Jewelry Lessons: 14K vs. 18K Gold

If anyone didn't know, we here at Levik's Jewelers really take the the time to respond and acknowledge all of our customers, especially when they contact us on social media and write reviews. That's why we noticed on one of our Google reviews, someone wrote that 14K gold is "trash". In light of this, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to give a little lesson on the different types of gold and what the differences are between them.

Let's start by explaining that there are 5 types of gold out there: 10K, 12K, 14K, 18K, and 24K. Simply put, these numbers represent differences in the purity of gold! 1 karat of gold has about 4.17% gold content so 10K gold has less gold and more other metals mixed together than 14K or 18K gold, and 24K gold has the highest gold content and is the purest. The higher the carat, the purer the gold!

Because of the purity of 24K gold, the metal is too soft and malleable to make jewelry with. It is very rare and if not impossible to find jewelry in 24K gold.

On the other end of the spectrum, 10K gold is mixed with a high content of other metals and is not very pure. 10K gold is the lowest quality gold to make jewelry with.

That is why, 14K and 18K gold are the most ideal gold types to make jewelry with! Most fine jewelry is made with these, and at Levik's Jewelers, we only carry 14K and 18K gold! We cater to our customer's needs by providing them with their desired piece in whichever gold type they want. So its safe to say that while all gold is precious, some types have a higher gold content than others and if there were to be a "trash" gold, 14K would not be it!

We are always honest and up front with our customers and will never try to upsell you on a gold type or diamond quality that is not in your best interest, but its important to do your research before going out to shop for jewelry! Know before you buy!