Jewellery Buying Guide
Precious Metals
The majority of Costco’s jewelry is offered in three precious metal options: 14kt gold, 18kt gold, and 950 platinum. Discover the natural beauty and characteristics of each, and decide which one is best for you.
All 14kt and 18kt white gold that Costco offers has been rhodium plated to enhance luster, durability and brightness to the gold.
This does not affect the percentage of gold in the item. If an item is rhodium plated, it will be noted on the product page.
Gold
Due to its incredible luster and other characteristics, gold is the most sought-after metal in the jewellery industry. This precious metal is not only beautiful, it is naturally resistant to tarnish and corrosion. Most of all, gold has the rare quality of being dense yet still very malleable, which is ideal for crafting jewellery.
Although the density of pure gold makes it heavy, it is still very soft, so alloy metals are blended with the gold to increase its strength and durability. The addition of alloy metals makes gold jewellery much more wearable and long-lasting, and also allows for the creation of colored gold. Both 14kt gold and 18kt gold contain a percentage of alloy metals.
Gold is available in three beautiful colors—yellow, white, and rose. All three colors are produced the same way and have the same basic monetary value. White and rose gold are simply yellow gold blended with other metals to achieve their specific color. Each color has its own special beauty and characteristics. Whether you choose a clean brilliant white, pink-hued rose, or traditional yellow, your choice in gold should simply be a matter of preference.

