GOLD: Karat Ratings & Colours

Pure gold is a relatively soft metal that can easily be moulded and bent into a desired shape. To prevent finished jewellery from being damaged jewellers do not typically use pure gold but instead will use an alloy (a mixture of metals, including gold). There are a range of gold alloys used in the industry and each is given a karat (k) rating indicating how much pure gold is in the alloy mixture. The more gold in the mixture, the higher the price and its ability to bend. 18k is the gold alloy of choice for most jewellers as it is a compromise between strength and value. Below is a list of common gold alloys with their pure gold content as a percentage.

• 9K (37.5%)
• 14K (58.3%)
• 18K (75.0%)
• 22K (91.7%)
• 24K (99.9%)

Gold also comes in multiple colours depending on the metals that it is alloyed with. Rose gold has a pink colour and is an alloy of gold and copper, whereas white gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal (usually nickel, silver or palladium).