Gold Karat Chart: Purity, Hallmarks and Uses From 8K to 24K

A gold karat tells you how many parts out of 24 are pure gold: 24K is essentially pure, 18K is 75% gold, 14K is 58.3% (hallmarked 585) and 10K is 41.7%. The hallmark number stamped on jewelry expresses the same thing in parts per thousand, so 585 means 585 parts of gold per 1,000.

The chart below puts every common karat side by side, with its hallmark, how it holds up in daily wear and where you are most likely to meet it. We work in 14K every day in our Grand Bazaar atelier, so we have added the practical notes we give customers across the counter.

The gold karat chart

The percentage for each karat is the karat number divided by 24. The 14K hallmark is 585 rather than 583 because many standards set 58.5% as the legal minimum, giving a small margin above the mathematical 58.3%. For the full story behind that number, read what 585 means on gold.

How to read a hallmark

You will usually find the stamp on a clasp, the inside of a ring or the back of a pendant bail. It may appear as:

• A karat mark: 14K, 14KT, 14ct.
• A fineness number: 585, often inside a shaped border in countries with official assay offices.
• Both together, sometimes with a maker's mark.

Marks such as GP, GF, HGE or RGP mean plated or filled, not solid gold, whatever karat number appears beside them. Our guide on how to tell if gold is real covers what to do when you are unsure.

Purity vs durability: the trade-off

More gold means a richer yellow color, better resistance to tarnish and more metal value. It also means a softer piece. Alloy metals such as copper, silver and zinc add hardness, so lower karats stand up better to knocks and scratches.

• Lower karats (8K to 10K) are hard and affordable but paler, and the larger share of alloy metals makes them more likely to dull or cause reactions in sensitive skin.
• 14K sits in the middle: enough gold for good color and tarnish resistance, enough alloy for strength. This is why so much everyday jewelry, including fine chains and stone settings, is made in 14K.
• Higher karats (18K to 24K) look warmer and hold more gold value, but rings and thin chains show wear faster.

If you are deciding between the two most popular fine jewelry karats, our 14K vs 18K gold comparison goes deeper.

14K Solid Gold Wheat Chain Necklace View Wheat Chain Necklace on Etsy 14K Solid Gold Two Tone Bracelet View Two Tone Bracelet on Etsy 14K Solid Gold Flat Wedding Band Polished Ring for Him and Her View Flat Wedding Band Polished Ring for Him and Her on Etsy

Regional notes: why karats vary by country

United States

US rules do not allow anything below 10K to be sold as karat gold, so 10K is the floor. 14K is the most widely sold karat for everyday jewelry, with 18K common in higher-end and bridal pieces.

United Kingdom

The UK has a long tradition of 9K for everyday jewelry, and 18K for engagement and wedding rings. Gold sold there above a set weight must be independently hallmarked by an assay office, and 375 is the lowest gold fineness the UK system recognizes.

Continental Europe

Practice varies by country. 18K (750) is the long-standing standard in countries such as Italy and France, 14K (585) is widely used across central and eastern Europe, and 8K (333) is still found in Germany.

Turkey

In Turkey, 14K is the everyday standard for fashion and fine jewelry, while 22K is the traditional choice for wedding bangles and gold given at family celebrations, valued as much for its gold content as its look. You can read more about those customs in our guide to jewelry in Istanbul's Grand Bazaar.

South Asia and the Middle East

22K is widely used for traditional and wedding jewelry, where a deep yellow color and high gold content are preferred over hardness.

Color: yellow, white and rose at the same karat

Karat measures gold content only. The color comes from the other metals in the alloy:

• Yellow gold balances silver and copper.
• Rose gold uses more copper.
• White gold uses whitening metals such as palladium or nickel, and is often rhodium plated for a brighter finish.

So a 14K white gold ring and a 14K yellow gold ring contain the same amount of pure gold. Two-tone pieces simply combine two colors of the same karat.

14K Solid Gold 14K Two-Tone Twisted Hoop Earrings View 14K Two-Tone Twisted Hoop Earrings on Etsy 14K Solid Gold 14K Solid Tri-Color Gold Double Strand Diamond Cut Bead… View 14K Solid Tri-Color Gold Double Strand Diamond Cut Bead… on Etsy

Which karat should you choose?

• Daily rings, chains and bracelets: 14K is the practical sweet spot.
• Engagement rings with valuable stones: 14K or 18K, depending on whether you value hardness or color more.
• Pieces bought partly as a store of value: 22K or 24K, accepting they need gentler wear.
• Sensitive skin: higher karats generally contain less of the metals that cause reactions; ask whether white gold contains nickel.

Every piece we make is solid 14K gold, stamped 585, because it is the karat that survives real daily life best while keeping a true gold color. You can see that range across our solid gold rings and bracelets.

Frequently asked questions

What karat is 585 gold?

585 is 14 karat gold. The number means 585 parts per 1,000 are pure gold, or 58.5%.

What karat is 750 gold?

750 is 18 karat gold, meaning 75% pure gold. It is a common standard for fine jewelry in much of Europe.

Is 24K gold good for jewelry?

24K gold is almost pure and very soft, so it scratches, bends and dents easily. It suits coins, bars and some traditional pieces better than everyday rings and chains.

What is the lowest karat that counts as real gold?

It depends on the country. In the US the minimum is 10K, the UK's lowest recognized gold fineness is 9K (375), and 8K (333) is used in some European countries.

Why is 14K gold so popular?

14K balances a warm gold color and good tarnish resistance with the hardness needed for daily wear, which makes it a practical choice for rings, chains and stone settings.