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Blue gold is a real but extremely rare gold alloy created by combining yellow gold with either indium (46% gold, 54% indium) or gallium (58.5% gold, 41.5% gallium).
This results in 11-karat or 14-karat gold with a distinctive blue hue. Unlike natural gold, blue gold doesn’t occur in nature and is created in laboratories.
Blue gold jewelry is non-magnetic and hypoallergenic, making it safe for most people to wear. However, blue gold is highly brittle and unsuitable for most jewelry applications, which explains its scarcity in the market.
While blue gold jewelry pieces like rings, necklaces, and brooches have been produced in extremely limited quantities through special orders, they’re virtually impossible to find in regular jewelry stores.
Blue gold can’t be included in gold IRA accounts, and blue gold coins or bars don’t exist commercially due to the metal’s fragile nature. It remains primarily a novelty item in the precious metals world.
- What Is Blue Gold? Is it Real? What is it Made of?
- Is Blue Gold Natural? Is Raw Blue Gold Real? Do Blue Gold Ores Exist? How is it Mined?
- Is Blue Gold Magnetic?
- Is There Blue Gold Jewelry? Is it Real?
- What is Blue Gold Vermeil? Is it Real?
- Is it Possible to Turn Blue Gold into Yellow Gold? How to Make Blue Gold?
- Is Blue Gold Hypoallergenic or Allergenic?
- Is it Possible to Include Blue Gold as Part of a Gold IRA Account?
- Do Blue Gold Coins and Bars Exist? Is That Bullion Real?
- Blue Gold vs Black Gold- What are the Differences?
Here’s an awesome quiz about blue gold. Take it after you’ve read my guide below.
Table of Contents
What Is Blue Gold? Is it Real? What is it Made of?
Yes, blue gold is real.
Blue gold is an alloy of yellow gold and indium or gallium. The latter two metals give this gold alloy a distinct shade of blue.
Blue gold is made of yellow gold and indium or gallium.
Yellow gold alloyed with indium in proportions 46:54% gives blue gold.
Yellow gold alloyed with gallium in proportions 58.5:41.5% gives blue gold.
Blue gold is used in jewelry design, specifically for high-end ornamental applications.
| Blue Gold Type | Compostion |
|---|---|
| Yellow gold+ indium | 46% gold+ 54% indium. |
| Yellow gold+ gallium | 58.5% gold+ 41.5% gallium |
Blue gold is only available in 11k and 14k variants.
Yellow gold alloyed with indium is 11k because there’s only 46% gold compared to 54% indium. Yellow gold alloyed with gallium is 14k because there’s 58.5% gold compare to 41.5% gallium.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
Is Blue Gold Natural? Is Raw Blue Gold Real? Do Blue Gold Ores Exist? How is it Mined?
No, blue gold isn’t natural. It’s handmade in a lab by alloying yellow gold with indium or gallium in exact proportions.
Raw blue gold isn’t real and doesn’t exist. Blue gold ores also don’t exist. Yellow gold and indium and gallium are mined separately and then later alloyed to make fine jewelry.
Is Blue Gold Magnetic?
No, blue gold isn’t magnetic. Blue gold doesn’t magnetize both when it’s made with indium and with gallium.
Indium is paramagnetic which means it’s weakly attracted by an externally applied magnetic field. Once the magnet is removed the magnetic effect disappears.
Gallium is diamagnetic. This means it is weakly repelled by a magnetic field. And of course gold is a diamagnetic precious metal.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
Is There Blue Gold Jewelry? Is it Real?
Yes, there’s blue gold jewelry. It’s real, but extremely rare.
There’s no market for blue gold jewelry as this gold alloy is a novelty compared to other gold alloys. Blue gold is also very brittle and unsuitable for serious jewelry work.
So far blue gold rings, necklaces, bracelets and broches have all been produced, but in vey limited quantities and based on special requests and orders.
You can’t buy these in any jewelry shop, online or offline.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
What is Blue Gold Vermeil? Is it Real?
Blue gold vermeil is a type of gold jewelry where a thick layer of blue gold is electroplated onto a sterling silver base.
The blue gold layer must be at least 2.5 microns thick and the gold content must be at least 10 karats to be considered true blue gold vermeil.
Blue gold vermeil is real, but extremely rare and you’ll probably never encounter it in a common jewelry shop.
You might be able to go to a jewelry and make a custom order. But, it’ll cost you a lot of money as blue gold is extremely rare and very expensive. Most jewelers don’t even work with it as there’s no market for blue gold.
Other popular and more common gold vermeil options are white gold vermeil, rose gold vermeil and the classic yellow gold vermeil.
All great choices!
Is it Possible to Turn Blue Gold into Yellow Gold? How to Make Blue Gold?
Yes, it’s possible to turn blue gold into yellow gold.
First, you need to melt the blue gold alloy. Second, remove indium or gallium from the alloy. Now you’re left with melted yellow gold.
Third, add additional metals to yellow gold to make it harder and more durable. Fourth, reshape the new yellow gold alloy into a jewelry item of your choice.
Turing blue gold into yellow gold is possible, but I recommend you turn to a professional jeweler to help you.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
Is Blue Gold Hypoallergenic or Allergenic?
Yes, blue gold is hypoallergenic.
Yellow gold is hypoallergenic and so are both indium and gallium.
This means you won’t have a skin reaction dermatitis flare if you buy and start wearing blue gold jewelry.
Note: it is possible to be allergic to gold, though it’s extremely rare. But if you’re one of these people then blue gold will cause skin problems for you.
I suggest you best avoid it.
