Shopping for gold can be a wonderful experience. Looking at all of the beautiful rings, bracelets and necklaces on display and eagerly trying on piece after piece can be very exciting. But, how do you know which piece of jewelry is worth the price that is noted on the price tag? Should you buy 14K gold or spend the extra amount on 18K gold?

Are you aware of how much jewelry is marked up in stores? Do you really know how to buy gold jewelry or do you hand your money over to the cashier as soon as you see something shiny and pretty?

Before you go the the kiosk at the mall to make your purchase(s), or order any jewelry online, you should know more about how to spend your money wisely when you buy gold. You can easily purchase online or in a jewelry store, but you should do your homework before you pay for your jewelry. Be prepared to see huge price tags along with several options that signify the purity and the color of the gold that you want to purchase as well as different styles, quality and tastes.

When you buy gold with a gem or stone setting, you should receive a certificate of authenticity as proof of the quality of the stone and a separate certificate for the authenticity of the gold.

There are different types of gold that you can buy and the price tag will reflect the quality and the percentage of pure gold in the piece of jewelry.

• 24K - This is 99.99% pure gold with no fillers and no additives. If you want 24K gold, be prepared to pay a lot more than the other grades.

• 18K - When you purchase 18K gold, you are purchasing jewelry that is 75% gold with 25% fillers and additives.

• 14K - Gold that is 14 karat is made with 58.3% pure gold and 41.7% alloy, the opposite of 10K.

• 12K - Gold that is made with 50% fillers and 50% gold.

• 10K - Made with 58.3 fillers and alloys, 10K is 41.7% pure gold. http://jewelry.about.com/od/jewelrymetals/a/gold_jewelry.htm

If you are going to wear your jewelry everyday, you should look for 10 karat or 12 karat gold because the higher karat, the softer the gold will be. The lower the lower karat, the harder the jewelry will be. If you wear a piece of 24 karat jewelry everyday, you run the risk of bending it or damaging the gold.

For gold to be durable and wearable, it has to be mixed with other metals and this mixture is gold alloy. http://jewelry.about.com/od/jewelrymetals/a/gold_jewelry.htm These different metals create different colors and shades of gold.

Here are some more choices you have to make when you go shopping for gold jewelry. Did you know you can buy gold in more than eight different colors? Here is a list of some of the colors that will be available for you to choose from at the jewelry store and online.

• Chocolate Gold - This is the newest creation from Fawaz Gruosi. Rose colored gold is vaporized and turned into a rich golden brown color. The jewelry created with the deep colored gold is priced up to $40,000 and up.

• White Gold was first introduced in the early 1920's as an affordable substitute for platinum jewelry for the people who were on a stricter budget. Gold and platinum was mixed together and sold as white gold, today the gold is mixed with nickle and other alloy to create the white colored gold. http://engagementrings.lovetoknow.com/wiki/What_Is_White_Gold/> One in eight people will have an allergic reaction to the nickle that is present in gold. <REF>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_gold

• Rose Gold is the combination of pure gold and copper alloy. Some rose colored gold is 22K but, when you see gold with dark shades of rose, this indicate a higher percentage of gold was used.

• Yellow Gold is the common color of pure gold.

• Gold Filled can be made by adding a gold layer to a piece that is usually solid brass. Intense heat and pressure is applied to adhere the top layer of gold to the brass inlay.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_filled_jewelry

• Gold Plated jewelry uses an electric current to add and a thin layer of gold to a metal base.

• Green Gold was discovered by adding silver and gold.

http://jewelry.about.com/cs/goldbuyingtips/a/gold_alloys.htm Silver causes gold to tarnish and the mixture produces greenish shades of gold.

• Grey Gold comes from the combination of copper, silver and manganese that is mixed in specific ratios to produce different shades of grey.

• Black Gold has been produced several different ways but recently a laser was developed that can make the surface of gold turn black.

• Blue Gold is made with the addition of aluminum. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colored_gold

When I am buying my gold jewelry, what is the difference between a karat a carat? Do I have to look for carats, also? When you are buying gold, you will deal with karat weight. When you are buy diamonds and gems, that is when you are buying carat weight. If your gold jewelry had diamonds or other gems, you should ask about their carat weight. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-carat-and-a-karat.htm

After you know the color and karat of gold jewelry you want, you have to decide what type and style you are going to buy. You have hundreds of different categories of gold jewelry to buy and here are just a fraction of what you will see in the stores.

Anklets are considered foot jewelry, and they are gaining popularity with women as jewelry makers produce more styles to choose from.

Bracelets have been in style since jewelry was first made. There are so many different lengths, widths and designs available to buy. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Djewelry&field-keywords=gold+jewelry

Chains are a favorite and you will not have any trouble finding one to suit your style and budget. You can find rope chains, herringbone, box, cable and many different designs and styles of gold chains. http://www.howtodothings.com/fashion-personal-care/gold-chain-styles-and-designs

Charms are adorable additions to a bracelet that can vary greatly in price and style.

Cuffs can be thick or thin, and they vary in width. You can buy a plain gold cuff or one with intricate designs and markings.

Necklaces are favorites as gifts and to keep for yourself. You can choose from gold necklaces with or without gems and stones.

Money Clips are sometimes used as jewelry because of the decorative way they are made. This is a good choice for a man or woman who does not like to wear regular pieces of jewelry.

Rings get the most attention because the are given for so many different reasons - engagement, graduation, marriage, friendship and many other reasons.

Toe Rings are also called foot jewelry and they do not appeal to everyone but if you do like to adorn your toes, there will be no problem finding the right toe ring for you.http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Djewelry&field-keywords=gold+jewelry

This may be the best part of shopping for gold jewelry, making the purchase and taking the beautiful piece you just bought out of the store. But, to make sure you have made the right choice, there are some guidelines that you need to remember before you step inside the jewelry store.

• Make your purchase(s) with a credit card. When you make purchases with a credit card you have some protection through the credit card company for the purchase that you cannot get when you pay with cash. http://www.creditorweb.com/articles/purchase-protection.html

• Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the jewelry store is trustworthy and you should make sure the store is a member of Jewelers of America.

• If you are buying a keepsake piece of jewelry and you plan to wear it only on occasion, you should choose 24 karat gold because pure gold is not meant to be worn everyday. It is also a better investment compared to other gold jewelry.

• If you decide to buy your jewelry with gems or stones, make sure you get a certificate of authenticity for the gold and one for the gems.

• You should be familiar with the karat quality and the different colors that are available and remember these identifiers when you are deciding what to purchase.

• If a piece of jewelry is sold as gold jewelry, it must be marked somewhere on the jewelry. Make sure your piece has the gold karat stamp and trademark of the manufacturer, if you cannot find it, ask the jeweler to point it out to you.

• The sales receipt should include the karat of the gold, the date purchased and the price.

After you have made your purchase, it is time to get some insurance for the gold jewelry. If you buy a very expensive piece of jewelry, you will need to get separate insurance for it, even though your jewelry may be covered with your homeowners insurance. Your existing insurance may not cover the full price of the jewelry, and you should get a separate policy to get the full coverage. You can get your insurance agent to let you know if you need to amend your policy to cover your new jewelry. http://www.ehow.com/how_15170_insure-jewelry.html

With all of this information, you should make a good choice when you buy your gold jewelry, whether you buy it online or in a jewelry store.