14k versus 18k yellow gold engagement ring
“My girlfriend and I are shopping for engagement rings. She really likes the look of the Anita halo setting by Brian Gavin, but it seems to only be offered in 18k yellow gold and we’re on a budget. We’re college students and every little bit helps. Is there a reason why this halo setting isn’t available in 14k yellow gold? 14k is less expensive than 18k yellow gold, right? If there are good reasons why the ring should be made in 18k yellow gold, we’re open to hearing them. We’ve noticed that most designer jewelry is comprised of 18k yellow gold or platinum, while standard jewelry seems to be available in 14k yellow or white gold. Is there a reason for this? Our local jeweler told us that 14k gold is more durable.”
14k vs 18k yellow gold halo setting:
Most jewelry designers prefer working with 18k yellow gold or platinum, because it is easier to work with than 14k gold. Another benefit to 18k yellow gold versus 14k yellow gold, is that it simply looks and feels richer. The luster of 18k yellow gold is just more appealing, more luxurious.
Perhaps this is because 18k yellow gold has a higher gold content than 14k yellow gold. The gold content of 14k yellow gold is 58.3% with the remaining 41.7% being comprised of other alloys which are intended to make it harder, and deepen the natural color of gold. 14k yellow gold is also known as .585 gold. Whereas most 14k gold jewelry manufactured in the United States will bear the mark “14K” to represent “14 Karat” most 14k gold jewelry manufactured in Europe will be stamped “585” to represent the gold content of the piece.
The gold content of 18k yellow gold is 75% which makes it less prone to oxidation. Gold jewelry manufactured in the United States is likely to be stamped “18K” while 18k gold jewelry produced in Europe is likely to be stamped “750” to represent the gold content.
Pure gold is represented as being 24K or 24 Karat. 14k or 14 karat gold jewelry consists of 14 parts pure gold, mixed with 10 parts that consist of other alloys, which serve to make the gold jewelry harder. 18k or 18 karat gold jewelry is comprised of 18 parts pure gold, mixed with six parts comprised of other alloys. The additional alloys mixed with the pure gold can be used to change the color and tone of the gold. Not all 14k or 18k gold jewelry looks the same in terms of color and hue. The tone of the gold can change depending on the exact mixture of alloys used by each manufacturer.
Does 14k gold look different than 18k gold:
The higher gold content of 18 karat yellow gold gives it a deeper, richer yellower hue than 14k yellow gold. Another way to state this would be to say that 14k yellow gold tends to look a bit whiter than 18k yellow gold. We prefer create engagement rings out of 18k yellow gold, simply because the finished ring looks so much better than when we make it out of 14k yellow gold. The end result is richer and more luxurious looking. The slight difference in cost between 14k and 18k yellow gold is pretty insignificant in the scheme of things.
