Karat Clarity: Choosing Your Wedding Band

When it comes to wedding bands, gold is a popular choice. But what does karat mean, and how does it affect your ring selection? Karat refers to the percentage or amount of pure gold in a piece of jewellery. Pure gold, or 24 karats, is too soft and malleable for everyday wear, so it is mixed with other metals to create a durable alloy for jewellery. The higher the karat number, the more gold is present in the ring, and the richer the yellow colour. Common karat options for wedding bands include 9K, 10K, 14K, and 18K. While 9K gold, containing 37.5% gold, is rarely labelled as gold jewellery, 10K gold, with 41.6% gold, offers a balance between price and durability. 14K gold, containing 58% or 58.3% gold, is a popular choice due to its durability and affordability. For a richer colour and higher gold content, 18K gold, with 75% gold, is a good option, although it is more expensive and less durable. Ultimately, when choosing a wedding band, consider factors such as lifestyle, budget, and personal preference for the weight and colour of the ring.

18-karat gold is 75% pure gold

When it comes to wedding bands, gold is a popular choice. It is available in various shades and karats. Karats are a unit of measurement for the amount of pure gold in a piece of jewellery. Pure gold is 24 karats and is too soft to be made into a durable and lasting wedding ring, so gold wedding bands consist of alloy metals and gold. The number in front of the K indicates the amount of gold in a ring based on this 24K scale.

An 18-karat gold wedding band contains 75% pure gold and is an excellent mix of purity, value, and beauty. The remaining 25% is made up of alloys, which can include silver, copper, and nickel. These alloys give the gold durability, making it strong enough to resist significant dents and scratches. The higher the gold content, the softer the metal will be, so 18-karat gold is a good balance of purity and durability.

The colour of 18-karat gold can vary depending on the composition of the alloys. For example, 18-karat rose gold jewellery will have a higher amount of copper, giving it a rosy glow. On the other hand, 18-karat white gold is made up largely of silver or platinum. Yellow gold, the most accurate colour of gold, is typically an alloy of pure gold, copper, and nickel.

In addition to its durability, 18-karat gold is also less likely to trigger skin conditions or reactions, making it a good choice for individuals with metal allergies. The higher gold percentage also gives the jewellery a richer, more vibrant colour, perfect for showcasing any diamonds or gemstones.

Overall, 18-karat gold is a popular choice for wedding bands due to its balance of purity, durability, and beauty. It is important to consider your lifestyle and budget when choosing a wedding band, but 18-karat gold is a great option for those looking for a durable and hypoallergenic piece with a rich colour.

14-karat gold is 58-58.3% pure gold

When it comes to wedding bands, gold is a popular choice. However, pure gold is too soft and malleable to be used in its purest form, so it is mixed with other metals to create an alloy that is durable enough for everyday wear. This process is called alloying. The higher the karat of gold, the higher the percentage of gold in the alloy, and the easier it is to scratch or dent.

A 14-karat gold wedding band contains 58-58.3% pure gold and is a popular choice for those seeking a balance between durability and purity. It is made up of 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy metals, such as copper, zinc, silver, or nickel. The higher amount of alloyed metals in 14-karat gold makes it more resistant to wear and tear than higher karat gold alloys, and its hardness and durability make it ideal for daily wear, especially for those with active lifestyles. It is also usually less expensive than other higher karat gold options.

The colour of 14-karat gold is often a paler yellow due to the lower saturation of gold. While 18-karat gold has a richer, more intense colour, the difference is more noticeable in rings that showcase a great deal of the gold. In rings with intricate designs or a high number of tiny diamonds, it is more difficult to tell the difference between 14- and 18-karat gold. Therefore, 14-karat gold is recommended for complex ring styles and rings with larger stones, as the stronger metal is less likely to let the stones fall out.

In terms of weight, 14-karat gold rings are lighter than 18-karat gold rings, which some people, especially men, may prefer. Additionally, 14-karat gold is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than lower karat gold, as you move towards purer gold with fewer alloy metals.

