Gold Karats

750 Gold

The proportion of ‘fine gold’ in jewelry is expressed in parts per thousand called karats, for example 18 karats (18K). The content of fine gold in pure gold is 1000 parts per thousand, or 24 karats, which is theoretically 100% gold.

Pure gold is very soft, so in order to make it more resilient for the creation of jewelry, one or more metals is added to it.

In jewelry, the term most commonly used is ‘750 gold’ (18 karats or 75% gold and 25% other metals).

Gold jewelry karatage values below 24 is a measure of the quantity of gold in the gold alloy. So 18ct is 18/24ths of 100% gold = 75.0% gold. In terms of fineness, this is expressed as 750 fineness, i.e. 750 parts of gold per thousand parts.

So, 24 karat gold is pure gold, 18 karat is 75% gold, 14 Karat is 58.5% gold and 10 karat is 41% gold. Karat with a K refers to the purity of the gold. (Carat with a C is for gemstones)

The karatage values of jewelry allowed by law varies from country to country

Colors

‘750 gold’ jewelry contains 25% of other metals (fine silver, copper, palladium). It is the proportion of those other metals that give gold its different colors: white gold, yellow gold or pink/rose gold.