The karat mark tells you several things. First, that it's real gold, providing it's combined with a manufacturer's trademark.
The karat mark also tells you the percentage of pure gold in the piece. 24K is 100% gold. Soft and somewhat easily damaged, it's not often used in gold jewelry today. Instead, gold is alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver, nickel and zinc to give it strength and durability.
10K is 41.7% gold.
14K is 58.3% gold.
18K is 75% gold.
The higher the karatage, the richer the color will be.
Different proportions of alloys are what gives gold its rose, green or white coloration. Because of this, gold is fashioned in many designs and combinations to give very distinct and fashion-forward looks. No type of gold is better than another, so choose by your own personal preference.
The luxury of yellow gold is timeless. From civilizations past to the modern trends of today, yellow gold has always been the metal of choice. As mentioned earlier, 24-karat is the purest state of gold and is much too soft for jewelry. Therefore it is combined with common alloys to add strength and enhance its luster and longevity. The result is the bright distinctive luster and sunny warmth so classically loved and cherished by so many.
Similar to yellow gold in strength and resilience, white gold results when yellow gold is combined with copper, zinc, palladium, silver, or nickel alloys. Where yellow gold is a combination of brass and tin, white gold contains silver and palladium or nickel. These alloys give white gold its unique color. White gold will never mirror the pure white color of platinum because the base metal of white gold is actually yellow gold. Traditionally, white gold is rhodium-plated to give it extra lustre. Rhodium-plating does wear down with normal jewelry wear and occasionally needs to be re-applied to keep it's clean crisp look similar to that of platinum. Quite popular, white gold adds to any wardrobe with its clean look and cosmopolitan style.
By far the most common trend of today is the combination of both yellow and white gold. Such a union beckons for attention with soft yellow gold competing with modern white gold. Eye-catching alone, or stunning when paired with a diamond or gemstone, fierce two-tone gold demands appreciation for the high contrast, high-fashion look.
