If you've had contact with jewelry, you've probably heard of various types of K gold such as 24K, 18K, 14K, 9K, and so on.
What do these numbers mean exactly?

Gold & Karat Gold

1 Karat Gold equals 1/24, which is 4.17% pure gold. By extension, 14K contains 58.3% pure gold, which can be understood as 14/24 being pure gold, with the remaining 10/24 being other alloys. Similarly, 18K contains 75% pure gold, understood as 18/24 being pure gold, with the remaining 6/24 being other alloys.

▎Unit of Measurement for Gold

In Taiwan, the common unit of gold weight is "taiqian," while in China and Japan, grams (Gram) are frequently used. In Europe and America, ounces (oz) are common.

1 taiqian = 3.75 grams

1 taiqian = 0.1 liang

1 ounce = 8.2944 taiqian = 31.1035 grams

Why are there different types of K gold, and what are the common types?

As explained earlier, the relationship between K gold and gold content is straightforward: the lower the K number, the lower the gold content.

Pure gold (24K or 999 Gold) is very soft and easily deformable, making it challenging to craft jewellery with. To enhance its hardness and durability, craftsmen historically added small amounts of metals like silver, copper, or zinc to pure gold. This alloying process allows for more refined and durable jewellery.

For example, 18K gold consists of 75% gold and 25% silver and copper. Depending on the proportion of silver and copper, different tones of 18K gold can be produced.

Common types of K gold, based on alloy ratios, include:

• 24K: Pure gold, comprising 99% gold
• 18K: 75% gold
• 14K: 58.5% gold
• 10K: 41.7% gold
• 9K: 37.5% gold

Different countries have varying conventions for indicating the gold content in jewellery. In Taiwan, for instance, common inscriptions include 750 for 18K, 585 for 14K, and 375 for 9K. In Japan, it's customary to directly mark jewellery with 9K, 14K, or 18K.

1. 14K、18K、24K Gold Characteristics

18K Gold is also the most commonly used Karat gold in jewellery making.

The primary reason for this is that, compared to pure gold, 18K gold has higher hardness. Additionally, with different proportions of alloy components, it can produce various tones such as yellow, white, or rose, commonly referred to as 18K yellow gold, 18K white gold, and 18K rose gold.

Common Karat gold colors include:

【 Yellow Gold 】: A yellow precious metal alloy composed of gold, copper, and silver.

【 White Gold 】: A white precious metal alloy made by adding palladium, silver, and other elements to gold.

【 Rose Gold 】: A red precious metal alloy created by mixing gold with copper and silver.

OYJ recommends 18K gold pieces.

OYJ 推薦 14K 金單品

OYJ 推薦 18K 金單品

For more inquiries about loose stones and K gold jewelry customization, you can schedule an appointment with the jewellery consultants at Olivia Yao Fine Jewellery Salon!

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