Guide to Buying Gold Jewelry: Tips to Know Before You Buy

Guide to Buying Gold Jewelry: Tips to Know Before You Buy

No matter what’s trending, you know you can always rock gold jewelry. Gold is a timeless metal. There are many colors of gold you can wear — rose gold is hot now, white gold is classic, but yellow gold dominates them all.

Since there are different kinds of gold, shopping for gold jewelry can be a little difficult. No two gold jewelry pieces are the same. As a consumer, you need to ensure the gold jewelry you buy is of the highest quality.

How do you know which gold jewelry piece to buy? Read this guide to buying gold jewelry and know these tips when shopping for gold.

Gold Is Measured in 24ths

We all know karat size is a major factor in your jewelry piece. But how do karat weights influence the gold you buy? Unlike other metals, gold is measured in 24ths. This means 24 karat gold is 100% gold.

In short, the higher the karat value, the more valuable the gold.

 

10 karat is 41.7% gold with the remainder mixed with other metal alloys
14 karat is 58.5% gold with the remainder mixed with other metal alloys
18 karat is 75 % gold with the remainder mixed with other metal alloys
24 karat is pure gold and is very soft and malleable so it is typically not made into any jewelry in the United States. 

 

Gold Filled vs Gold Plated

Another way to gauge the quality of a gold jewelry piece is to know if it’s gold filled or gold plated.
Gold filled is an actual layer of gold pressure bonded to another metal. Gold filled is not to be confused with gold plating, as filled has more gold than gold plating which makes it more valuable and tarnish resistant. It does not flake off, rub off or turn colors.
Gold plated is made of other metals but dipped in gold to create the allusion that it’s gold. These jewelry options are cheaper but they’re low quality. The gold exterior can chip and wear off.
All consumers who want fine gold to last generation after generation should steer away from gold filled as well as gold plated jewelry and stick to 14 or 18 karat gold.

Shop Depending on the Jewelry You Want

Now that you know gold jewelry comes in different karat sizes and strengths, another good tip is to determine the ideal karat size based on the jewelry piece you’re buying.

Even though pure gold is the most valuable, it’s too soft and the most prone to damage. Higher alloy content should be applied to jewelry pieces, such as rings and bracelets. All white, yellow and rose gold in either 14 or 18 karats is a good size and is recommended.

Guide to Buying Gold Jewelry: It’s Time to Shop!

Now that you read the guide to buying gold jewelry, are you ready to shop? If you’re in Tampa, come visit our jewelry store!

Back to blog