The difference between 10K, 14K and 18K gold is how much pure gold is in the alloy. 10K is 41.7 percent gold, 14K is 58.3 percent and 18K is 75 percent, with the rest made up of silver, copper, zinc or nickel. Higher karat means a deeper yellow, a softer metal and more value per gram. At an assumed gold price of $4,000 per troy ounce, a gram of 10K holds approximately $54 of gold, 14K about $75 and 18K about $97. Lower karat is harder and more scratch resistant, which is why most American wedding bands and class rings are 10K or 14K. Outside the US the same purities are stamped 417, 585 and 750. For resale, the karat sets the floor: most unsigned gold jewelry sells close to its melt value, not its original retail price.
Quick answer
- 10K is 41.7 percent gold (stamp 417), 14K is 58.3 percent (585), 18K is 75 percent (750).
- Per gram at $4,000 gold: about $54 for 10K, $75 for 14K and $97 for 18K.
- 18K is richer in color and worth more; 10K and 14K are harder and wear better. Most pieces resell near melt.
How to check yours, step by step
- Find the stamp. On a ring, look inside the band, usually opposite the top or near the bottom of the shank. On a chain or bracelet, look on the clasp, on the small flat tag next to it or on the jump ring. On a pendant, look on the bail or the back. On earrings, look on the post, the butterfly back or the clip. Use a loupe or a phone camera on macro.
- Read the number or karat. You are looking for 10K, 14K, 18K, 9K, 22K or their European equivalents 417, 585, 750, 375, 916. A "P" after the karat, such as 14KP, means karat plumb, a promise that the gold is at least the stated purity.
- Look for letters after the karat. GF, GP, GE, HGE, RGP, EP or a fraction such as 1/20 mean gold filled or plated, not solid. "14K HGE" is a plated piece, whatever the 14K suggests.
- Look for a maker's mark. A trademark, initials, a country mark or an Italian star and number sit near the karat stamp. They tell you who made it and sometimes where, and they matter more than the karat for signed jewelry.
- Check the wear points. Inside the band, the edges of links and the clasp take the most wear. Solid gold looks the same color through wear. A different color showing through means plate or filled metal.
- Weigh it. Use a scale that reads in grams. Note stones and any steel springs, which are not gold.
- Do the math. Weight in grams times purity times the gold price per gram gives the melt floor. The tables below do it for you at an assumed price.
How the karats compare
| Karat | Gold content | European stamp | Color | Hardness and wear | Common uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9K | 37.5 percent | 375 | Pale yellow | Hard | British and Irish jewelry |
| 10K | 41.7 percent | 417 | Pale, slightly cooler yellow | Hardest of the common karats | US class rings, budget bands, chains |
| 14K | 58.3 percent | 585 | Warm yellow | Hard, the usual balance | US wedding bands, chains, most fine jewelry |
| 18K | 75 percent | 750 | Rich yellow | Softer, scratches and bends more | European fine jewelry, high end brands |
| 22K | 91.6 percent | 916 | Deep orange yellow | Soft | Indian and Middle Eastern jewelry |
| 24K | 99.9 percent | 999 | Deepest yellow | Very soft | Bullion, some Asian jewelry |
In the US, 10K is the lowest purity that can legally be sold as gold. Britain and much of Europe allow 9K. Middle Eastern pieces often use 21K, stamped 875.
Color depends on the other metals as well as the karat. White gold is gold alloyed with nickel or palladium and almost always plated with rhodium for a bright white surface, which wears off to show a faint yellow tint. Rose gold uses more copper. A 14K white gold ring and a 14K yellow gold ring hold the same amount of gold.
Durability goes the other way from value. A 10K ring resists scratches and bending better than an 18K ring of the same size. 18K prongs wear faster, and 22K or 24K bends in the hand. Some people with nickel allergies react to low karat white gold more than to 18K, because there is more alloy metal against the skin.
What each karat is worth per gram
Gold is priced per troy ounce of 31.1 grams. Assume gold at $4,000 per troy ounce, which is roughly $129 per gram of pure gold. Gold moves daily, so check the current price and scale these numbers. If gold is at $3,000, multiply by 0.75. At $5,000, multiply by 1.25.
