Gold jewelry – 14 or 18 carats?

24 carat gold is the benchmark by which gold is measured. It is considered “pure gold”, even if there’s not really any such thing. All other gold is therefore measured as a fraction of those 24 parts. So 18 carats is 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy (to make 24), and 14 carat is therefore 14 carats pure gold and 10 parts alloy.

Science club over, let’s consider what gold is right for you!

18 carat gold

This type of gold – when used for jewelry at least – is usually reserved for very expensive and special pieces, like engagement rings. The reason for this, aside the from value, is that it’s very tarnish resistant. However, it comes at the cost of durability. The most common problems are scratches to its surface and damage to clasps and claws holding your precious gems!

The case for 14 carat gold jewelry

• We use 14 carat gold in our jewelry. Why? For these reasons:
• A great balance between durability, beauty, and value.
• It’s less likely to tarnish than 9 carat and gold-plated.
• It’s also a teensy-weensy bit less yellow than 18 carat, which we like, and hope you do too!
• It’s more affordable for those occasions outside of engagements, of which there are many worth celebrating!

What about 24 carat gold jewelry then?

This is the yellowest and purest of golds, but it’s not great for jewelry. It’s so malleable and soft (LINK TO PREVIOUS BLOG AGAIN), that it doesn’t really work for jewelry. Can you imagine trying to create fine and detailed clasps and patterns using thin little bits of bendy gold? No, we couldn’t either!

Finding the right gold jewelry for you

Finding the right gold jewelry is a very personal thing. Whether you’re buying for yourself or someone else, you should check the carats to understand the pros and cons. In simplest terms, the purer, the less likely to tarnish, but that comes at the cost of durability and strength.

We like 14 carat as our jewelry is intentionally feminine and pure but, like women, strong.