It’s also possible to be allergic to indium, and one report showed >3% of people allergic to this metal. Indium usage is rare in jewelry industry so you’d need to get tested to know for sure whether you’re allergic to it or not.
There’re no reports of gallium hypersensitivity so it’s possible that if you’re allergic to indium in blue gold you won’t be allergic to blue gold made with gallium.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
Is it Possible to Include Blue Gold as Part of a Gold IRA Account?
No, it’s not possible to include blue gold as part of a gold IRA account. Blue gold bullion isn’t IRA-approved.
IRA-approved precious metals are palladium, gold, platinum and silver.
- Silver bullion must be at least 99.9% pure;
- Palladium must be at least 99.95% pure.
- Platinum bullion must be at least 99.95% pure;
- Gold bullion must be 99.5% pure;
Check out Augusta Precious Metals if you’re looking to buy IRA-eligible precious metals and are worried about gold IRA scams.
Augusta are a top safe gold investment company in the US and working with them is both secure and fast.
They also waive all fees for 10 years for all new customers.
Read my Augusta Precious Metals review next!
Or download their free gold investment guide here!
Do Blue Gold Coins and Bars Exist? Is That Bullion Real?
No, blue gold coins and bars don’t exist. Blue gold is a novelty in the precious metals bullion market and currently you can’t buy and own coins and bars made of genuine blue gold.
Blue gold is brittle and crumbles easily. This means it’s unsuitable to be molded into bullion.
The closest product I found online are these blue gold pieces Luciteria sells.
Also, more than 10 years ago the first blue gold bar was developed. This was a prototype just to show it’s possible and this bar isn’t for sale and just this one exists.
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
Blue Gold vs Black Gold- What are the Differences?
There’re many differences between blue gold and black gold.
Blue gold is an alloy of gold with metals like indium or gallium, resulting in a blue color. Black gold is created by alloying gold with metals like cobalt or ruthenium, or by rhodium plating white gold to create a black finish.
The differences lie in their composition, how the color is achieved, and their typical uses in jewelry. Blue gold is rarer and often used for statement pieces, while black gold is widely used for modern and classic jewelry designs, often appearing as a more modern and versatile alternative to yellow gold.
Both black gold and blue gold are rare, but blue gold is significantly rarer given that you can buy black gold online, while you can’t buy blue gold anywhere.
| Comparison | Blue Gold | Black Gold |
|---|---|---|
| Composition | Yellow gold +gallium or indium | Yellow gold coated with with a thin layer of a dark metal like rhodium or ruthenium. |
| Color and tarnish resistance | Blue gold tarnishes when blue gold is made from yellow gold and gallium. Blue gold doesn't tarnish when it's made from yellow gold and indium. | Black gold doesn't tarnish because its core is real gold, which doesn't tarnish. |
| Durability and scratch resistance | Blue gold is extremely brittle and not very durable and scratch resistant. | Black gold that has rhodium or ruthenium plating is exceptionally strong, durable and scratch resistant. Electroplated black gold scratches easily. |
| Cost | Blue gold is more expensive than black gold due to uniqueness of this gold alloy and it's constituent parts. | Black gold is less expensive than blue gold. |
| Skin tone compatibility | The best skin tone for blue gold is a cool skin tone or a neutral undertone. | The best skin tone for black gold is natural warm, cool, or neutral undertones. |
| Hypoallergenic properties | Blue gold is hypoallergenic to most people. Allergies to indium and gallium are rare, but possible. | Black gold is hypoallergenic. Yellow gold as base is hypoallergenic and both rhodium and ruthenium as coating are non-allergenic. |
Hey, you like blue gold which means you probably like real, yellow gold as well, right? Check this out next if you answered yes!
What is Blue Gold? Is it Real? Is it Magnetic and Hypoallergenic? Does it Tarnish, Corrode and Rust?
Yes, blue gold is real.
Blue gold is an alloy of yellow gold and indium or gallium. The latter two metals give this alloy a distinct shade of blue.
Blue gold is made of yellow gold and indium or gallium. Yellow gold alloyed with indium in proportions 46:54% gives blue gold. Yellow gold alloyed with gallium in proportions 58.5:41.5% gives blue gold.
Blue gold is used in jewelry design, specifically for high-end ornamental applications.
Blue gold isn’t magnetic and is hypoallergenic.
References:
- Blue Gold: A Mystery- https://alromaizan.com/blog/blue-gold-a-mystery
- Like to have your gold in blue or purple?- https://www.emirates247.com/markets/gold/like-to-have-your-gold-in-blue-or-purple-2011-10-18-1.424144
- Blue Gold: A Guide to the Rarest Gold Color- https://jewelryinformer.com/gold/blue-gold/
- What Is Blue Gold: Your Ultimate Guide- https://www.nobbier.com/blogs/editorial/what-is-blue-gold/
- Blue Gold- https://www.luciteria.com/elements-for-sale/blue-gold
- Oral manifestations of gold allergy- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8288779/
- Indium and iridium: Two rare metals with a high rate of contact sensitization- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32248538/
- What is Blue Gold?-https://www.diamondere.com/blog/introducing-blue-gold-mens-wedding-bands/
- Blue Gold: A Guide to the Rarest Gold Color- https://jewelryinformer.com/gold/blue-gold/
- Value of Black Gold: How Much Is It Worth?- https://lexiejordanjewelry.com/blogs/posts/what-is-black-gold
- What Is Blue Gold: Your Ultimate Guide- https://www.nobbier.com/blogs/editorial/what-is-blue-gold/
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.
