageing.
• Every human body consists of 0.2 mg of gold found mainly in the blood.
• Eucalyptus leaves contain small traces of gold.
• 8% of the gold used in the electronics industry (in computers and phones) ends up in a landfill.
• Gold flows into Romania’s rivers. Throughout history, hundreds of kilograms of this precious metal have been extracted from Romania’s waters. In Romania, gold is found in silt in most waters flowing from the Apuseni Mountains and the Southern Carpathians. Romania is one of the few countries in Europe with this precious resource.
• Roșia Montană from Romania is one of the oldest gold mining sites in the world. Rosia Montana has 805 tons of gold, making it one of the wealthiest places in the world.
• Romania has 7000 tons of underground gold of undiscovered deposits – the equivalent of €206.17 billion.
• Romania reached a record in 1940 when it held almost 140 tons of this precious metal, ranking 12th in the world.
• Romania’s gold reserves currently stand at 104 tons (4.17 bn), placing the country in 34th place in the gold reserves ranking. In the first place is the United States, with over 6900 tons of gold.
• Gold is a good investment – it is an international currency that can be sold anywhere at any time. Financial experts recommend that 10% to 15% of your long-term investment portfolio should be in gold. Investing in gold is a great way to hold a portion of your assets and protect them from the effects of inflation and future uncertainties.