Karat describes how much pure gold is in an alloy. Knowing the difference affects durability, color, price and how a repair should be done.
The basics
- 24K is pure gold: rich color, very soft, rarely used for daily jewelry.
- 18K is 75% gold: warm color, moderately durable, common in fine European jewelry.
- 14K is 58.5% gold: the most popular choice in the United States for its balance of color and strength.
- 10K is 41.7% gold: hardest and most affordable, slightly paler in color.
White, yellow and rose
Color comes from the alloy metals. White gold uses palladium or nickel and is usually rhodium plated. Rose gold gets its blush from copper. Repairs must use the matching alloy or the seam will show after polishing.
Reading the stamp
Look inside the band for marks like 585 (14K), 750 (18K) or 417 (10K). GP, GF or HGE indicate plating or gold fill, which changes what repairs are possible.
Not sure what you have? We test metal at no charge during any inspection or appraisal.
Written by the bench team at Ivanquero Co., 624 S Cody St, Lakewood, CO 80226. This guide is general information; bring your piece in for advice specific to your jewelry.