Pure gold only comes in one color, but when it is pure it is really too soft to use for much so it is alloyed (or mixed) with a range of different metals. The result is a metal that is hard enough to be useful, but sill malleable enough to manipulate. Adding different metals creates different gold colors (and hardnesses) which is why we have so many gold colors to choose from today.
Yellow Gold
In its pure form, gold is a buttery yellow. As explained above although it is beautiful, it is impractically soft for a metal. To retain the gold color and increase hardness often a small bit of copper is added. Varying degrees of additional metals will create a spectrum of golden shades.
Yellow gold is highly prized and widely recognized by cultures worldwide.
White Gold
The silvery color of white gold can be achieved by adding several different metals.
Nickel - Nickel was a popular metal used in costume jewelry until it was discovered that many people are allergic to the metal and developed a rash when it touched their skin. Use of this alloy has significantly declined.
Palladium - Palladium is often found in connection with platinum in raw form and is considered a suitable replacement for Nickel in most cases.
Platinum - Platinum is even more rare than gold, so an alloy between the two is rare and expensive.
These alloys are popular in rings, bracelets and other jewelry that rough takes daily wear.
Rose Gold
Known primarily for it's lovely red/ pink coloration, rose gold is often called Black Hills Gold (after a town in South Dakota legendary for their rose gold jewelry).
The color is achieved by adding copper to the gold, the more copper added, the redder the result. It is available in both 14K and 18K, with the former being much redder in color. As this alloy ages it tends to intensify as the copper begins to tarnish.
Rose gold was popular early in the 20th century and can often be found in romantic jewelry (such as engagement rings and wedding bands) from that era.
Green Gold
Not as popular a mix, green gold is created by adding silver (and sometimes nickel, cadmium or zinc for hardness properties). The result is not actually green in color, but more of a greenish tinted gold
Green gold is best when used in conjunction with rose, white and yellow gold to enhance the green tinge.
Purple Gold
Can also be called amethyst or violet gold, this color is a result of a gold / aluminum alloy. When a certain fixed ratio is used the two metals form a gold intermetallic compound which retains an 18K purity.
Purple gold, as with all intermetallic compounds tends to be very brittle and is more prone to tarnish than most gold colors. For these reasons it is often used as centerpieces or in place of gems set in one of the more malleable gold colors.
Blue Gold
Similar to purple gold, blue gold is an intermetallic compound created by alloying one of two metals with gold
1. Indium which creates a clear blood color
2. Gallium which gives the gold a bluish tint
Again, the result is not a malleable metal and is generally only found in a more raw looking state as pendants or to replace gems.
Gold can also take a blue patina which is produced on gold alloys by oxidation treatments.
So Many To Choose From
Out of all of the gold colors, which one is your favorite?
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