What is 1O karat gold?
It's hard to be an informed shopper if you don't know what karat gold is, so let's make sure we're on the same page. A karat is a unit of fineness for gold. The purest form of gold is 24 karat, meaning 24 out of 24 parts, or 99.999%, is gold.
All other karats of gold are gold alloys— a mixture of pure gold and other metals. 10k gold is 10 parts pure gold and 14 parts other metals, or 41.667% pure gold.
What's the difference between solid gold, gold vermeil and gold filled?
The takeaway: 1O karat gold has more other metals than pure gold
- The affordable price point often associated with 10 karat gold is because it's more other metals (58.3%) than pure gold.
- People with metal allergies/sensitivities may experience a skin reaction because of the metal composition.
Buying 10k, 14k, or 18k gold jewelry is a personal and financial preference. I choose to sell a minimum of 14k because I want gold to be the majority in my designs.
🥂Cheers to being an informed shopper! Check out my shop here.
