What Is Green Gold?
The rarest gold color — made by mixing gold with silver (and sometimes cadmium). Here's the full story.
Green gold, also known as electrum, is created by alloying gold with silver — typically 73–80% gold with 20–27% silver. The silver content shifts the colour from warm yellow toward a muted olive-green. It is one of the oldest known alloys, found in ancient Egyptian and Greek artefacts.
Volume visualization — gold vs. silver
Each droplet = same volume. Silver (10.5 g/cm³) is lighter than gold (19.3 g/cm³), so silver needs significantly more droplets for the same weight.
18K Green Gold | 75.0 wt%
18K Green Gold
14K Green Gold | 58.3 wt%
14K Green Gold
10K Green Gold | 41.7 wt%
10K Green Gold
The green gold recipe
More silver = greener and paler. Cadmium intensifies the green but is rarely used due to toxicity.
How silver % changes the color
Common green gold types
The most common green gold in fine jewelry. Subtle olive-yellow hue. Used in multi-tone pieces alongside yellow, white, and rose gold.
Best for: Multi-tone rings, artistic jewelry
Greener and more affordable than 18K. The silver content gives a noticeably cooler, more olive appearance.
Best for: Decorative accents, nature-inspired jewelry
The ancient natural alloy of gold and silver. Used in coins and artifacts from ancient Greece and Egypt. Pale greenish-gold in appearance.
Best for: Historical coins, museum pieces
What makes it green?
Silver absorbs more blue and red light than gold does. When mixed with gold, it shifts the alloy's color toward green-yellow. The more silver, the greener the result.
Ancient history
Electrum — a natural alloy of gold and silver — was used in ancient coinage as far back as 600 BC in Lydia (modern Turkey). It's one of the oldest known monetary metals.
Cadmium caution
Some older formulas used cadmium to intensify the green color. Cadmium is highly toxic and is now banned from jewelry in many countries, including the EU.
Where you'll see it
Green gold is rare in everyday jewelry but popular in high-end multi-tone pieces — rings or pendants that combine yellow, white, rose, and green gold for a nature-inspired look.
All gold colors side by side
Green Gold vs. Electrum
Caring for green gold jewellery
Green gold's silver content makes it behave differently from yellow or rose gold. Silver is prone to tarnishing — here's how to keep your green gold pieces looking fresh.
✓ Do
- Clean with mild soap and warm water
Gently scrub with a soft brush to remove oils and residue. Rinse well and pat dry immediately — moisture accelerates silver tarnish.
- Use a silver polishing cloth
For light tarnish on green gold, a treated silver cloth works well since the silver in the alloy is what tarnishes. Avoid abrasive cloths.
- Store in an airtight bag
Sulfur in air causes silver to tarnish. Anti-tarnish zip bags or a sealed jewellery box with a silica gel packet keeps green gold bright longer.
- Wear it regularly for multi-tone pieces
Friction from daily wear actually keeps the surface polished. Pieces that sit unused in open air tarnish faster than worn ones.
✕ Don't
- Use chlorine bleach or harsh chemicals
Bleach reacts aggressively with the silver in green gold, causing permanent discolouration and damage to the alloy structure.
- Leave in sunlight or heat for long periods
Heat accelerates oxidation. Avoid leaving green gold pieces on sunny windowsills or near radiators.
- Stack with harder stones unprotected
The silver-rich alloy is softer than rose or white gold. Diamonds and sapphires in adjacent pieces will scratch its surface.
- Expect it to look like yellow gold
Green gold's hue is subtle — a warm olive-yellow. It's not bright green. If the colour seems off after purchase, check the karat and alloy specification.