A Jeweller’s Guide to Different Types, Colours & Carats of Gold
What are ‘gold alloys’ and ‘carats’ - and which is the best type of gold to choose for your jewellery?
When it comes to choosing gold jewellery, and creating bespoke pieces, the choice of different golds, stones and styles is astounding. I’m making it easier for you by explaining the different types of gold in user-friendly terms, helping you understand which one most suits your lifestyle.
What does ‘Carat' mean?
‘Carat’ or ‘Karat’ is the term used to measure the purity of gold alloys.
An alloy means the final composition is made up of a mix of metals. This could be gold, silver, copper, etc… the list goes on. Alloying (adding other metals to) fine gold allows the jewellery to have different properties. Different alloys allow for variation in the strength, colour and durability. And variety is the spice of life!
Carat (ct) refers to the amount of fine gold within the alloy. Fine gold is really beautiful, but very soft, meaning it’s not particularly hardwearing and would likely mark and distort easily during wear. This is why alloying it with other metals is necessary.
How much fine gold is in each carat?
24ct Gold contains 99.9% fine gold
22ct Gold contains 91.6% fine gold
18ct Gold contains 75% fine gold
14ct Gold contains 58.5% fine gold
9ct Gold contains 37.5% fine gold
What Colours does gold come in?
All pure gold is yellow. 99%+ fine gold has the warmest, sunniest hue you ever did see. It’s not surprising that humans have been fascinated with it for 1000’s of years. As I mentioned, fine gold is alloyed down, and there are three main tones of gold alloy in use today:
Yellow Gold
Red/Rose Gold
White Gold
But you might also encounter peachy golds, green gold, blue gold and even purple gold. Being a jeweller at times is a lot like being a scientist!
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is the traditional gold that comes to mind when you think of a gold nugget or gold jewellery. It looks like a pool of molten sunshine, is full of warmth, and is beautifully eye-catching against the skin.
Yellow golds are made of different ratios of fine gold, fine silver, and copper. The copper and silver are added in equal measure to preserve the yellow colour (if this is desired).
Different Carats of Yellow Gold
9ct Yellow Gold - Contains 37.5% fine gold. This creates a less dense, lighter alloy which can mark more easily than others. Due to the high copper content, it’s also possible that this gold will tarnish. However, this is probably the most used alloy in the UK, as it still contains a healthy proportion of fine gold, yet is more affordable when compared to other carats.
14ct Yellow Gold - Typically seen in jewellery made in the USA, 14ct yellow gold is just over 50% fine gold, meaning it’s dense and durable.
18ct Yellow Gold - This is a fantastically dense and durable alloy, containing 75% fine gold. It’s an excellent option for wedding rings and pieces worn daily, with the high fine gold content remaining, but durability and strength acquired from the small amount of silver and copper that is added to it.
22ct & 24ct Yellow Gold - Although you might have thought the highest carats of gold meant are for the most desirable jewellery, this isn’t quite the case. 22ct and 24ct yellow gold are very soft, and it isn’t often considered suitable for jewellery except as plain 22ct wedding rings, or dress pieces.
Red/Rose Gold
In recent years there has been a growing demand for red gold. Red gold is also known as ‘rose gold’ due to its pretty pink hue. Red gold is made from different ratios of fine gold, fine silver and copper, but with a higher copper content which gives the touch of red.
Different Carats of Red/Rose Gold
9ct Red Gold - The lower amount of fine gold here allows for a higher amount of copper. Therefore 9ct red gold has the reddest colour of all the red alloys, which is perfect for those looking for the rosiest red golds. Because of the high copper content it can be prone to tarnishing, but is durable enough for earrings, pendants, and rings.
18ct Red Gold - This is a beautiful delicate red colour. It’s an alloy that can be challenging to work with and is prone to being brittle, but in the right hands it’s durable enough and best suited to plain rings or pieces like earrings which won’t get heavy wear.
22ct Red Gold - As much of this alloy is fine gold, it’s very soft and has a subtle, rosey tone thanks to the small copper content. It’s really only suitable for plain wedding rings or heavy weight bangles.
White Gold
White golds are some of the more complex alloys of gold, and can be made up of different ratios of fine gold, fine silver, copper, palladium, zinc and nickel (not widely used in the UK). Many of these metals are silver in colour, which reduces the warmth of the gold and gives it a cooler, more silvery hue.
All white gold alloys are more durable than silver and so are usually chosen for pieces designed for daily or lifelong wear.
Most commercially available white gold is rhodium plated at the end of production to hide the subtle yellow/grey tone the metal has.
Different Carats of White Gold
9ct White Gold - This alloy is made from 37.5% fine yellow gold, and up to 62.5% silver. The addition of a high amount of silver creates a very pale, creamy white alloy which is fairly soft. This softness means it can mark easily with wear, and is not ideal for holding fine stones securely.
14ct White Gold - Most commonly used in the USA, it’s a dense and durable alloy made with either palladium, and/or silver. Palladium is a rare metal with a lustrous silvery-white sheen.
18ct White Gold - This alloy still contains a high amount of fine gold, and is generally alloyed with palladium, which is strong but also light, giving a great strength to 18ct white gold. This makes it a great choice for wedding rings and stone setting pieces.
Mixed Metal Bespoke Jewellery
Creating rings which show off two or more different metals is one of my absolute favourite things to do in the workshop. The differing colours and finishes make for really contemporary, unique pieces that stand out.
How to Choose the Best Type of Gold for your Jewellery
Although style and that initial ‘falling in love’ with a piece of jewellery is incredibly important, it also helps to have your sensible hat on (just a little bit) and consider if the type of gold is right for your lifestyle. With the expense of a quality piece of bespoke jewellery, it’s great to think about these things before commissioning and purchasing, rather than after!
How often will the jewellery be worn? Is it a wedding ring or much-loved piece you’ll wear day and night, rain and shine? If so, you’re best to opt for a mid carat gold (14ct/18ct) that has been alloyed down slightly to create a more durable, hard wearing gold. For statement pieces that will be brought out on special occasions, there’s a lot more freedom with the type of gold, as it won’t have to endure much, and can sit pretty.
Do you spend a lot of time in the water? A low carat red gold may tarnish more easily due to the high copper content, so if you’re drawn to the pretty pinks, consider the higher carat options of rose gold, or better yet, yellow gold and white gold which contain smaller amounts of copper.
Will your jewellery have gemstones? To make sure the settings for your lovely gemstones hold them tightly in place, choose a hard, strong gold alloy. 18ct white gold and 18ct yellow gold would be great options.
Chat to your jeweller! I don’t expect my customers to have a background in metals and jewellery, and after hearing what you’re after I can advise you on the most suitable type of gold.
I hope this guide to different types of gold in jewellery has been helpful, and if you have any questions please drop me a line.
All of the jewellery examples shared here have been made by me, in my Cornish jewellery studio. If you’re feeling inspired, I’d love to hear from you.
