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What is the Meaning of Carat Gold?

Published in Gold Purity Measurement 2 mins read

Carat gold refers to the purity of gold, indicating the proportion of pure gold present in an alloy.

Understanding Gold Purity: Carat vs. Weight

While the weight of gold is measured in troy ounces (where 1 troy ounce equals 31.1034768 grams), its purity is measured in 'carats'. This measurement system, known as 'caratage', is the measurement of purity of gold alloyed with other metals. Gold is often alloyed with metals like copper, silver, zinc, or nickel to increase its strength, durability, or alter its color.

The Carat Scale

The carat system is based on a scale of 24 parts.

  • 24 carat is considered pure gold with no other metals. This means it is 99.9% pure or higher. Pure gold is very soft, making it unsuitable for most jewelry unless alloyed.
  • Lower carat numbers indicate that the gold is alloyed with other metals. The carat number represents the proportion of pure gold out of 24 parts.

For example:

  • 18 Carat (18K): Contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts other metals (18/24 = 75% pure gold).
  • 14 Carat (14K): Contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts other metals (14/24 ≈ 58.3% pure gold).
  • 10 Carat (10K): Contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts other metals (10/24 ≈ 41.7% pure gold).

Here is a quick reference table for common gold carats:

Carat (K) Purity (Parts Gold out of 24) Approximate Purity (%) Common Uses
24K 24/24 99.9% Bars, coins
22K 22/24 91.7% Some jewelry, coins
18K 18/24 75.0% Fine jewelry
14K 14/24 58.3% Jewelry
10K 10/24 41.7% Budget jewelry

Understanding carat gold is essential when buying or selling gold, as it directly reflects the amount of precious metal you are dealing with.