8-karat gold jewelry offers a good balance between durability and purity. Let’s take a look at what this gold alloy is made of and see how you should choose between 18K gold and jewellery of a higher or lower karat number.

Gold karat is a measure of how much of the precious metal is contained in a piece made with it.

If a jewelry item is 18k gold jewelry, this simply means that out of a total of 24 parts, 18 parts of the piece are gold, and 6 parts are made up of other metals.

The additional metals in 18K gold jewelry serve to make the alloy harder and more durable than pure gold (24K), which is too soft for jewellery.

Recognizing 18-karat jewellery is pretty straightforward (as long as the piece has been stamped with its karat number). Usually, you will see a stamp on the item such as 18K, 18Kt, 18ct, 18k, or a similar variation.

18K gold jewelry is a good choice if you want a piece of jewelry that is reasonably pure but is not overly soft. This alloy, along with gold, is a good compromise between durability and purity.

Of course, gold is harder and more durable. However, if you are very sensitive to nickel, even some pieces may give you a rash, whereas 18K gold jewelry is much less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

We can find 18k gold jewelry in rings, watches, bangles and all other forms of wearable jewellery. 18k gold jewellery is available in various colours such as bright yellow, rose gold and white gold. Different metals used in various quantities provide these colours to the alloy. Making a blend of pure gold with metals like copper and silver results in yellow gold. It is the most common version of 18k gold jewelry.

It is not a good idea to choose 18K gold jewellery for pieces that you will wear every day, especially rings or bracelets, which are more likely to get hit or scratched. In such cases, gold may be a better choice as it will not bend, break or scratch as easily.

Pick 18K gold jewelry that you will not wear every day or for pieces such as necklaces and earrings, which will be less exposed to inadvertent hits and bumps.

The best way to make sure what you have is really 18 karat gold jewelry is to buy from a trusted source. The look and feel of 18 karat gold jewelry is one of elegance, and photino has a wide range of prices and styles to suit your every jewelry mood.

Gold must be stamped with a hallmark that tells the purchaser what karat the gold is. 18k gold jewelry will have a small stamp on the inside of the jewelry that 18k.