Carats – or Karats (US) – are a unit of measurement used to describe how pure gold is. The purity (or fineness) of gold is determined by how many parts pure gold it is and how many parts other metals. The number of parts used is 24 – we know; an odd choice!
One carat gold, therefore, would be approximately 4% pure gold and 96% other metals. 24-carat gold will be 100% pure gold with nothing else added. Carats are important to know the purity of the gold you’re buying. Why are other metals mixed with gold? There are many reasons different metals are mixed with gold to create gold alloys. For example, jewellery makers often mix gold with other metals because pure gold is too soft to work with. That’s why many types of jewellery are 14 or 18-carat gold. Choosing jewellery using the carat system Although 24-carat gold is often thought of as ‘the best’ because it’s pure gold, 24-carat jewellery is more likely to get scratched and bend than gold alloys. So, if you do buy 24-carat gold jewellery, it’s best to save it for special occasions to make it last. 14 carats is perfect for the jewellery you’ll be wearing every day. It’s the most common choice for wedding bands and engagement rings because the jewellery still has a high percentage of gold but isn’t easily damaged. However, anything below 14 carats becomes lower quality and will often be classed as ‘costume jewellery’. Most jewellers only stock gold items at 14 carats and higher. Hallmark vs. carats Only the British and Americans use carats to measure the purity of gold. In most of Europe, the hallmarking system is used instead. A hallmark is the percentage of gold in an alloy expressed as a 3-digit number. For example, a piece of jewellery that was 25% gold would be hallmark 250. If a piece of jewellery was a third pure gold, it would be hallmark 333. So, when you’re using the European system, the closest hallmark to 24 carats would be expressed as 999. Most jewellery would be 583 (14 carats) or 750 (18 carats). Carats – the difference between gold and gems Carats are used to measure both gold and gems, but it’s important not to get the two confused. When measuring gold, the term ‘carat’ determines how pure (or ‘fine’) the gold is. For gems, carats measure the weight. In the gem world, a carat is 1/5th of a gram. Specialists in gems will use carats to decide how valuable gems are and gem jewellers will use carats to know what size of setting to use. But remember, for gold, carats are used only to say how much of an alloy is gold and how much is other metals. 24 carat = 100% gold. Interested in gold? Gold is not an ancient commodity. It continues to have value today and be used in investment trading, to give special gifts, and to build a portfolio of assets. Find out more on my homepage.
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AuthorPhilip Speed is a lover of all things gold, from its history and place in myth to its role in our modern economy. As a representative of Karatbars, he knows why you should be saving in gold. ArchivesCategories |