Understanding Gold Purity

Gold purity is a measure of how much pure gold is present in a gold item. It is typically expressed in karats (K) or as a percentage. Pure gold is 24 karats, meaning it is 100% gold. However, pure gold is quite soft and not suitable for most jewelry, so it is often mixed with other metals to create an alloy. Here are the common karat levels and their corresponding gold content:

• 24K: 100% pure gold

• 22K: 91.67% gold [916 Hallmarked Gold Ornaments]

• 18K: 75% gold

• 14K: 58.33% gold

• 10K: 41.67% gold

The higher the karat, the more gold content the item has, and consequently, the higher its value