"Carat" is the weight measurement for a diamond.
"Karat" is the purity measurement of gold.
24 karat is pure gold, but it is too soft to be used for creating fine jewelry. In order to give gold the durability needed for jewelry, it is alloyed with other metals.
The karatage of the jewelry will tell you what percentage of gold it contains: 24 karat is 100% gold, 18 karat is 75% gold, and 14 karat is 58% gold. 10 karat gold, which is 42% gold, is the legal limit that is considered as real gold in the United States.
When comparing gold jewelry, the higher the number of karats, the greater the value.
Most of our jewelry are set in 14 karat or 18 karat gold, both of which are suitable for fine jewelry.
Karat Markings
When buying gold jewelry, always look for the karat mark. The karat mark will tell you the purity of gold in that piece of jewelry. 14-karat gold is marked "14k" or "585," the European designation meaning 58.5% gold. 18-karat gold is marked "18k" or "750," the European designation meaning 75% gold.
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