Gold FAQs
Karat, or the ‘K’, stands for the percentage of pure gold present in the metal allow of the jewellery. Pure gold is quite malleable, so to make the jewellery strong, it is mixed with other metals to make it more durable.
Karat, or the ‘K’, stands for the percentage of pure gold present in the metal allow of the jewellery. Pure gold is quite malleable, so to make the jewellery strong, it is mixed with other metals to make it more durable.
In essence, the higher the karat number, the more pure gold is present in the jewellery. Here’s how much pure gold is present in each category:
- 10K = 41.6% = .416
- 14K = 58.3% = .583
- 18K = 75% = .750
- 22K = 91.6% = .916
- 24k = 100%
Here, 24K is rarely used in jewellery since it is quite soft, making the jewellery fragile. Also, the higher the karat, the higher the price of the jewellery.
There are many ways to check this, and here are some of the easiest:
- Look for a gold karat stamp that signifies the purity of the jewellery
- Rub the jewellery on ceramic. If it makes a golden mark, it’s real
- Real gold is also heavier than non-gold jewellery of similar size