SolveYourProblem 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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SolveYourProblem.com : 2008

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