10 CRITICAL Differences between 10K, 14K, 18K & 24K Gold Jewelry?

Gold is one of the most attractive and precious metals that are used for creating fascinating pieces of jewelry that enhance our beauty. It is also considered to be the most common precious metal since it is affordable, elegant and shiny at the same time. There are different numbers that are used in gold jewelry such as 10K, 14K, 18K and 24K and we do not know anything about these numbers or what they refer to, do you know what they mean? These numbers that you see here refer to the purity level of the gold jewelry which is determined by karats. Pure gold which is also referred to as AU is naturally yellow metallic in its color, flexible and very soft if it is compared with other metals or elements. Gold is also stable which means that it remains the same over time without any changes as it does not rust, diminish, fade and is not affected by the surrounding conditions like other metals.

Gold is a soft precious metal which makes it easy to be shaped into a wide variety of creative designs that are eye-catching for anyone. In order to strengthen gold and make it harder and more durable than it is, jewelers add additional alloys which are a combination of silver, copper, nickel and zinc. Adding these metals to gold changes the natural color of gold which is yellow to other colors such as pink and white which is the most common color for gold and is sought after by many women especially in the west.

Now, what about Karats?

Karat is used to measure the purity level of gold that ranges from 1 karat to 24 karats. Those gold jewelry pieces which are 1K are considered to be the strongest but the amount of pure gold is the least and this is why it is the cheapest. On the other hand, the jewelry pieces which are 24K are the softest and contain the purest gold to be the most expensive.

You may ask yourself now, which one should I choose?

10K The gold jewelry pieces which are 10K are known to be the strongest and most durable, however they are the least expensive and valuable as they contain a small amount of pure gold. It is the best for hard works.

14K 14K gold jewelry pieces are considered to be the most popular and can be found in different types of gold jewelry pieces that we purchase including bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings.

18K If you want to choose ideal gold jewelry pieces, then you can go for 18K gold jewelry as it is durable, strong, precious and valuable at the same time and the amount of pure gold that it contains is reasonable and this is why 18K gold is more recommended in case of choosing gold engagement and wedding rings or precious gifts. 18K gold jewelry is more popular in South America and Europe.

24K 24K gold is the Gold Standard as it is the softest and purest since it contains 100% pure gold and this is why it is the most expensive but it is the weakest and easiest to bend or scratch since it is 100% pure gold and does not contain any other metals that strengthen it.

Note: You can rarely find pure gold jewelry pieces which are 24K because they are not durable and are not strong enough for everyday wear.

Low-Karat gold is perfect for getting durable and cheap jewelry, while high-Karat gold is ideal for getting soft, precious and more valuable jewelry pieces.