When looking to buy a 22ct gold chain, the number one question people have to ask themselves is what karat should they get? Or what about platinum? Gold prices these days keep climbing higher and higher making higher purity alloys more and more expensive.
It was ten years ago when gold was trading under $300 per ounce. Now gold commands 4 times that price, and is currently 22ct gold hovering around $1160 per ounce. So that all brings us back to the question, what karat grade of gold is better? Should you get that heavy duty 8mm wide curb chain in 10K gold, or a smaller size like 5mm in something more pure like 18K gold, if they're both the same price?
That question can be answered mostly in what color of a gold alloy you're looking to buy, and how you intend to wear it. White gold alloys, for example, are all rhodium-plated. So whether you get 10K, 14K or even 18K they will all look more or less the same. You'll know that it's only 10K, or that you splurged for that 18K gold necklace, but no one else will ever know. The difference however is the weight. 10K Gold does weight less then 22K because the alloy has less gold in it, and more alloying metals which are lighter, and therefore bring the density down lower. If you're buying pink gold on the other hand, we suggest you get 22ct or even 10K. Why? Well 18K rose or pink gold, is just 22ct yellow gold, alloyed with copper. So the alloy will be 18 parts out of 22 pure 22ct gold chains gold (75% pure) while the other 25% is copper. If you want a more pinkish pink, you need a lower karat grade of gold, so more copper can be used.
Then there's the question of yellow gold chains. Do you get 10K, 14K or 18K? Well you really should get the highest grade you can afford is the correct answer. Even 21K or 22ct gold because the higher the karat grade, the more intense of a yellow-gold color your gold necklace or bracelet will have. We always recommend 18K yellow gold to our clients.
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