Why choose 18kt gold rather than 24kt gold jewelry?

Written by Deb St. George

Most people prefer 18kt gold to 24kt pure gold because 24kt gold is soft and isn't practical for daily wear. 18kt gold jewelry has 18 parts gold and six parts of another metal.

Gold can have different tints or colors. White gold is created by adding nickel silver, or palladium. A 18kt white gold ring is made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other the other metals. If you prefer a gold color with a pinkish tint then you will find that copper has been added to your gold jewelry. Gold can even have a greenish tint if silver is added into the gold.

Most people prefer to wear 18k or 22k gold jewelry for daily wear because this type of gold jewelry is more durable. When choosing an 18kt white gold ring, it is important to realize that platinum is a heavier metal and though more durable it will be also be more expensive than say a 18kt white gold ring made of rhodium. Rhodium is a lighter, less expensive metal but people need to replate the ring yearly to make it look as good as when they purchased it. Platinum on the other hand, is naturally white and most often used in its pure form so it does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold.

By law, gold articles must be stamped with their precise karat content. The karat marking on your gold jewelry should be accompanied by a hallmark or trademark that identifies its maker.

In Egypt gold was made into elaborate jewelry and often those passing over to other side would be adorned with their jewelry. In early Egypt they believed that gold was a sacred metal and they created divine spheres in sacred shapes hoping the sun god Horus would honor and favor those that adorned themselves with these creations.


Gold jewelry has been worn and considered precious by almost all civilizations. In a recent find in Greece, a 6500 year old pendant was found by a Greek hiker. (see Article at Accommodation-in-Greece.com)

 

Gold had spiritual meaning in many ancient civilizations. In Greece, wealthy people wore fine gold jewelry as a symbol of their higher status in society. Gold pieces were created and often displayed in temples as a sign of devotion to a particular god.



In China, a gold dragon (considered lucky) would be created in various golden forms to be worn on the body and displayed in the household for luck.