Gold Karat Differences: A Comprehensive Guide

Overview of the Gold Karat

Gold has been cherished for thousands of years, especially for its still unmatched beauty, rarity, and high value. However, naturally occurring pure gold is so soft that it is virtually unusable for everyday gemstones, jewelry or any other decorative or utilitarian purpose. It is for this reason that gold is mixed with other metals – a practice known as alloying – in order to improve its hardness and color. Mixing gold with other metals diminishes its purity. This mixture creates a wide selection of gold, measured in karats, each type with different characteristics and different ideal uses. There are countless gold karat types that exist in the world today, ranging from the very expensive 24 karat gold, which has the highest purity, to 9 karat gold, which is the most affordable and most durable. In this article, we will be taking a look at the differences among the most widely used gold karat types, and what their uses, benefits, and limitations are.

What Does Gold Karat Mean?

Karat refers to the purity of gold, or the ratio of pure gold to other alloys. Just remember: The lower the karat, the lower the amount of pure gold in your jewelry. Pure gold is 24 karats, meaning that 24 parts of the alloy are gold, or that the item is made of 99.9 percent pure gold. For less-pure alloys, the karat number decreases, as does the proportion of pure gold, and the amount of other metals added (copper, silver, zinc or nickel) increases. This gives gold more strength for everyday wear, but also changes the color, weight, and price.

24K Gold – Purest Form, Highest Value

Purity: 24K gold is 99.9% pure gold, the highest possible level of gold purity.
Color: It is yellow in color, and has an extremely bright “golden” appearance.
Durability: The purity makes 24K gold very soft and very malleable, prone to bending and scratching, which doesn’t make it the ideal gem for jewelry, especially for pieces worn daily.
Applications: Because of its very soft nature, 24K gold is most commonly used for special applications. Due to its inherent preciousness, it’s still used for investment gold (bullion bars, gold coins) and for religious artifacts. It is occasionally used for ceremonial objects, though not for jewelry in countries such as those in western Europe. Gold jewelry made with 24kt gold is particularly popular in countries such as India, where 24K gold is highly valued for its purity.
Price: 24K gold is the most expensive because it has the highest purity and intrinsic worth (gold).

22K Gold – High Purity, Slightly More Durable

Purity: 22K gold is approximately 91.6 per cent pure gold. The remaining 8.4% is made up of other metals, such as copper or silver.
Color: The color of 22K gold is still very close to the vibrant yellow of the original, and is less bright than 24K.
Durability: While it’s still fairly soft, 22K gold is more durable than 24K and is fine for jewelry that doesn’t get much wear, like a wedding band or dressy accessories you break out once in a blue moon.
Applications: Not being solid gold can be a disadvantage for luxury-oriented markets such as those in India and the Middle East, where it is commonly used in high-end jewelry. They prefer 22K as it is the ultimate compromise between purity and toughness – you get as much gold in your jewelry as you can handle, while still being able to maintain durability.
Price: 22K gold is more expensive than the lower karat golds because its gold content is so high, but slightly less than 24K gold.

18K Gold – A Popular Choice for Fine Jewelry

Purity: 18K gold contains 75% pure gold and 25% other metals.
Color: Still yellow and only a little less bright than 22K or 24K, though it can be alloyed to make white gold or even rose gold.
Durability: 18K gold is the most durable of the karats, which makes it a good choice for fine jewelry because it will not scratch as easily as 22K or 24K gold. It is often used for pieces such as engagement rings, bracelets and necklaces that are frequently worn.
Applications: 18K gold is used in luxury jewelry because it is an optimal blend of purity with strength: it is perfect if you want a luxury item but need to wear it regularly.
Price: 18K gold has higher gold metal content than 14K and 10K, so it costs more than those ‘softer’ grades, but far less than 22K and the purest 24K gold. As a compromise between softness and costliness, 18K is the sweet spot for fine jewelry.

14K Gold – The Ideal Blend of Affordability and Durability

Purity: 14K gold is 58.3 percent pure gold and 41.7 percent other metals.
Color: 14K gold is less yellow and less bright than higher karat golds, but it still retains a warm yellow color tone. 14K yellow gold is the most common choice for alloys in white gold and rose gold, as well as solid jewelry.
Durability: 14K gold is substantially harder, and far less prone to scratching or springing back into its original shape than are any higher karat golds. Toughness is ideal in daily wear, in a band that won’t bend and won’t crack when dropped.
Uses: 14K gold is most often used as jewelry in the US and in many parts of the world. It is popular for engagement and wedding rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, where durability is especially important.
Price: As 18K gold contains more pure gold than 14K or 10K gold, it is priced higher but still less expensive than 22K or 24K gold.

10K Gold – Durable and Affordable

Purity: 10K gold contains 41.7% pure gold, with the majority (58.3%) composed of other metals.
Color: 10K gold is a slightly paler yellow than the higher karat golds. It could also have a more silver or copper tonal shift due to the reduced gold content.
Durability: 10K gold is very durable, making it the most practical option for pieces that will receive a lot of daily wear, such as rings and bracelets.
Uses: 10K gold is frequently used for moderately priced jewelry, and particularly for the creation of inexpensive items that are used frequently.
Price: 10K gold is the most affordable of the more traditionally used gold karats, making it a great choice for cost-conscious gold jewelry buyers.

9K Gold – Lower Purity, High Durability

Purity: 9K gold contains 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals.
Color: Due to its low gold content, 9K gold has a less vibrant yellow color and can even appear duller compared to higher karats.
Durability: Generally, 9K gold is very wear and scratch resistant, making it a great material for daily wear.
Uses: In many nations, jewelry containing 9K gold is legally considered to be real gold, and represents a cost-effective option for those who wish to avoid paying for more gold while retaining a piece of good quality.
Price: 9K gold is the cheapest karat, making them the most affordable jewelry option in the gold market.

How to Choose the Right Gold Karat for You

When choosing between different karats of gold, multiple factors must be considered. Durability, color, and price all come into play. Diamonds by Raymond Lee has a wonderful selection of a variety of different karat golds for purchase. Make sure to check them out to familiarize yourself with each of the karat types!