10K, 14K & 18K _ Which Gold Should You Buy - Aura Jewels

 When we speak of 10K and 20K in general terms, we would mean 10,000 and 20,000. But, in the world of gold, the “K” does not stand for “1000”; rather it stands for “Karat”. Karat is the unit that describes the purity of gold. Just like anything else, even gold can come in pure and adulterated varieties. But, when you look at a piece of gold, you may not know with your naked eyes whether the gold is pure or not. Any kind of gold may look magnificent and radiant. Then, how would you know whether the gold you are buying is actually pure!?

Understanding gold purity

As we all may know, 24K gold is considered as the purest form of gold. Then come 22K, 20K, and 18K, which are lower in value and price. Why? Because all these gold types are not pure. 24K gold is the purest form of gold, in which all the 24 parts of gold are only gold, with no traces of any other metal mixed into it. However, because it contains only gold, the material is very soft and pliable, and this is why it is not suitable for jewellery. 24K gold is thus seen in the form of bars and coins. For jewellery, 22K gold can be used, which is 22 parts of gold, and 2 parts of another metal like silver, nickel, and zinc, to add hardness to the metal, so that it can be moulded and formed into shapes and designs. But again, this 22K gold is a good choice for plain gold jewellery, but isn't suitable for jewellery that requires diamonds or stones to be studded. Then again, for that, there’s 18K gold, which is a mixture of 75% gold and 25% of other metals. Going below, there comes 14K and 10K, which constitute only approximately 58% and 42% gold respectively.

How to identify the purity of gold?

With so much difference in the gold purity, there’s also undoubtedly a significant difference in the price too! You should thus know what you are paying for, isn't it? You don’t want to pay the price of 22K carat gold for a 14K low value jewellery piece, do you?

The most common gold jewellery types that majority of people buy include 18K, 14K, and 10K. So, we’ll learn how to differentiate between the three. As we mentioned above, different forms of gold have different proportions of the metal. You can easily identify the purity of gold by taking a close look at the bar, coin, or jewellery in front of you, to look for an inscription. Every gold piece has its purity clearly labeled on it as it is mandatory for jewelers to mark Hallmark and Gold Karat on every gold piece. Thus, for instance, a gold piece will have the labels of 18K, 14K, or 10K marked prominently on it; or it may have the numbers 750, 583, and 417 to depict the Karats respectively.

Now that you know that every gold type is different, and how you can get the best form of gold to set within your budget, you should be in a better position to make the right purchase. There are different kinds of gold designed for every budget and occasion; so make your choice and walk into Aura Jewels, the most reliable customized gold jewellery shop in Bangalore, where you can get your own preferred design in your choicest gold and gemstone type, resting assured that you’ll only get what you want, and pay the right price for everything you buy.