It is soft. Most jewelry is made out of 14 carat gold because that grade lasts a long time. Gold leaf is super thin sheets of gold. It is used to decorate china, book jackets and glass. This is called gilding.
Gold is used in modern technology.
Gold plating is used in electrical and electronics industries, in circuits, transistors and communication systems. Because gold is a reflector of heat and light, it is used in defense and aerospace industries. It is used in the windshields of jets and on space vehicles. It is also used on space helmet visors and gold thread is woven into the material that is used to make space suits. Gold is sometimes used in medicine.