Overall, 14-karat gold, with its 58-58.3% pure gold composition, offers a good balance of beauty, practicality, and affordability, making it a popular choice for wedding bands.

10-karat gold is 41.6% pure gold

When it comes to wedding bands, gold is a popular choice. Gold purity is measured in karats, with pure gold being 24 karats. However, pure gold is too soft and malleable for everyday wear, so it is usually mixed with other metals to create gold alloys of varying karats for use in jewellery. The higher the karat of gold, the higher the percentage of pure gold in the alloy, and the easier it is for the jewellery to scratch or dent.

A 10-karat gold wedding band contains 41.6% pure gold, with a ratio of 10 parts gold to 14 parts alloy metals. This type of gold is the least pure and the least expensive form of gold used in jewellery. It is also the most durable form of gold due to its low gold content. 10-karat gold is very difficult to scratch, scuff, or bend, making it a good choice for those who work in environments with hard surfaces that could damage their jewellery. However, 10-karat gold has a pale appearance, with a less rich yellow tone than higher karat gold. It is also more likely to trigger skin irritation in individuals with allergies to certain metals such as copper, silver, nickel, zinc, or iron.

In the United States, 10-karat gold is the legal minimum accepted standard of gold caratage. However, in countries such as France, the UK, Austria, Portugal, and Ireland, the lowest caratage permitted to be labelled as gold is 9 karats, which contains 37.5% gold.

10-karat gold is a good option for those who want a durable wedding band that is also affordable. However, it is important to consider the trade-off between durability and the rich colour of higher karat gold. For those who want a brighter yellow colour in their wedding band, a higher karat gold, such as 14-karat or 18-karat gold, may be a better choice.

Pure gold is too soft for jewellery

Pure gold, or 24 karat gold, is too soft to be used for jewellery, especially for wedding bands. This softness is due to gold's malleability and ductility, which means it can be easily deformed. Gold is the most malleable metal known to humans and could be hammered into sheets so thin that a pile of them an inch high would contain more than 200,000 separate sheets.

The softness of pure gold means that it is not suitable for use in jewellery that needs to hold precious stones in place. For example, a ring containing 24 karat gold could easily lose its grip on a diamond and allow it to slip or fall out. Therefore, jewellers usually use gold with a lower karat rating, which is harder and better able to withstand daily wear and tear.

Gold with a lower karat rating is an alloy, mixed with other metals such as copper, silver, platinum, or zinc. The addition of these metals makes the gold harder and less likely to scratch or dent. For example, 18 karat gold is 75% gold and 25% alloy metals, while 14 karat gold contains 58% gold and 42% non-gold metals.

The ideal karat rating for a wedding band depends on various factors, such as durability, colour, weight, and price. 14 karat gold is a popular choice for wedding bands due to its durability and affordability, while 18 karat gold is preferred by those who want a richer colour and a heavier ring.

Gold is mixed with other metals to increase durability

Pure gold, or 24-karat gold, is too soft and malleable to be used for jewellery, especially wedding bands, which need to be durable enough for everyday wear. Therefore, gold is mixed with other metals to increase its hardness and make it suitable for jewellery. This process is called alloying.

The higher the karat of gold, the higher the percentage of gold in the item. For example, 18-karat gold has 75% gold, while 14-karat gold has 58% or 58.3% gold. The remaining percentage is made up of other metals, which are mixed with the gold to increase its durability.

The most common metals that are mixed with gold are zinc, copper, and silver. Copper is mixed with gold to create rose gold, and also makes the alloy more scratch-resistant. Silver is also sometimes used, and white gold is often achieved by mixing gold with silver, nickel, and palladium.

The higher the karat of gold, the less durable it is, so 10-karat and 14-karat gold are often considered the best choices for wedding bands as they are the most scratch-resistant.

Frequently asked questions