Precious Metal 18K Rose Gold-AH (Age (order) hardened)
Precip hard
Best when maximum hardness and wear/dent resistance are needed — AuCu ordering nearly doubles the annealed hardness.
Values for the AH condition
Other 18K Rose Gold tempers and conditions
18K Rose Gold is listed in 6 conditions; see the grade overview at 18K Rose Gold.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ODefault Annealed | Standard stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be bent, drawn, set or hand-formed. | 210 | 460 | 32 | 143 HB | 19 % IACS |
As cast | Choose for cast jewellery bodies and hollow/organic shapes straight from the flask before hardening. | 230 | 400 | 15 | 157 HB | 18 % IACS |
1/4 Hard | Pick when parts must hold shape during setting yet still allow moderate bending. | 450 | 600 | 15 | 166 HB | 18.5 % IACS |
1/2 Hard | General-purpose stiff sheet/wire for chain, findings and stamped components. | 580 | 700 | 8 | 185 HB | 18 % IACS |
Hard / spring | Use for springy clasps, pin stems, drawn fine wire and thin sections needing maximum stiffness. | 730 | 820 | 4 | 204 HB | 17.5 % IACS |
AHThis page Age (order) hardened | Best when maximum hardness and wear/dent resistance are needed — AuCu ordering nearly doubles the annealed hardness. | 850 | 980 | 5 | 270 HB | — |
What is 18K Rose Gold-AH?
18K Rose Gold-AH is 18K Rose Gold in the AH condition — best when maximum hardness and wear/dent resistance are needed — AuCu ordering nearly doubles the annealed hardness. 18K Rose Gold-AH has a yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 980 MPa (142 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 5% and the elastic modulus is 95 GPa (13.8 Msi). 18K Rose Gold-AH has a density of 15.3 g/cm³ (0.553 lb/in³), heavier than 75% of precious metal grades. It melts at 890°C (1,634 °F). O is the default condition FabDigit quotes; AH is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Easy to machine — 72/100, better than 101% of precious metal grades
- High strength — 850 MPa (123 ksi), better than 100% of precious metal grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 95/100, better than 86% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 20/100, worse than 96% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 5%, worse than 93% of precious metal grades
- High embodied carbon — 13,000 kg CO₂/kg, worse than 81% of precious metal grades
- Heavy — 15.3 g/cm³ (0.553 lb/in³), worse than 75% of precious metal grades
18K Rose Gold-AH properties
Typical room-temperature values for 18K Rose Gold-AH; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are 18K Rose Gold reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
18K Rose Gold-AH has a density of 15.3 g/cm³ (0.553 lb/in³), heavier than 75% of precious metal grades. It melts at 890°C (1,634 °F).
Mechanical14
18K Rose Gold-AH has a yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 980 MPa (142 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 5% and the elastic modulus is 95 GPa (13.8 Msi).
Thermal6
18K Rose Gold-AH is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 130 W/m·K (75.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 64% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 16 µm/m·K (8.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
18K Rose Gold-AH conducts electricity at 19 % IACS, worse than 51% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (78/100), worse than 56% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 18K Rose Gold-AH takes about 180,000 MJ of energy and emits 13,000 kg of CO₂ — more than 77% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability8
18K Rose Gold-AH's machinability is very good (72/100, better than 101% of precious metal grades); weldability good (62/100); formability poor (20/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with 18K Rose Gold-AH
Is 18K Rose Gold easy to machine?
Turns and mills cleanly with sharp uncoated carbide/HSS and light oil, but the annealed alloy is gummy — hard or age-hardened stock gives the best finish, and all chips must be collected for refining.
Can 18K Rose Gold be welded?
Laser and PUK welding are routine with matching 18K rose filler; the copper-rich melt oxidises and hot-cracks easily, so use argon shielding and low, well-focused energy.
Can 18K Rose Gold be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold rolling, drawing and stamping in the annealed state; work-hardens quickly so interanneal at 650–700 °C and water-quench to avoid the brittle ordered phase.
What surface finishes work on 18K Rose Gold?
Polishes to a bright mirror; pickle in warm dilute sulphuric acid to remove copper firescale, and finish with barrel/rouge polish or protective rose-gold PVD/electroplating if extra tarnish resistance is wanted.
18K Rose Gold chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Au750‰ hallmark minimum (ISO 9202 / GB 11887) | 75 – 75.5 | 75 |
| Aglowers redness, improves ductility and tarnish resistance | 0 – 5 | 2.75 |
| Znoptional deoxidiser / flow aid in casting alloys | 0 – 1 | 0.3 |
| Sitrace grain refiner/deoxidiser in casting grades | 0 – 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Ir/Co (grain refiner)trace addition in casting alloys | 0 – 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Cuhigher Cu = redder (5N ≈ 25 % Cu, 4N ≈ 22 % Cu) | ≥ 18 (balance) | — |
18K Rose Gold-AH — frequently asked
What is 18K Rose Gold-AH used for?
18K Rose Gold-AH is typically used for fashion jewelry, wedding bands and watch cases. In short: hardest 18K colour; copper-rich, fire-scale prone; age-hardenable rose alloy.
What is the yield strength of 18K Rose Gold-AH?
18K Rose Gold-AH has a typical yield strength of 850 MPa (123 ksi) and a tensile strength of 980 MPa (142 ksi) — stronger than 100% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is 18K Rose Gold-AH easy to machine?
Yes — machinability is rated very good (72/100, better than 101% of precious metal grades). Turns and mills cleanly with sharp uncoated carbide/HSS and light oil, but the annealed alloy is gummy — hard or age-hardened stock gives the best finish, and all chips must be collected for refining.
Can 18K Rose Gold-AH be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (62/100). Laser and PUK welding are routine with matching 18K rose filler; the copper-rich melt oxidises and hot-cracks easily, so use argon shielding and low, well-focused energy.
What surface finishes work on 18K Rose Gold-AH?
Polishes to a bright mirror; pickle in warm dilute sulphuric acid to remove copper firescale, and finish with barrel/rouge polish or protective rose-gold PVD/electroplating if extra tarnish resistance is wanted.
Can 18K Rose Gold-AH be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold rolling, drawing and stamping in the annealed state; work-hardens quickly so interanneal at 650–700 °C and water-quench to avoid the brittle ordered phase.
What is the maximum service temperature of 18K Rose Gold-AH?
18K Rose Gold-AH is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 18K Rose Gold-O and 18K Rose Gold-AH?
O is the default condition — standard stock condition for sheet, wire and tube that will be bent, drawn, set or hand-formed. AH: best when maximum hardness and wear/dent resistance are needed — AuCu ordering nearly doubles the annealed hardness. Yield strength is 210 MPa in O versus 850 MPa in AH.
Sources
- ISO 9202 Jewellery — Fineness of precious metal alloys — ISO (2019)
- The Properties of Gold Jewellery Alloys (Gold Technology / Gold Bulletin series) — World Gold Council (2001)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (precious metals) — ASM International (1990)
- 18K red/rose casting and mill-product alloy datasheets — Legor / Hoover & Strong / Heraeus (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.