Used to define the amount of pure gold found in a jewelry item.
24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.
18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals. (75% gold)
14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals. (58.3% gold)
10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals. (41.7% gold) 10K gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold by U.S. standards
Jewelry Glossary
Karat
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