If
you are in the business of using, buying or even wearing gemstones
and precious metals, you should be aware that these two words mean
very different things. Shopping for jewelry, findings and materials
should make much more sense after you read this article about Carats
vs Karats.
Carat
A
Carat is a weight measurement in reference to precious gemstones
such as Diamonds, Sapphires, Rubies, etc. Many people think a carat
is referring to the size of the gemstones, however, it is a measurement
of weight. While the weight does effect the size of the gemstones,
a carat is not a measurement of length, mass or volume. The Carat,
along with the purity of the gemstone is what determines the price
of the precious stones.
Karat
A
Karat is the measurement of the purity of gold. Gold itself is very
soft, and like silver, it needs to be alloyed with other metals
to make it stronger and less expensive. 24 karat gold is considered
pure gold, or 100% gold. While many people think 24 karat gold is
the best quality you can buy, the soft metal is less durable and
it can scratch or damage easily. To prevent this, gold is alloyed
with metals such as silver, copper and zinc. When producing white
gold alloys, nickel, copper and zinc are used. So, the karat is
measured by the ratio of gold to the alloyed metal. 18 karat gold
is 3/4 gold or 0.750 gold, 14 karat gold is 14/24 gold or 0.583
gold, etc.
Although
the karat does determine the value of the gold, it does not tell
us the price we are paying for gold. After you have determined the
karat of gold you would like, the final step in determining the
price of your gold is it's weight, how much gold are you purchasing?
Precious metals are measured in Troy Ounces, one Troy Ounce is equal
to about 31.1 grams. There are 12 ounces per Troy pound. Oh yea,
and did I mention that the price of precious metals is variable?
Visit www.kitco.com/market/ to find out the current prices of precious metals. Or you can visit http://goldprice.org for the current gold pricing information.
KINCAIDESIGNS is proud to use 14 karat gold filled materials and sterling silver
material in their Unique Handmade Jewelry. What is Gold Fill? Gold-filled,
or gold overlay, is made by heat and pressure-bonding a thin layer
of gold to a brass core. The gold covers the brass surface, making
it tarnish resistant. The value of gold-filled is greater than gold-plated
because gold-filled has an actual layer of gold, not just a microscopic
film. All the 14kt gold-filled materials used by KINCAIDESIGNS handmade jewelry meets federal standards for quality and content.
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