Gold
14K, 18K or 22K: choosing gold purity for jewelry you actually wear
The short version. Karat measures how much of the metal is gold, not how good the jewelry is. Pure gold is soft. The alloy added to make 18K or 14K is what lets a setting hold a diamond for thirty years.
Rings and daily wear: 18K, or 14K if it will take a beating. Necklaces and earrings worn occasionally: 22K is lovely and the softness rarely matters. Engagement rings: 18K or 14K — not 22K.
What karat actually measures
Karat is a fraction out of 24. Pure gold is 24 parts gold out of 24 — 24K, 99.9%. Every step down replaces some gold with other metals, usually copper, silver, zinc or palladium.
| Karat | Hallmark | Gold | Relative hardness | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24K | 999 | 99.9% | Very soft | Coins and bars, not jewelry |
| 22K | 916 | 91.6% | Soft | Plain gold chains, bangles, traditional pieces |
| 18K | 750 | 75.0% | Hard | Diamond settings, rings, daily wear |
| 14K | 585 | 58.5% | Hardest of the four | Heavy daily wear, tension settings |
This is the whole trade-off in one line: more gold means more value per gram and a richer colour; less gold means a harder, more durable piece. Neither end is correct in the abstract. It depends entirely on what the piece has to survive.
Why 22K engagement rings go wrong
A solitaire is held by prongs — four or six slivers of metal bent over the girdle of the stone. They are under constant, small stress: catching on fabric, knocking against doorframes, taking the weight of the stone every time the hand moves.
In 22K those prongs are soft enough to splay gradually. Nobody notices it happening. The stone loosens, rattles, and eventually goes — usually somewhere it cannot be found. In 18K the same prongs hold their shape for decades with an occasional check.
This is why traditional Indian jewelry is largely 22K and engagement rings largely are not. It is not fashion. It is what the metal has to do.
Where 22K is the right answer
Softness only matters where there is stress. A 22K chain, a pair of plain jhumkas, a bangle worn on occasions — these have no prongs to splay and no stone to lose. Here the deeper yellow and the higher gold content are straightforwardly worth having, and the piece will outlive everyone reading this.
It is also the honest answer for jewelry bought partly as a store of value, which in India is a legitimate reason to buy and not one anyone should apologise for.
What about colour?
- 22K is unmistakably deep yellow — the colour most people picture when they think of Indian gold.
- 18K yellow is a softer, paler yellow. Alongside 22K it looks restrained rather than pale.
- 18K white is an alloy, usually rhodium-plated for brightness. The plating wears and is re-applied every few years — routine maintenance, not a fault.
- 18K rose takes its colour from a higher copper content, which also makes it marginally harder than yellow at the same karat.
How to decide, in three questions
- Does it hold a stone? If yes, 18K or 14K. This decides it more often than anything else.
- How often will it be worn? Daily wear favours 18K or 14K. A few times a year, and 22K is comfortably fine.
- Is it bought to wear or to keep? To wear, choose durability. To keep, higher purity holds more gold per gram.
What we do
Miró sets diamonds in 18K as standard, and will make in 14K on request where a piece needs to be tougher still. Plain gold pieces we will make in 22K where it suits the design. Whatever the karat, it is hallmarked, and the fineness is on the invoice.
Common questions
- Which gold purity is best for an engagement ring?
- 18K in most cases, 14K if it will take heavy daily wear. Both hold prongs securely. 22K is too soft for a prong setting worn every day.
- Is 22K better than 18K?
- Purer, not better. More gold per gram and a deeper colour, but considerably softer. Purity and suitability are different questions.
- Will 14K gold tarnish?
- Not in normal wear. Green marks on skin usually come from copper in low-quality alloys or plated costume jewelry, or from a reaction with cosmetics — not from the karat of hallmarked fine jewelry.
- Can I have the same design in a different karat?
- Usually yes, though it changes both the price and the weight. Ask before the piece is made rather than after — recasting is not a small job.
Not sure which suits the piece you have in mind? Bring the idea to the atelier and we will talk it through — including when the cheaper option is the better one.