Guide to Gold Rings: 10, 14, 18, or 22 Karat Gold?
Guide to Gold Rings: 10, 14, 18, or 22 Karat Gold?
From the birth of civilization, humans have had a connection with one element above all others; gold.
It's incorruptible, yet malleable. Its seductive balance between scarcity and abundance keeps us in constant pursuit: a fitting analogy for love, wouldn't you agree?
The wedding band, along with its shape, has been the ideal symbol of matrimony for centuries. Nowadays, what has been achieved with this ancient token is absolutely breathtaking!
Accessibility of this rare metal has been achieved through alloying it with other metals. Therefore, understanding what fineness is, and what gold karat is best for you is a vital part of the decision-making process.
This article is here to help you grasp the different types of gold out there and exactly what that means for you when purchasing the token of your love!
Keep reading to find out more!
Karat: What and Why?
As we've discussed, gold is special and not because of just one reason. One of the most attractive qualities of gold is that, in its purest state, it is soft and malleable.
While this is a very appealing quality for sculptures, it proves very impractical for jewelry. Jewelry, especially men's wedding bands, needs to be durable. The best men's wedding bands need to endure daily activities with the need to remove them on very few occasions.
This is one of the main reasons why gold is usually alloyed with other, stronger metals. Other contributing factors to alloying are coloration and affordability. So, different wedding band material differs in the amount of alloy metal added.
This is the purpose of the karat: to measure just how pure the gold is in relation to other gold alloys.
As we've discussed, gold is special and not because of just one reason. One of the most attractive qualities of gold is that, in its purest state, it is soft and malleable.
While this is a very appealing quality for sculptures, it proves very impractical for jewelry. Jewelry, especially men's wedding bands, needs to be durable. The best men's wedding bands need to endure daily activities with the need to remove them on very few occasions.
This is one of the main reasons why gold is usually alloyed with other, stronger metals. Other contributing factors to alloying are coloration and affordability. Some people op for cheaper alternatives like gold plated rings, but we highly suggest going for alloyed gold instead to avoid durability issues. With alloyed gold, different wedding band material differs in the amount of alloy metal added.
This is the purpose of the karat: to measure just how pure the gold is in relation to other gold alloys.
As we've discussed, gold is special and not because of just one reason. One of the most attractive qualities of gold is that, in its purest state, it is soft and malleable.
While this is a very appealing quality for sculptures, it proves very impractical for jewelry. Jewelry, especially men's wedding bands, needs to be durable. The best men's wedding bands need to endure daily activities with the need to remove them on very few occasions.
This is one of the main reasons why gold is usually alloyed with other, stronger metals. Other contributing factors to alloying are coloration and affordability. So, different wedding band material differs in the amount of alloy metal added.
This is the purpose of the karat: to measure just how pure the gold is in relation to other gold alloys.
Karat vs. Carat
Often, you may see a variation in the spelling of karat. It's important to clarify the reasons for this.
Firstly, spelling varies between the UK and the US. In the UK karat is not spelled with a "k" but with a "c".
Secondly, in the US, carat (spelled with a "c") is the unit of measure for the weight of gemstones and pearls. In the UK, there is no difference between the spelling of the gold and gemstone unit of measure.
During your research, being aware of this ambiguity may make things a little easier to understand if your wedding band includes gemstones. For the sake of this blog post, Karat with a "k" refers to the purity of the gold alloy.
Often, you may see a variation in the spelling of karat. It's important to clarify the reasons for this.
Firstly, spelling varies between the UK and the US. In the UK karat is not spelled with a "k" but with a "c".
Secondly, in the US, carat (spelled with a "c") is the unit of measure for the weight of gemstones and pearls. In the UK, there is no difference between the spelling of the gold and gemstone unit of measure.
During your research, being aware of this ambiguity may make things a little easier to understand if your wedding band includes gemstones. For the sake of this blog post, Karat with a "k" refers to the purity of the gold alloy.
How the Karat Works
The karat is a fractional measure of 24 parts. In other words, the number 24 in karats is a scale measuring the ratio of gold content to alloy metals. That means that:
- A 10k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 10 parts gold to 14 parts alloy
- A 14k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy
- An 18k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy
- A 22k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 22 parts gold to 2 parts alloy
Logically, this means that 24k is the measurement for the purest form of gold. But as we have already mentioned, when it comes to men's wedding rings a level of such purity would almost prove impractical. Jewelers as a result, will typically not offer 24 Karat Gold jewelry and 22K is the highest karat that you will be able to find for any piece of jewelry. The higher karat content means the purity of the gold is higher. The advantage to this is your wedding band or engagement ring is worth a lot more and has a deeper gold color.
