Gold Purity and Karat: What do you mean?

Gold jewelry is described by its karat when looking for quality. There is a general understanding that the higher the karat, the more expensive it will be. What exactly is a karat? How do all these numbers relate to each other?

Karats – what are they?

In gold, karats indicate the fineness of the metal. The fineness of a piece is the volume of the fine metal (gold) in proportion to the total amount of metal plus alloyed metals and any impurities. A karat is a unit of purity for gold alloys, measured per 24 parts whole. The purest gold is 24 karat (24k), gold that has not been mixed with any other metals.

Despite its greater value, pure gold is rarely used for jewelry due to its softness, malleability, and tendency to scratch. Hence, when used in jewelry, it is alloyed with base metals to alter its malleability, color, and other properties.

Here is a chart that shows the corresponding percentage and fineness of gold in relation to karats.

Gold Conversion Chart

Number of KaratsFraction of Gold% of Gold PurityMillesimal fineness
9K9/2437.5375
10K10/2441.7416/417
12K12/2450.0500
14K14/2458.3583/585
18K18/2475.0750
22K22/2491.7916/917
24K24/2499.9999

As shown, the higher the karat number, the more pure gold comprises the metal. Whilst 24k is the purest form of gold available, it does not mean it is of a higher quality. It means that there is more gold in it, and therefore it is more valuable which is ideal for investments and not so for everyday wear. Hence rarely used in making jewelry, as pure gold is too soft and can be easily damaged.

The most common karat used in jewelry and generally the most sought after is 18k gold. This means that 18 out of 24 (3/4) parts of the piece is pure gold, The one quarter that is not gold will be made up of other alloys, making the jewelry more durable and also good investment pieces.

Sourced from Various Articles

11 responses to “Gold Purity and Karat: What do you mean?”

  1. June Harvey Avatar

    Iโ€™m often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. Iโ€™m going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.

    1. Eligius Fine Jewelry Avatar
      Eligius Fine Jewelry

      Thank you for your comment, I am happy that you find it interesting!

  2. Gil Avatar

    From what I gleaned in this article, the higher the Karat, the higher the Gold content, the price and the investment prospect. It really seems good specially now that Gold is on the uptick. Gold prices has never gone down. Real estate on the other hand has not been known to go down through the years, but lately it has… Therefore, Gold and precious metals are now the more stable investment… Got to go and tell the wifey…

    Ohhh by the way, thanks for this very informative article… be buying soon… from Eligius of course…

    1. Eligius Jewelry Collection Avatar
      Eligius Jewelry Collection

      Thanks for sharing your insights! It’s true that higher Karat gold indicates higher gold content, which can influence price and investment potential, especially with gold prices rising. While real estate has seen fluctuations recently, gold and precious metals seem more stable now. Glad you found the article helpful, and happy investing with Eligius!

  3. Marguerite McDermott Avatar

    Simply desire to say your article is as surprising The clearness in your post is simply excellent and i could assume you are an expert on this subject Fine with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work

    1. Eligius Jewelry Collection Avatar
      Eligius Jewelry Collection

      Thank you for reading this article, I am glad that you find it useful.

  4. Felix Meyer Avatar

    I know a lot of folks whom I think would really enjoy your content that covers in depth. I just hope you wouldn’t mind if I share your blog to our community. Thanks, and feel free to surf my website Webemail24 for content about Blogging.

    1. Eligius Jewelry Collection Avatar
      Eligius Jewelry Collection

      Of course, please do! It’s nice to know that this article has benefited you and those whom you would enjoy this content!

  5. harshil Avatar

    Keep up the great work! Thank you so much for sharing a great posts.

    1. Eligius Jewelry Collection Avatar
      Eligius Jewelry Collection

      Hello, glad to hear that you found this article helpful! Please feel free to browse the rest of the blogs I made. Additionally, our jewelry collection crafted in 18k, 21k and 22k gold might be of interest to you.. they are worth exploring too! Thank you once again for leaving a note, it is appreciated!

  6. Harshil Avatar

    In this comprehensive gold purity guide, we will look into the world of gold purity, explore the karat system and fineness, and demystify the various factors that influence goldโ€™s purity.

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11 responses to “Gold Purity and Karat: What do you mean?”

  1. Iโ€™m often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. Iโ€™m going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.

  2. From what I gleaned in this article, the higher the Karat, the higher the Gold content, the price and the investment prospect. It really seems good specially now that Gold is on the uptick. Gold prices has never gone down. Real estate on the other hand has not been known to go down through the years, but lately it has… Therefore, Gold and precious metals are now the more stable investment… Got to go and tell the wifey…

    Ohhh by the way, thanks for this very informative article… be buying soon… from Eligius of course…

    • Thanks for sharing your insights! It’s true that higher Karat gold indicates higher gold content, which can influence price and investment potential, especially with gold prices rising. While real estate has seen fluctuations recently, gold and precious metals seem more stable now. Glad you found the article helpful, and happy investing with Eligius!

  3. Simply desire to say your article is as surprising The clearness in your post is simply excellent and i could assume you are an expert on this subject Fine with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post Thanks a million and please carry on the gratifying work

  4. I know a lot of folks whom I think would really enjoy your content that covers in depth. I just hope you wouldn’t mind if I share your blog to our community. Thanks, and feel free to surf my website Webemail24 for content about Blogging.

    • Of course, please do! It’s nice to know that this article has benefited you and those whom you would enjoy this content!

    • Hello, glad to hear that you found this article helpful! Please feel free to browse the rest of the blogs I made. Additionally, our jewelry collection crafted in 18k, 21k and 22k gold might be of interest to you.. they are worth exploring too! Thank you once again for leaving a note, it is appreciated!

  5. In this comprehensive gold purity guide, we will look into the world of gold purity, explore the karat system and fineness, and demystify the various factors that influence goldโ€™s purity.

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

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