When we say something is gold, it usually depicts the absolute, the glorious, and the essential. Gold is gold, and from the naked eye, we see it as a symbol of success and luxury. But some golds are only half gold and pure gold doesn’t really exist. This is where 10k, 14k, and 18k yellow gold come in!
With differing gold purity and price points, you should be able to know what you’re paying for. You don’t want to flaunt a 10k gold thinking it’s 24k because a sly jeweler said so.
Another misconception is confusing karat (the purity measurement for gold) and carat (the weight measurement for diamonds). In this post, we’re going to talk about the “k”; it’s different variations, i.e., 10k, 14k, and 18k, and the pros and cons that can potentially save you money!
So, What’s the Difference in Their Gold Purity?
Pure gold has 24 karats. Logically, it consists of 100% gold. You might find the inscription “750”somewhere on an 18k gold ring. This means 18 karat gold only consists of 75% gold. The remaining 25% are different metal alloys that give more hardness to the gold.
Now, the chart on the right is what the relationship of gold and metal alloys looks like for different karat grades. While you can find gold jewelry with any amount of karat, the most common amounts are 10K, 14K, and 18K gold.
Why Don’t Pure Gold Rings Exist?
Usually, you won’t be able to find 24-karat gold rings. This is simply because pure gold is a soft metal that tends to bend and scratch very easily. This makes pure gold quite impractical for daily wear.
In fact, you would be able to notice scratches and deformations in a 24K gold ring within days of wearing it! This is why several metal alloys are added to gold to make it harder and more durable.
Yellow gold will usually be mixed with metals such as silver, palladium, platinum, and nickel to make it sturdier. Pure gold rings do exist, but they are usually used for ceremonial purposes. They are worn very seldom so that they don’t get used up quickly.
While 24K gold is very rare in rings, it can be encountered more often in earrings as they get subjected to a smaller amount of wear and tear. 24K gold has the advantage of an intense yellow color tone, whereas it is tough to distinguish between 10K, 14K, and 18K gold with your bare eyes.
The Bottomline
Choosing the right engagement ring doesn’t end in settling with yellow gold. There are different kinds of gold that are designed for every budget and function.
Now that you know which yellow gold will get you the biggest bang for your buck, you can then make room for the first ring type you set eyes on – before finding out you can go for the gold without spending a fortune.
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