On Valuing Gold Jewellery: Understanding The Basics Of ‘carats’

By Author: Michael Smith
Total Articles: 268
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Gold and its related products including gold jewelry are timeless. The appeal of the jewelry will always be there, and the allure of gold will remain in the eyes and the imagination of the consumers. There is something about the flash and the color of the gold that makes consumers and buyers stop, admire and pay attention. So it should not come as a surprise to see news that the demands for gold and gold jewelry continues to follow that upward trend. Based on the latest count, the demand for hold has reached a 10-year high in 2010 and this has motivated a number of industry players and jewelers involved in the industry. If there is a sustained demand for gold, then this means that there is a sustained interest and demand as well for gold jewelry sales as more and more women and consumers are flocking to boutiques and online to check the latest offerings in terms of design of the jewelry. But don’t just jump into the action without knowing a thing or two about the material.

In order to shop for the right and appropriate gold jewelry, make sure that you are aware of the system of categorizing the jewelry. In this business, ...
... the word ‘carat’ plays an important role. Technically this is used as the measure of the purity of the gold alloy. In the hierarchy of gold, the 24 carat one is considered as top of the class which means that the piece of jewelry that you can get from the online store is pure gold. This is the most popular item of course for many online shops and boutiques, but the problem with this piece is that this comes at a good price as well. This is just one category, and listed below are the other categories used for grouping these accessories made in gold.
• 14k gold pieces. If you happen to check this out online, keep in mind that the piece of accessory is made up of 58.5 percent gold and the remaining composition of the piece includes copper and nickel. For some makers, other materials and minerals may be included. This is considered as the most popular, and most of the gold jewelry pieces that are sold in the market are of the 14k kind. Simply put, the 14k pieces are known for their affordability and durability.
• 18k gold. This is the next categorization for these accessories, and this composition of the piece is popular in many countries in Europe. In most cases, the pieces that are labeled as 18k are those pieces that feature 75 percent gold content. If you check out the premium pieces in many online shops and boutiques then you will note that majority of these pieces are of the 18k kind. And using the hierarchy, these pieces are expensive than the pieces made from just 14k of gold.
• 22-24k gold. This is considered as the most valuable, and obviously the choice of the elite. Considered the most pure, this is also the most sought-after gold in the market.

Now knowing the different types of gold will make your choice and shopping easier. So the next time you look for gold jewelry, ask yourself if the most pure in the 24k is what you need or the 14k will do just for now.

Not all gold jewelry pieces are created the same; some are better than the others. What makes one different is the carat, and you should be aware of this if you want to shop for jewelry.