Understanding Gold Karats & Purity
A complete breakdown of gold purity standards, alloy percentages, and how karats directly influence the resale value of your jewelry.
What is a Gold Karat?
In the precious metals industry, a "Karat" (often abbreviated as K or Kt) is the standard unit of measurement used to quantify the purity of gold. The karat system is based on a scale of 24, meaning that 24-karat (24K) gold is 100% pure gold.
Because pure 24K gold is extremely soft and prone to scratching and bending, jewelry manufacturers alloy (mix) it with harder base metals like copper, silver, zinc, or nickel. This gives the gold strength and durability for daily wear, and also determines its color (such as rose gold or white gold).
Common Gold Karats and Their Percentages
To determine the percentage of pure gold in a piece of jewelry, simply divide its karat number by 24. For example, 14 / 24 = 0.583, or 58.3% pure gold.
| Karat (K) | Purity Percentage | Common Hallmarks | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% | 999, .999 | Bullion coins, bars, fine Asian jewelry |
| 22K | 91.6% | 916, 22c | Indian & Middle Eastern jewelry |
| 18K | 75.0% | 750, 18Kt | High-end designer jewelry, luxury watches |
| 14K | 58.3% | 585, 14Kt | Standard US engagement rings & daily wear |
| 10K | 41.7% | 417, 10Kt | Class rings, highly durable budget jewelry |
How Purity Affects Resale Value
When you sell your gold to a professional buyer in Orange County, the payout is calculated based on three factors:
- The live global Spot Price of gold.
- The gross weight of the item.
- The exact karat purity.
A 14K ring and an 18K ring that weigh the exact same amount will have different resale values. Because the 18K ring contains significantly more pure gold (75% vs 58.3%), its intrinsic melt value is naturally higher.
Calculate Your Gold's Value
Use our live Spot Price guide to see exactly what different gold karats are trading for today.
View Live Spot PricesFrequently Asked Questions
Which karat is best to sell?
Higher karat gold (like 18K or 24K) contains more pure gold and therefore yields a higher payout per gram compared to 10K or 14K.
Does 10K gold have any value?
Yes, 10K gold contains 41.7% pure gold and is highly valuable, especially since it is heavier than pure gold due to the added alloy metals.