10 Karat Gold

To increase the hardness and durability of gold jewelry, gold is combined with other minerals such as silver, palladium, nickel, zinc and copper. The amount of pure gold in these compounds, called alloys, is determined through the measuring unit called karat.

Weighing approximately one gram, a karat is strictly measured in units of 24, with 1 having the least pure gold content, and 24 being the most pure and therefore the most expensive. The karat weight is determined by how much pure gold is in the alloy as opposed to the other metal. Eighteen karat gold, for example, is 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts alloy (75%); A 14 karat gold ring is 14 parts pure gold and 10 parts alloy (58.33%); and a 10k gold bracelet is comprised of 10 parts of gold and 14 parts of one or more additional metals (41.7%). The higher the gold content, the higher the piece of jewelry is worth.

Of the gold alloys, 10 karat gold is the most impure form. In the United States, 10k gold is the minimum karat that can be called “gold”. As 10kt gold has the lowest pure gold content, it is therefore the least expensive. But the fact that 10 kt gold has a higher alloy content means it is also the most durable, which makes it highly ideal for jewelry. Being stronger and harder, 10k gold rings, 10k gold bracelets, 10k gold chains and other types of 10k gold jewelry would not tend to break or bend with frequent use.

Silver, copper, or nickel is typically used for 10k gold alloys. In the case of 10k gold alloys, the color of the gold jewelry is determined by the other metal. Gold alloyed with copper, for instance, can end up having reddish hues or rose tones. As the said colors tend to be attractive around the neck, copper is popular for use in 10k gold necklaces.

On the other hand, gold jewelry with silver and nickel alloys tends to be much lighter and brighter. Silver or nickel is the metal used in 10k white gold. Typically, 10kt white gold is composed of 10 parts of pure gold and 14 parts silver or nickel or a combination of the two elements. Palladium can also be substituted for nickel, since nickel is known to cause an allergic reaction in some people. However, since refining palladium can be expensive, the cost of 10 karat white gold pieces alloyed with this metal tend be higher.