The Ultimate Gold Guide

There are many different karats of gold such as 9K, 10K, 12K, 14K, 18K, 22K, and 24K.  What is a karat? Karat is the unit used to measure the purity of gold. Different cultures adorn and utilize different types of gold. In European countries, 9K gold is used. 22K gold is used in Eastern and Chinese markets while North American markets  mainly use 10K and 14K. So what is the difference between all these different kinds of gold? 

24K: The purest gold is 24K because it’s not mixed with any other type of alloy. Since there is no alloy in 24K gold, the gold is super soft, causing it to not retain the shape of the jewellery item and therefore simply becomes inadequate to be used for jewelry. 24K is also quite expensive and has a bright orange colour which does not mesmerize with refined jewellery such as gold chains or engagement rings.

18K: This type of gold is made up of 75% pure gold, leaving the other 25% to be alloy. While this gold is pure and looks charming when adorned, it may be a bit pricey and also its durability is not all that great. 18K gold tends to scratch easily when worn without care. It is mostly used for rings such as engagement rings but who would want a scratchy engagement ring?

14K: 14K gold is the most favoured and popular gold for jewelry. It is made up of 58.5% pure gold. 14K is the perfect type of gold because of many reasons, one being that is reasonably affordable. 14K also has a high durability and has an attractive appearance and a charming color. Also all wedding/engagement rings use 14K gold.

10K: Last but not least we have the 10K gold. This gold is made up of 41% pure gold making it the utmost durable gold. It has a pale yellow color which is quite a pleasing color and also it is very cheap and especially excellent when one is on a budget. 

This is a chart showing the purity of gold in each Karat: