Carat / Karat Weight

It is not uncommon for people to interchangeably use the words carat and karat. The term carat is usually used as a unit of weight measurement for gemstones and pearls. A carat is equal to 200 milligrams, and it is used to indicate the weight of most precious stones because they are much easier to use compared to grams. A diamond that weighs 900 milligrams, for instance, can instead be classified as a gemstone in the 4-carat range. With the unit carat, diamonds and other precious stones have a category they could all fit into.

On the other hand, a karat is commonly used for gold. Simply put, a karat weight is a measure of the purity of your gold. Most gold jewelry is not made up of pure gold. After all, pure gold is very soft and therefore difficult to turn into jewelry by itself. To come up with beautiful jewelry pieces, jewelers mix pure gold with additional alloys, typically a mixture of zinc, nickel, silver and copper, for increased strength and durability.

The mixing process, however, ultimately affects the color of the gold. And color is important in determining a jewelry piece’s value. If a piece gives off a brighter yellow color, then it contains a higher purity of gold, which in turn means a higher value for the piece. The lesser the bright yellow color, the lower purity of gold. This is where the measuring unit called Karat weight comes in.

For gold, the measurement scale is based on a range of 1 to 24, with 1 having the least pure gold content, and 24 being the most pure and therefore the most expensive. Most gold owners get their gold stamped with their corresponding karat weights to indicate its purity. Common values include 10k gold, 14k gold, 18k gold, 22 karat gold and 24k gold.

Today, the most popular for use in engagement rings and wedding bands is 14kt gold. This is because a 14ct gold engagement ring will contain 14 karats alloy mixed in relation to pure gold, which means it is an exact compromise between value, durability and color. The ring would not be that expensive, it will still have the luster of much purer gold karat weights like 18ct gold, 22 carat gold and 24 carat gold and it will be durable enough to last a lifetime.

The purity of gold can be determined through several methods. Using nitric acid is a common way of determining gold purity, but it can be dangerous, as nitric acid can severely burn and may even kill users, especially those who are not trained to use them properly. A much safer alternative to verify the purity of gold are high-tech electronic equipment, but they are too expensive and are not readily available to the public. The best bet for lay people to know the value of their gold is to find an appraiser who is certified and has a good reputation in appraising gold.