14 KARAT GOLD VS. 24 KARAT GOLD

We’ve got a confession to make. We may look super cool with our beautifully designed collections (thanks to our brilliant Creative Director, Gina Love) and carefully curated website filled with inspiring photography and artistic layouts, but deep down, we’re nerds. But not just any kind of nerd. We are Gold Nerds. To be specific, and this may be stating the obvious, we love gold. Especially the incredibly rich history, provenance, and rarity of pure gold.

Our expertise as purveyors of 22 karat gold jewelry and 24 karat gold jewelry goes well beyond the look of our handcrafted pieces. We work exclusively with 22 karat gold and 24 karat gold because they are the purest forms of gold, and they look and feel unique, especially when compared to other qualities such as 14 and 18 karat gold.

We receive many questions about 22 karat gold jewelry and 24 karat gold jewelry, such as ‘why is 24 karat gold jewelry special?’ or ‘what’s the difference between 14 karat gold jewelry and 24 karat gold jewelry?’ We’d like to take this opportunity to clarify what the differences are between 14, 18, 22, and 24 karat gold jewelry. As fellow jewelry lovers, we think it’s essential that you know exactly what you’re buying when you invest in an Auvere piece and why our gold jewelry is unique, so we did a little number crunching for you.

14 KARAT GOLD JEWELRY

14 karat gold jewelry is the most popular caratage for jewelry in the United States and other Western countries. The term “caratage” refers to the purity of gold content.
14 karat gold jewelry contains only 58% pure gold. The other 42% is a combined alloy of other metals like silver, copper, palladium and nickel.
Because of this high alloy content and the resulting hardness of the resulting metal, 14 karat gold is often paired with gemstones where prongs are used to hold the stone.
While high alloy content increases the durability and reduces the price of 14 karat gold when compared to high caratage jewelry such as 18 karat gold, 22 karat gold and 24 karat gold, such high alloy content may cause skin allergies in people who have sensitivities to other metals.
Because of the lower percentage of pure gold in 14 karat gold jewelry, such jewelry is durable and wears well for everyday use.
Unlike 22 karat gold jewelry and 24 karat gold jewelry, however, 14 karat gold jewelry tarnishes and doesn’t hold much value on its own.

18 KARAT GOLD JEWELRY

Comprised of 75% pure gold, 18 karat gold jewelry is more expensive and has a greater store of value than 14 karat gold jewelry.
18 karat gold jewelry has a warm yellow color, but may be mixed with other alloys to achieve a white gold appearance or a rose gold shade.
Because 18 karat gold contains a 25% alloy of other metals, it is durable and suitable for daily use.
18 karat gold jewelry may scratch if not handled with consideration as it is softer than 14 karat gold.
Much like 14 karat gold, 18 karat gold is often used for jewelry designed with gemstones.

22 KARAT GOLD JEWELRY

It’s intense yellow color sets 22 karat gold jewelry apart from pieces 14 and 18 karat gold jewelry.
Comprised of 91.67% pure gold, 22 karat gold jewelry comes with a higher price tag, but that’s because it contains a lot more gold and looks downright luxe.
22 karat gold jewelry shares many of the same properties as pure 24 karat gold jewelry. Because of its high content of pure gold, 22 karat gold jewelry is softer than 14 and 18 karat gold jewelry; however, 22 karat gold jewelry remains an excellent choice for everyday use when handled with reasonable care.
22 karat gold jewelry does not tarnish and is not subject to discoloration.
22 karat gold jewelry is highly coveted in many countries around the world, including Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, India and China and is considered to be an investment.
22 karat gold is growing in popularity in the USA and Canada.

24 KARAT GOLD JEWELRY

At 99.99% pure gold, 24 karat gold jewelry is the purest, rarest, and most valuable among all the qualities.
Because of its purity, 24 karat gold jewelry will have the highest cost, but also holds the highest value and, like 22 karat gold jewelry, can be considered an investment.
24 karat gold jewelry has a deeply saturated color that is unlike other gold qualities because it is not alloyed with any other metal.
Pure gold is inherently soft and malleable, so gold jewelry made in 24 karat gold should be treated with care. Over time, pieces crafted in 24 karat gold will gently mold to your finger or wrist.
While 24 karat jewelry does not tarnish or discolor, one should always take extra care not to expose these pieces to water or harsh chemicals.
Historically, ancient civilizations preferred the richness and quality of 24 karat gold jewelry over other lower qualities.
24 karat jewelry is highly coveted in many countries, including, India, Turkey, Greece, Brazil, Argentina, and China.