| Karat | Gold content | Melt per gram at $4,000 | Scrap offer per gram (70 to 90 percent) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9K | 37.5 percent | $48 | $34-44 |
| 10K | 41.7 percent | $54 | $38-48 |
| 14K | 58.3 percent | $75 | $53-68 |
| 18K | 75 percent | $97 | $68-87 |
| 22K | 91.6 percent | $118 | $83-106 |
| 24K | 99.9 percent | $129 | $90-116 |
Value scales directly with purity. An 18K piece is worth exactly 75/58.3, about 1.29 times, a 14K piece of the same weight, and 1.8 times a 10K piece. Here is what that looks like for common items:
| Item | Typical weight | 10K melt | 14K melt | 18K melt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thin band or stud earrings | 1.5-2.5 g | $81-135 | $113-188 | $145-242 |
| Plain wedding band | 3-6 g | $161-323 | $225-451 | $290-580 |
| Class ring | 8-20 g | $430-1,075 | $600-1,500 | Rarely made |
| Fine chain, 18 to 20 inches | 3-6 g | $161-323 | $225-451 | $290-580 |
| Heavy rope or curb chain | 20-50 g | $1,075-2,690 | $1,500-3,760 | $1,935-4,840 |
These are melt figures before any stones. A ring with a diamond weighs more than its gold, and the buyer will deduct the stone. Our guide on how to tell if a diamond is real covers what the stone itself may add.
Marks that imitate a karat stamp
| Stamp | What it actually means | Gold in it |
|---|---|---|
| 14K, 585 alone | Solid 14K | 58.3 percent throughout |
| 14KP | Solid 14K, karat plumb | At least 58.3 percent |
| 1/20 12K GF, 14K GF | Gold filled: a bonded gold layer, 5 percent of weight | A few percent of the weight |
| RGP, 1/40 10K RGP | Rolled gold plate, thinner than filled | Very little |
| 18K GP, 18KGP, GEP | Gold plated or gold electroplated | Almost none |
| 14K HGE | Heavy gold electroplate | Almost none |
| 925 on yellow metal | Gold plated sterling silver (vermeil) | Almost none, valued as silver |
| 14K or 18K on a very cheap piece with no maker's mark | Sometimes a false stamp on plated base metal | Often none, needs a test |
Gold filled pieces are worth a few dollars to perhaps $20-40 for a heavy watch chain, because a 1/20 marked piece is only 5 percent gold alloy by weight. Plated pieces carry no meaningful melt value. Our guide on how to tell if gold is real covers the home tests, and is my old jewelry real gold walks through a mixed inherited box.
Melt versus retail: what you can actually sell for
Retail prices for new gold jewelry include design, labor, brand and the store's margin. A 14K chain bought new often cost 1.5 to 3 times its melt value. Once it leaves the store, most buyers will only pay for the gold.
- Scrap buyers and pawn shops pay roughly 70 to 90 percent of melt. Larger lots and higher karats usually get the better end of the range.
- Private sale or an online marketplace can reach melt or slightly above for attractive, wearable pieces, with more effort and risk.
- Signed jewelry from Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels, David Yurman, Bulgari or a known antique maker trades on the name, often well above melt. These deserve a specialist before any scrap offer.
- Antique and vintage gold, such as Victorian lockets, Art Deco rings or Etruscan revival pieces, can sell above melt for workmanship and period, even unsigned.
An 18K piece is not automatically better to own. It holds more gold per gram, but a heavy 10K chain can easily be worth more than a light 18K one. Weight times purity is what decides.
Common mistakes
- Reading 14K HGE, 14K GF or 18KGP as solid gold. The letters after the karat change everything.
- Assuming 585 or 750 is a model number. They are the European stamps for 14K and 18K.
- Expecting the original retail price back. Unsigned gold resells near melt, not near what was paid.
- Counting the diamond weight as gold. Buyers weigh the gold only.
- Judging karat by color. Warm light, rose alloys and plating make color unreliable, especially in photos.
- Scrapping a signed or antique piece by weight. Maker and period can be worth more than the gold.
- Ignoring the karat on an unstamped piece. Unmarked gold is common in older and handmade jewelry and needs a test, not a guess.
What to photograph
- The karat stamp in sharp macro, lit from the side.
- Any maker's mark, country mark or Italian star mark next to it.
- The whole piece on a plain background, front and back.
- The wear points: inside the band, the clasp and the ends of the chain.
- The piece on a scale with the weight in grams visible.
- Any box, receipt or appraisal, especially for signed jewelry.
When to get it looked at in person
- A jeweler or gold buyer can confirm karat with an acid test or an XRF reading in minutes, often at no charge if you might sell. Useful for unmarked pieces and anything stamped with a mix of karat and plating letters.
- Several scrap quotes cost nothing but time. Offers on the same piece can differ by 20 percent or more, so ask two or three buyers what percentage of melt they pay.
- An appraiser charges roughly $50-150 per item for a written valuation. Worth it for signed pieces, antique jewelry and anything with a significant stone.
- An auction house jewelry department gives estimates on strong signed or antique pieces at no upfront cost.
WorthPic reads the stamp in your photos, flags plating marks, and estimates both the melt floor and any maker premium, so you know which pieces to take further.