The gold guide - the meaning of karat markings and it's use in jewelry
You were always wondering what is the meaning of the gold karat marks on jewelry? What is the difference between 9, 14, 18 9r 24 karat gold markings?
What is the difference between carat and karat?
You’ve certainly come across the term carat or karat before, but you may got confused, as although the pronunciation is the same, but then why it is written differently? Is the meaning is the same? Well, when it comes to jewelry made of gold and diamonds, the word karat or carat is interpreted differently: carat is a unit of measure used to measure the weight of precious stones (e.g., diamonds), and karat is a notation used to express the degree of fineness of a gold alloy.
This blog article is specifically dedicated for the purity of gold, so if you are interested in the carat measurement of diamonds, please visit to a separate page on our site - The Diamond Guide where we explain in detail the 4 main characteristics of a diamond, including the carat weight (carat, abbreviation: ct.).
What is the gold and since when it is in use?
Gold is a typically yellow precious metal which can be found in it's elemental state in the nature. The symbol of gold is Au, which stands for Aurum - a latin origin word.
Gold has been known since the beginning of history and played an important role in world trade when the monetary system was introduced. Gold proved to be the perfect currency as its mining was time consuming and at the same time costly, which not only made it attractive in the eyes of the people but also enabled the market to use it as a form of regulatory tool.
The gold purity markings in jewelry (9k, 14k, 18k and 24 karat)
Gold metal is considered to be too soft material which can break and bend easily, therefore jewelry is rarely made by using only pure gold by itself.
As a result, when producing engagement rings, necklaces, bracelets, or any other jewelry made of gold, the gold is mixed with other alloys to make it stronger and more wear-resistant. Gold is mostly mixed with other metals such as silver, nickel, copper or zinc.
This is how the 9, 14, 18 and 24 karat purity markingswere created, because they indicate to us how much pure gold consists a certain jewelry.
24 karat = 24/24 = 1000/1000, 100% of the jewelry is pure gold.
18 karat = 18/24 = 750/1000, 75% of the jewelry is pure gold, the remaining 25% are other metals.
14 karat = 14/24 = 585/1000, 58,5% of the jewelry is pure gold, the remaining 41,5% are other metals.
9 karat = 9/24 = 375/1000, 37,5% of the jewelry is pure gold, the remaining 62,5% are other metals.
The use of gold purity markings worldwide
“Everyhouse has different customs and traditions.”- the same is true for the karat numbers of jewelry made of gold. In Far Eastern cultures (e.g. China or India) the 24 karat (i.e. jewelry made of pure gold) is very popular, while the exact opposite is true for Australia, where 9 karats with a lower gold content are more demanded. Europe is mixed: in Italy for example, where quality plays an important role, 18 karats is the winner, while in the local domestic market of Hungary the standard 14 karat gold jewelry takes the first place.
Final words
Best Diamond's engagement rings are followingthe golden routeand made of 14 and 18 karat gold. By this, they carry quality and value and simultaneously become stronger and more durable. On top of that they receive an additional rhodium coating which extends the jewelry's life expectancy.
If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to get in touch!
Milan Banyai diamond broker