Gold ranks high on the list of precious metals and is well beloved by many. It has other uses that transcend just making jewelry. The metal excellently conducts electricity, easily draws into wires, alloys with several metals, and hammers beautifully into sheets. If you have the metal, it is easy to find a buyer, most times, much easier than for other precious metals.
Its discovery possibly dates back to 4000 BC, when Eastern European cultures used it to make objects for decoration (Click here for more details). Over time, other cultures and civilizations started using it to make idols and jewelry before evolving to other uses.
Nobody is sure when the metal was first seen, but it has been around for so long that it is little wonder the exact date of discovery is unknown. Possibly, the luster and beauty drew the attention of those who first saw it, whether in a stream or the ground.
Today, there is an intense obsession with it, mainly because it is not as common as before and for its use in jewelry. Everyone wants to have an item made from pure gold because of its high value. Note that the raw form does not have the luster of the refined one. It tends to look dull and uninteresting when first unearthed.
Variety of Uses
While it is true that its primary use is for jewelry, there is a myriad of other uses it offers.
● Bars and Coins
The limited supply and hence, the high value of the metal makes it an excellent means of trading or exchange. It has a long-term value, so miners and other companies turn them into coins and bars as a way to sell and store them. You will find many reviews online or you can read the United Gold Direct review, to determine where to buy or sell your bars and coins.
The coins date back to 560 BC when the king of Lydia, or what is Turkey today, minted them as means of trading. Since then, every country and region has traded using the metal in one form or another. At one time, the United States used gold standards, which meant a stockpile of precious metal to back every paper dollar circulating the country.
Nowadays, it is not the same, though investors use such coins and bars as a way to invest and save money. Also, some people collect such coins and use them as commemorative items. With time, the items become even more valuable.
● Jewelry
Jewelry is, perhaps, the most widespread use to which gold is put. It dates back to the ancient world, and that quest has not ended; everyone wants to own an article made of the metal. The truth is, most of the new or recycled gold in circulation goes to making jewelry. And while it is one of the innovative ways to preserve the metal, it also can go missing or break.
Nevertheless, such jewelry does not tarnish, so it stays the same, and you can pass it from one generation to another. Its beautiful color and excellent luster make it ideal for combination with precious stones or metals. Some attributes that make it suitable for jewelry-making are its malleability, color, and shine.
Tradition also makes it valuable, apart from its rarity and price. People expect items such as wedding rings, royal jewelry, heirlooms, and some crowns to be fashioned from gold. Some of these items can be adorned with gems, but primarily, the base is made of the precious metal.
● Conductor
It is interesting to know that gold plays a vital role in computers and other electronic devices that transmit information. The need for accurate and quick digital information transmission requires an excellent conductor. While many conductors may work, it tops the chart. This use adds to the list of factors that place it in high demand and make it expensive.
You may notice thin strips and areas that have the luster of the metal. That is gold, though manufacturers of these gadgets and devices use it in small amounts. They electroplate it to other precious metals and alloy it to cobalt or nickel for increased durability.
● Medicine
Did you know the precious metal is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis in some places? Doctors make weak solutions of aurothioglucose or aurothiomalate and inject them into patients to treat the disease. There are also specific cancers where doctors radioactive gold isotope particles as implants in tissue to act as radiation sources. They have been known to take the cancers into remission.
For a medical condition where a person suffers from an inability to close their eyes, doctors implant trace amounts of the metal to weigh the lids down and help the eyes shut. It is also used to manufacture a number of surgical instruments and critical hospital equipment.
● Dentistry
Gold performs well as a dental filler and has an aesthetic appeal (You can read more about it in this article: https://www.webmd.com/). As far back as 700 BC, the metal was used to secure replacement teeth for patients, so it is nothing new. Today, some people remove perfectly healthy teeth and replace them with gold ones, and others simply remove bad teeth and put gold teeth instead of fillers.
Other metals are used to replace teeth, but none is as beneficial as the one under review. Not only are the different metals detrimental to health in the long run, but they also are not pleasing to look at if exposed. However, the metal under review is non-allergenic and chemically inert, and it is also easy for dentists to use.
● Glassmaking
In glassmaking, the metal can create a pigment. When the glass is being annealed, if a manufacturer suspends a trace amount of the metal in the glass, it makes a ruby shade. The metal also effectively reflects solar radiation in climate-controlled cases and buildings. That way, they remain warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather.
Conclusion
Gold is rich, both in history and usage. It dates back to a time nobody alive can remember, but it is yet to outlive its uses. The metal plays a vital role in medicine, glassmaking, aerospace, award and plaque manufacture, dentistry, and other sectors. But its most widespread use is in jewelry.
