Grasping Gold; What to consider when purchasing Gold Jewelry

photo of 18 kt gold ring with 5 gemstones leaves surrounded by images of gold rings

Gold has been used in jewelry making as early as 3000BC. Its luscious rich yellow tones in jewelry make it a prevalent choice. If you are considering enriching your jewelry collection by adding a gold piece, it is helpful to understand things to consider, such as what karat means in Gold? How is that different from Carat? Which Gold purity is best for jewelry? How to clean your gold jewelry at home?

While Karat (Kt) and Carat (c)sound identical, the terms differ. Karat is used to identify the percentage of pure gold in the alloy, and Carat is used to measure the mass volume in diamonds. 24 kt is pure Gold meaning 24 out of 24 parts are pure Gold. 18kt Gold contains 75% Gold, and 14kt Gold has 58.3% gold.

handcrafted 18 kt gold ring by Aprilierre Jewelry featureing two organic bands gold leaves with garnet, tanzenite, two alexandrite and emerald

When you consider jewelry in Gold, there are both advantages and disadvantages to consider. Such as your lifestyle? Are you super active? Do you tend to be hard on your jewelry? Then 14kt would be an excellent choice for you. It contains a higher percentage of alloyed metal, making it more durable and resistant to scratching.

10 mm Rose Cut Sapphire in 14kt gold setting and sterling silver band by Aprilierre Jewelry

14kt Gold has a rich gold and classic gold color but isn’t nearly yellow in tone as 18kt Gold. 14kt Rose gold will have a more pink gold appearance, whereas 18kt Rose gold is brassier.

18 kt gold Ring with garnet, tanzanite, alexandrite and emerald

18kt Gold has that luscious yellow Gold and is as close to pure Gold you can get in jewelry while maintaining durability for wearing. Another benefit of 18kt Gold is since it is almost pristine, there is less risk of the material causing skin irritation if you have a known nickel allergy.

10 kt Gold is another affordable option in jewelry making, and it is the most impure Gold while remaining “legally” Gold in the US and other countries. It has a very soft pale yellow color and has a much higher likeliness of provoking a metal allergy. You’ll likely find 10kt more often used in earrings and lower-end affordable jewelry and less suitable for engagement rings or fine jewelry due to its low gold content.

Will Gold Jewelry Tarnish?

Yes, just like your silver jewelry, gold is prone to tarnishing more rapidly when around certain chemicals. It is best to avoid wearing your jewelry in the shower or exposing it to chlorine; wearing it in hot tubs can permanently affect it.

An easy way to clean your gold jewelry at home is simply using the classic Blue Dawn dish soap and a little water and gently scrubbing it.

hands holding a ring and polishing with a blue sunshine cloth

You can also invest in sunshine polishing cloths which are great for cleaning up your jewelry.

image of two rings designed and made by Aprilierre Jewelry

February 20, 2022
Grasping Gold; What to consider when purchasing Gold Jewelry
By April Barnhart

Gold has been used in jewelry making as early as 3000BC. Its luscious rich yellow tones in jewelry make it a prevalent choice. If you are considering enriching your jewelry collection by adding a gold piece, it is helpful to understand things to consider, such as what karat means in Gold? How is that different from Carat? Which Gold purity is best for jewelry? How to clean your gold jewelry at home?

While Karat (Kt) and Carat (c)sound identical, the terms differ. Karat is used to identify the percentage of pure gold in the alloy, and Carat is used to measure the mass volume in diamonds. 24 kt is pure Gold meaning 24 out of 24 parts are pure Gold. 18kt Gold contains 75% Gold, and 14kt Gold has 58.3% gold.

When you consider jewelry in Gold, there are both advantages and disadvantages to consider. Such as your lifestyle? Are you super active? Do you tend to be hard on your jewelry? Then 14kt would be an excellent choice for you. It contains a higher percentage of alloyed metal, making it more durable and resistant to scratching.

14kt Gold has a rich gold and classic gold color but isn’t nearly yellow in tone as 18kt Gold. 14kt Rose gold will have a more pink gold appearance, whereas 18kt Rose gold is brassier.

18kt Gold has that luscious yellow Gold and is as close to pure Gold you can get in jewelry while maintaining durability for wearing. Another benefit of 18kt Gold is since it is almost pristine, there is less risk of the material causing skin irritation if you have a known nickel allergy.

10 kt Gold is another affordable option in jewelry making, and it is the most impure Gold while remaining “legally” Gold in the US and other countries. It has a very soft pale yellow color and has a much higher likeliness of provoking a metal allergy. You’ll likely find 10kt more often used in earrings and lower-end affordable jewelry and less suitable for engagement rings or fine jewelry due to its low gold content.

Will Gold Jewelry Tarnish?

Yes, just like your silver jewelry, gold is prone to tarnishing more rapidly when around certain chemicals. It is best to avoid wearing your jewelry in the shower or exposing it to chlorine; wearing it in hot tubs can permanently affect it.

An easy way to clean your gold jewelry at home is simply using the classic Blue Dawn dish soap and a little water and gently scrubbing it.

You can also invest in sunshine polishing cloths which are great for cleaning up your jewelry.

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Grasping Gold; What to consider when purchasing Gold Jewelry

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