Pure gold is soft: too soft to hold a stone securely or survive daily wear. So jewellery gold is an alloy, mixed with other metals for strength and colour. The karat number tells you how much of it is gold.
Karats, in plain numbers
Karat is measured out of 24.
- 24k is pure gold (99.9%). Rich in colour, but soft, and rarely used for rings.
- 18k is 75% gold. A warm, luxurious colour with enough strength for fine jewellery.
- 14k is 58.5% gold. Paler, harder and less expensive; popular for everyday pieces.
- 9k is 37.5% gold. The most durable and affordable, with a softer colour.
A higher karat means more gold, richer colour and a higher price; a lower karat means more strength. Neither is better. They are simply different.
Yellow, white and rose
The colour of gold comes from what it is mixed with. Copper warms it into rose gold. White gold is alloyed with whiter metals and usually finished with a thin layer of rhodium for its bright shine. That layer wears gradually, so white gold benefits from being re-plated every so often.
Plated and vermeil
Gold-plated jewellery has a thin layer of gold over a base metal such as brass. Vermeil is gold over sterling silver, usually with a thicker layer. Both give the look of gold at a gentler price, but the layer will wear with time and friction. Treat them gently and keep them away from water and perfume.
How to read a hallmark
Look inside a ring band or near a clasp for a small stamp. Gold is often marked with its karat (18K, 14K) or its purity in thousandths: 750 for 18k, 585 for 14k, 375 for 9k. Vermeil is often marked 925, which refers to the sterling silver underneath.
How we label metal
Every listing in the house names the metal plainly: 18k gold, gold vermeil, gold-plated. Never a vague “gold tone”. If you are ever unsure, ask us.