With those facts in mind, let's begin to discuss some pros and cons to each type.
The karat is a fractional measure of 24 parts. In other words, the number 24 in karats is a scale measuring the ratio of gold content to alloy metals. That means that:
- A 10k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 10 parts gold to 14 parts alloy
- A 14k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy
- An 18k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy
- A 22k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 22 parts gold to 2 parts alloy
Logically, this means that 24k is the measurement for the purest form of gold. But as we have already mentioned, when it comes to men's wedding rings a level of such purity would almost prove impractical. Jewelers as a result, will typically not offer 24 Karat Gold jewelry and 22K is the highest karat that you will be able to find for any piece of jewelry. The higher karat content means the purity of the gold is higher. The advantage to this is your wedding band or engagement ring is worth a lot more and has a deeper gold color.
With those facts in mind, let's begin to discuss some pros and cons to each type.
The karat is a fractional measure of 24 parts. In other words, the number 24 in karats is a scale measuring the ratio of gold content to alloy metals. That means that:
- A 10k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 10 parts gold to 14 parts alloy
- A 14k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 14 parts gold to 10 parts alloy
- An 18k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 18 parts gold to 6 parts alloy
- A 22k gold wedding band would have a ratio of 22 parts gold to 2 parts alloy
Logically, this means that 24k is the measurement for the purest form of gold. But as we have already mentioned, when it comes to men's wedding rings a level of such purity would almost prove impractical. Jewelers as a result, will typically not offer 24 Karat Gold jewelry and 22K is the highest karat that you will be able to find for any piece of jewelry. The higher karat content means the purity of the gold is higher. The advantage to this is your wedding band or engagement ring is worth a lot more and has a deeper gold color.
With those facts in mind, let's begin to discuss some pros and cons to each type.
22 Karat Gold
This is the closest you can get to pure gold. 22k is very popular in Asian communities for formal events. However, it is not recommended for daily use.
Usually, 22k men's wedding bands have thick designs to compensate for the material's softness, which increases the cost dramatically. Also, it is almost impossible to encrust gemstones in such a ring because of its softness. The purer the piece of gold, the softer and less durable it is.
If it's in your budget to buy a ring solely for the wedding day and wear it only on special occasions thereafter, this might be the choice for you as it will not make for a great daily wear.
This is the closest you can get to pure gold. 22k is very popular in Asian communities for formal events. However, it is not recommended for daily use.
Usually, 22k men's wedding bands have thick designs to compensate for the material's softness, which increases the cost dramatically. Also, it is almost impossible to encrust gemstones in such a ring because of its softness. The purer the piece of gold, the softer and less durable it is.
If it's in your budget to buy a ring solely for the wedding day and wear it only on special occasions thereafter, this might be the choice for you as it will not make for a great daily wear.
18 Karat Gold
This is the closest purity you can achieve for practical use. 18k maintains the radiance of pure gold very well and gemstones hold very well in these types of rings.
Bear in mind that we are still in the realms of the costly with this purity of gold. And while 18k is as practical as"pure gold" gets, if you are involved in strenuous activities that involve contact with rough materials, scratching is still a possibility at this level of purity.
A little review of your schedule and activities may help you to decide if an 18k band might be what you're looking for.
This is the closest purity you can achieve for practical use. 18k maintains the radiance of pure gold very well and gemstones hold very well in these types of rings.
Bear in mind that we are still in the realms of the costly with this purity of gold. And while 18k is as practical as"pure gold" gets, if you are involved in strenuous activities that involve contact with rough materials, scratching is still a possibility at this level of purity.
A little review of your schedule and activities may help you to decide if an 18k band might be what you're looking for.
This is the closest purity you can achieve for practical use. 18k maintains the radiance of pure gold very well and gemstones hold very well in these types of rings.
Bear in mind that we are still in the realms of the costly with this purity of gold. And while 18k is as practical as"pure gold" gets, if you are involved in strenuous activities that involve contact with rough materials, scratching is still a possibility at this level of purity.
