Pure gold, also known as 24k gold, is 100% made of the element gold (Au). The purity of gold is measured on a scale from 1 karat to 24 karats, with 24k being the purest form of gold. So, when you hear the term pure gold, it refers to 24 karat gold. If you want to know the percentage of gold in an item of gold, you can do so by dividing the karat of gold of the item by 24k and then multiplying it by 100.
Here is an example of how to measure the percentage of gold
For example, to determine the percentage of gold in a 14 karat gold necklace, you should do the following calculation: 14k / 24k and then multiply the number by 100. 14k/24k=0.5833, then multiply 0.5833 x 100 = 58.33% gold.
If you have an item of gold or jewelry that is 14k, this means that the item is made up of 14 parts of pure gold and 10 parts of an alloy, such as silver, copper, or palladium.
Pure gold, also known as 24 karat gold, is not mixed with any metals, such as copper or silver. Since pure gold is not mixed with any other metals, it retains its golden color. Pure gold has a deep yellowish, orangish color.
When you see the gold that has a reddish tint, this means that the gold is not 24k and is likely mixed with copper giving it that reddish color. On the other hand, if you find gold that has a green tint to it, the gold is also not 24k gold is likely to have been mixed with some silver, giving it a greenish-yellow. Once gold is mixed with another metal, such as silver or copper, it becomes an alloy. An alloy is basically a mixture of two or more types of metals.
Is 24k Gold Pure?
As we mentioned earlier, 24 karat is the purest form of gold because it is free from any other metals. 24k gold is 100% made of gold (Au) and has a fineness of 1000. 24 karat pure gold is not mixed with metals such as silver, copper, or palladium like other, lower karat gold items, such as 18k, 14k, 12k, and 10k, which are always mixed with other metals.
What is Fine Gold?
999.99 Fine gold is the purest form of gold, with 1000 fineness gold being the absolute best. But because 1000 fineness cannot be achieved outside of a lab, you will often find 999.99 labeled as 100% gold because is the finest and best gold that you can purchase.
Coming in second is 999.9 also being 100% pure gold but just a little less pure than 999.99 gold. Coming in third is 999. gold, which is also considered to be 100% pure gold and makes up most of the 24k gold products that are on the market. That said, 24k is rarely used due to how fragile it is. Typically, you’ll find most jewelry at 22 karats because it’s the best mix of gold and metals that produces a nice color and has better strength than pure gold.
Does Pure 24k Gold Scratch Easily?
The purer the gold, the easier it will scratch. Pure, 24 karat gold does scratch very easily because it’s very soft. So, if you have 24k jewelry, you’ve probably noticed that it scuffs up pretty quickly. 22k and 18k are tougher than 24k gold and therefore don’t scuff as easily as 24k pure gold.
So, if you’re like us and you often bump into rough surfaces, it’s best that you choose an 18k or 22k gold item because they scratch less easily than 24 karat gold. That said, some jewelers sell traditional jewelry that’s often 24k gold.
Does Pure 24k Gold Tarnish?
Pure 24k Gold does not tarnish because it is free of other metals, such as copper or silver that may tarnish, so because of its purity, pure gold is unlikely to ever tarnish. Some people purchase 22k and complain that it tarnishes, this happens because 22k gold is 22 parts gold mixed with 2 parts of other metals. It’s these other metals that make gold tarnish.
Pure 24k gold is the least reactive element, so in its pure form, it’s highly unlikely going to tarnish or rust. That said, most of the jewelry that you’ll find at your local jeweler is not made of 22k gold because 24 karat gold is too soft and malleable, making it unsuitable for everyday jewelry.
Since 22k jewelry contains other metals, when these metals make contact with our sweat, they may rust or tarnish, causing a chemical reaction that forms black/brown spots to appear on the surface of the jewelry.
Is 24 Karat Gold Real?
I know this may sound ridiculous, but we often get asked whether 24 karat gold is real? Yes, 24k gold is real. In fact, 24k gold is the purest gold that you can purchase. This is so because 24k gold is not mixed with any other metals, it’s 100% made of pure gold (Au). So, if you were wondering which karat gold is the purest, it’s 24k gold.
Is 24k Gold Plated Pure Gold?
24k gold plated gold is not pure gold. 24 karat gold plated jewelry is often made up of a metal other than gold, gold is merely used to cover up the metal underneath the gold plating. 24k gold plated jewelry is much less expensive than pure 24k gold.
Is 14k Gold Pure Gold?
Unfortunately, 14k gold is not pure gold. 14k gold is made of 58.33% gold, so it’s almost half the price of pure 24k gold. 14k gold is often mixed with other metals, such as copper, silver, and zinc to make it stronger and quite frankly cheaper. 14k gold doesn’t have that deep, orangish-yellow glow that pure 24k gold has because of its lower gold content.
Is 14k Gold Worth Anything?
Going back to what we discussed earlier, a 14k gold product is made up of 14 parts gold and 10 parts of another metal, such as silver or copper. This means that an item of jewelry that is 14 karats is made up of 58.33% pure gold.
So, to answer your question: is 14k gold worth anything? Yes, it is because it does contain a decent amount of pure gold that’s mixed with other metals, such as copper, silver, zinc, and nickel.
Gold is often mixed with these metals to make it stronger because pure, 24k gold jewelry tends to be more fragile than 14k jewelry. This is so because the more gold content in an item, the more malleable and fragile the item will be. For this reason, pure gold is often mixed with other metals to make it stronger and last longer.
What is Pure Gold Made Out Of?
At this point, you should know that pure gold is made out of, well, the element gold. Pure gold is 24k gold, meaning that it’s made of 100% gold. Pure gold is not mixed with other metals, such as zinc, copper, nickel, or silver. Since pure gold is not mixed with other metals, it does not rust or corrodes. If your jewelry rusts or forms dark spots, it’s unlikely to be pure gold because only other metals mixed with gold are the ones that form rust and dark spots. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
