What does "karat" mean?
Karat is defined as "a measure of the purity of gold, pure gold being 24 karats".
Since 24k gold is the purest form of gold, anything less than 24k is considered an "alloy". An alloy is a mix of metallic elements and depending on the precious metal content, the alloy has a grade, represented as numbers and letters(14k, 925) stamped on a piece of jewelry.
"Karat" is used to grade the purity of gold. The lower the karat, the less gold is present in the alloy. Other metals present in gold, silver or platinum alloys can change things like durability, affordability and color.
The most common karats are 10k (41.7% gold), 14k (58.3% gold), 18k (75% gold) and 22k (91.7% gold) with 24k(99.9% pure gold)
How does karat affect color?
The higher percentage of gold present in an alloy, the more intense of a yellow color it will possess.
Switching up what secondary metals are present in an alloy, however, can change the color. Rose gold for example, gets its pink color by the presence of copper in the alloy. White gold can get its color from the inclusion of nickel, silver, zinc or palladium (Lackadazee uses palladium white gold exclusively) in an alloy.
While many people associate white gold with a bright, shining color, white gold in its raw form actually has a yellowish, gray tint. The iconic, bright look of white gold most of us are familiar with is achieved through a process called rhodium plating. It's important to note that rhodium plating takes maintenance, and generally speaking, white gold jewelry with this treatment needs attention every 1-2 years to maintain its color.
Do you have any other questions on gold?
We hope this article has been informative and takes away the mystery of purchasing gold. We love what we do and encourage you to reach out if you have questions.
Stay gold, ya'll.