A little review of your schedule and activities may help you to decide if an 18k band might be what you're looking for.
14 Karat Gold
14k is the best of both worlds. This is the most popular choice for men's wedding bands in the US.
A 14k ring maintains a beautiful radiance while boasting great durability and affordability! At this stage, the warmth of the gold color is a little subdued, but still beautiful. This may be an advantage if you prefer a more discrete tone for a wedding band.
14k gold, along with every other gold typically does not tarnish and will not cause any skin irritations or allergic reactions. That's what makes gold great is its hypoallergenic properties making it a fine jewelry for those who have metal allergies.
If you're looking for a ring that stands the test of time and can survive regular hands-on activities, the"traditional" 14k ring might be the ring of your dreams!
14k is the best of both worlds. This is the most popular choice for men's wedding bands in the US.
A 14k ring maintains a beautiful radiance while boasting great durability and affordability! At this stage, the warmth of the gold color is a little subdued, but still beautiful. This may be an advantage if you prefer a more discrete tone for a wedding band.
14k gold, along with every other gold typically does not tarnish and will not cause any skin irritations or allergic reactions. That's what makes gold great is its hypoallergenic properties making it a fine jewelry for those who have metal allergies.
If you're looking for a ring that stands the test of time and can survive regular hands-on activities, the"traditional" 14k ring might be the ring of your dreams!
10 Karat Gold
There is a ring out there for everyone! There may be some lines of work that call for extremely durable jewelry. Perhaps you're on a tight budget and your love for your mate burns so intensely that there is simply no time to save!
A 10k wedding band fits all of those criteria and more!
Like the 14k, we have to take into consideration that the yellow color will be far subtler than higher grades of gold. And keep in mind that it will be even less hypoallergenic than the others.
But, with a 10k men's wedding band, scratches and damage are (almost) never an issue and you get to say your wedding band is made from gold!
There is a ring out there for everyone! There may be some lines of work that call for extremely durable jewelry. Perhaps you're on a tight budget and your love for your mate burns so intensely that there is simply no time to save!
A 10k wedding band fits all of those criteria and more!
Like the 14k, we have to take into consideration that the yellow color will be far subtler than higher grades of gold. And keep in mind that it will be even less hypoallergenic than the others.
But, with a 10k men's wedding band, scratches and damage are (almost) never an issue and you get to say your wedding band is made from gold!
There is a ring out there for everyone! There may be some lines of work that call for extremely durable jewelry. Perhaps you're on a tight budget and your love for your mate burns so intensely that there is simply no time to save!
A 10k wedding band fits all of those criteria and more!
Like the 14k, we have to take into consideration that the yellow color will be far subtler than higher grades of gold. And keep in mind that it will be even less hypoallergenic than the others.
But, with a 10k men's wedding band, scratches and damage are (almost) never an issue and you get to say your wedding band is made from gold!
Different Gold Colors
When you think of gold, you think of its iconic yellow color. By nature, pure gold is yellow but when mixed with other metals, can be made into white gold and rose gold. Like yellow gold, both white gold and rose gold come in different karat contents but since more metals need to be mixed to make white/rose gold, the highest purity of gold for these colors are generally 18K.
White gold is made from a mixture of pure gold and white metals such as nickel, silver, and palladium, usually with a rhodium coating. Rose gold is an alloy made from a combination of mainly pure gold and copper. The copper is what gives rose gold its beautiful rosy tones. Both white and rose gold have increased in popularity with rose gold especially with how its beautiful colors pretty much go with anything. Check out our blog post on why we love rose gold engagement rings here.
When you think of gold, you think of its iconic yellow color. By nature, pure gold is yellow but when mixed with other metals, can be made into white gold and rose gold. Like yellow gold, both white gold and rose gold come in different karat contents but since more metals need to be mixed to make white/rose gold, the highest purity of gold for these colors are generally 18K.
White gold is made from a mixture of pure gold and white metals such as nickel, silver, and palladium, usually with a rhodium coating. Rose gold is an alloy made from a combination of mainly pure gold and copper. The copper is what gives rose gold its beautiful rosy tones. Both white and rose gold have increased in popularity with rose gold especially with how its beautiful colors pretty much go with anything. Check out our blog post on why we love rose gold engagement rings here.