Karats are numbers stamped on a piece of gold in the format of 14K, 18K, 22K or 24K. These numbers refer to the type of gold and the actual gold content in the jewellery piece.

Karats are measured on a scale from 0 to 24, where 24K gold is the purest gold you can buy.

Why are other metals added to pure gold?

Gold is very soft in its pure state and is unsuitable to be used in jewellery. Other metals are added to it to strengthen it and in some cases, to enhance colour. Copper is added to gold to create rose gold.

How is gold purity measured?

Use the number of karats to figure out how pure your gold jewellery is.

For example, if you have a 14K gold ring, since the maximum number of karats possible is 24K, divide 14 by 24. You will obtain 0.583, which means that your gold ring is 58.3% pure.

Gold Purity Conversion Chart

Number of Karats	Parts of Gold	% of Gold Purity	Millesimal Fineness
9K	9/24	37.5	375
10K	10/24	41.7	416/417
12K	12/24	50.0	500
14K	14/24	58.3	583/585
18K	18/24	75.0	750
22K	22/24	91.7	916/917
24K	24/24	99.9	999

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3 tips for choosing your gold purity

1. Decide on your budget

The higher the gold purity, the higher the price.

Purer gold does not necessarily mean that it is better, it simply means that it is more pure and worth more money. This also makes it more expensive. 

Higher karat gold jewellery is also more tarnish-resistant compared to lower karat gold jewellery.

2. Choosing the right metal colour

The lower the gold, the lighter the yellow gold colour.

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For yellow gold jewellery, a higher karat gold means that the yellow colour will be more intense. For rose gold jewellery, a lower karat gold means that its copperish pink colour will be more intense as it contains more copper compared to gold.

3. Durability

The lower the gold purity, the more durable it is.

As mentioned earlier, the less pure the gold is, the more metal alloys it contains. Gold by itself is very soft and malleable. Gold that is blended with more alloy is stronger and more durable. This means that it does not scratch or bend out of shape as easily.

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Guide to common types of gold purity

22K Gold

For 22K gold, 91.67% is pure gold while the remaining comprises of metals such as silver, zinc, nickel and other alloys. This kind of gold is commonly used in making plain gold jewellery. However, it is not preferable for diamonds and heavily studded jewellery.

18K Gold

For 18K gold, 75% is pure gold while the remaining is made of metal alloy. 18K gold jewellery is most popular in Asia and Europe, and is typically considered a special occasion piece. 18K has a good strength with a wonderful balance in purity.

14K Gold

For 14K gold, 58.3% is pure gold while the remaining is made of metal alloy. 14K is a great mix of purity, durability and value for money.

This is the most popular gold purity for wearable jewellery in the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries. 14K is a good choice if you're concerned about scuffs and scratches.

The only potential downside to 14K gold jewellery is a potential skin irritation if you have a copper, silver, nickel, zinc or iron allergy.

Florentine offers jewellery set in platinum if you have any allergies.

Please contact us and we'll get in touch with personalised advice on the highest quality options for your budget.