Gold purity explained: what 14K, 18K and 22K tell a jewellery buyer

Read a gold-purity label before using it to compare two pieces. It tells you about gold content. Your buying record also needs the construction, finish and parts covered by that description.

Translate the number

Karatage expresses gold content on a scale of 24. An 18K alloy contains 75% gold; 14K contains about 58.3%, and 22K about 91.7%. The remaining content consists of other metals. Fineness expresses precious-metal content in parts per thousand. Common gold marks include 585 for 14K and 750 for 18K. The 585 convention is slightly above the exact 14/24 fraction. World Gold Council purity explanation.

Keep the units when copying a description. Write “18K gold” rather than simply “18”. If a seller gives both karatage and fineness, keep both together and ask about any apparent discrepancy.

For India, BIS's gold FAQ includes 22K(916) and 18K(750) among its marking grades. Use the stated grade when reading the actual purchase description. BIS gold grades.

For gemstone dimensions and weight, use the separate carats and millimetres guide. Check which material each number describes before comparing an item containing both gold and gems.

Diagram text

Example: gold 75%, other metals 25%. Whole-piece construction is a separate question.

Find the part that the description covers

Ask whether the stated gold describes the component throughout or an applied surface layer. US guidance uses karat-qualified descriptions for gold coatings too. That wording identifies the coating's gold content, so read the full description. Current US gold-description guidance. The alloy and plating guide helps you locate the body metal and surface.

Use the same question for the pendant, chain, clasp, earring post or other relevant component. Request a written description of any part that differs. Do not complete a missing material field from its colour in a photograph.

Ask about hollow or partly hollow construction separately. The hollow-jewellery guide explains why finished dimensions and weight belong in different fields. A gold-purity answer should not leave you guessing what construction is being offered.

Make a two-offer record

This editorial worksheet helps you compare the actual offers. Give each candidate its own column and fill these rows from the seller's confirmed description:

• Stated karatage and fineness
• Component or components covered by that statement
• Body metal and any coating
• Finished dimensions, weight and construction
• Colour and finish you expect to receive
• Intended wear and the aftercare explanation
• Total quoted price and what it includes

Leave unanswered rows marked “awaiting confirmation”. Underline the question whose answer matters most to your decision, such as the chain's material or the finished construction. Review that answer alongside the purity number.

Imagine comparing two pendants. One quotation identifies the pendant's gold but says nothing about the chain. The other includes a chain with its own material description. Resolve those contents before treating the quotations as equivalent. This is a hypothetical comparison, not a claim about any seller's range.

Bring your intended use into the discussion

Tell the jeweller how often you expect to wear the piece and which design details matter to you. Ask how the proposed alloy and construction suit that use. The jewellery-metal comparison guide helps you compare upkeep and servicing across different material choices.

If you are buying gold in India, use the gold-hallmark verification guide for the marking check. Keep that check separate from deciding whether you enjoy the design.

Finish with a description you can explain: the stated gold content, the parts it covers and the construction you are agreeing to buy. Ask for the missing answer before paying if any of those remains unclear.