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Article Series: Jewelry
A Quick Education On Jewelry
Gold,
Karats and Gold Jewelry Standards
Because gold is usually mixed with other metals
to give it hardness and strength it is important to be able
to determine how much of the piece is truly gold. The blend
of metals is called an alloy. Karats, abbreviated Kt or K,
are used as a measure of the fineness or purity of gold.
The word karat is derived from the Arab word qirat, the Italian
word carato, or the Greek word keration. All of these words
refer to the fruit of a carob tree. Karats get their name because
many years ago seeds from carob trees were used to balance
the scales to weigh gems and gold. The more pure gold and the
fewer alloys that are in a piece is reflected by a higher number
of karats.
The
amount of pure gold in a piece of jewelry is measure in karats. 24
karat gold is considered pure gold. It is 99.999
percent pure. This gold is bright yellow. While it is beautiful
it is usually too soft to be used effectively in jewelry. It
is also more expensive then jewelry with lesser karat gold
in it. Gold that is 100 percent pure does exist; however, it
is not practical to refine and is therefore not usually
used in jewelry.
Eighteen
karat gold is 75 percent pure gold and 25 percent
other metals. It is usually marked as 18k or 750. 18 karat
gold is the gold of choice in Europe
Fourteen
karat gold is made of 58.3 percent pure gold and
is currently the most popular gold karat jewelry purchased
in the United States. It is usually marked on jewelry as 14k
or 583.
Twelve
karat gold is comprised of 50 percent pure gold. The
remaining 50 percent is made up of other metals, adding to
its strength, durability and affordability.
Ten
karat gold is made up of 41.7 percent pure gold and is
currently the minimum amount of karats required to still be
considered gold in the United States.
By law, gold jewelry in the United States will be marked with
its karat quality. Somewhere near the karat mark you should
see a registered trademark of the maker of the piece. The item
may also be marked with the country of origin. The markings
on the jewelry are in place with the purpose of assuring buyers
that they are purchasing quality jewelry. The mark should also
help assure that the jewelry is of the karatage that is displayed
on the marking.
In Europe, the jewelry is marked with a number indicating
which percentage of it that is actually gold. For example,
a 14 karat gold piece is marked with the numbers 585 to indicate
that the 58.5 percent of the piece is pure gold.
The color of a gold piece of jewelry can be changed depending
on what other metals are present in the alloy blend. Therefore,
the lower the amount of karats in a piece, the more opportunities
there are for different colors to be introduced.
The term karat is commonly confused with the term carat. While
these words are similar in the way they are pronounced they
are quite different in their meanings. A karat measures the
purity of a gold piece. However, a carat is defined as a unit
of measurement describing the weight of a diamond or other
gemstone. This measurement is usually portrayed in grams.
The pricing of gold jewelry is usually based primarily on
karatage. However, other factors such as design, craftsmanship,
condition, and gram weight should be considered as well. Knowing
about what each karat means when it comes to the quality of
the jewelry will help you make informed purchases.
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: 2008
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