Understanding Gold Purity: Your Complete Karat Guide

Gold purity is one of the most important factors in determining the value of your jewelry. Understanding karats and gold content helps you make informed decisions when buying or selling gold pieces. ## What Are Karats? Karat (K or kt) is the measure of gold purity. Pure gold is 24 karats, meaning it's 100% gold with no other metals mixed in. However, pure gold is very soft and impractical for most jewelry, which is why it's often alloyed with other metals. ## Common Gold Purities **24K Gold (99.9% pure)** - The highest purity gold available - Too soft for most jewelry applications - Commonly used for investment bars and coins - Rich, deep yellow color **22K Gold (91.7% pure)** - Very high purity, popular in Middle Eastern and Asian jewelry - Still relatively soft but more durable than 24K - Maintains a rich gold color **18K Gold (75% pure)** - Excellent balance of purity and durability - Popular for fine jewelry worldwide - Available in yellow, white, and rose gold - Strong enough for daily wear **14K Gold (58.3% pure)** - Very popular in the United States and Australia - Highly durable and affordable - Great for everyday jewelry - Good resale value **9K Gold (37.5% pure)** - Common in Australian and British jewelry - Most durable gold alloy - More affordable option - May tarnish over time due to higher base metal content ## How to Identify Gold Purity Look for hallmarks stamped inside rings, on clasps, or on the back of jewelry: - 24K, 999, or 1.000 - 22K, 916, or 0.916 - 18K, 750, or 0.750 - 14K, 585, or 0.585 - 9K, 375, or 0.375 ## Impact on Value When selling gold, purity directly affects the price you'll receive. A 10-gram 18K gold ring contains 7.5 grams of pure gold, while a 10-gram 9K ring contains only 3.75 grams of pure gold. Buyers calculate payment based on the actual gold content. At Aurelia, we test all gold items using professional XRF technology to determine exact purity and provide transparent, fair pricing based on current market rates.