What is 24k Gold? Is 24K Gold The Best?

To describe something as 24 karat gold means it is the best of the best, 100% pure, with unmatchable top quality. This article will teach you everything you need to know about 24k gold, and why 24k gold is considered the most prestigious gold material in existence. We’ll also explain why 24k gold, even though it is the most pure gold, isn’t commonly used in jewelry. Even though you won’t find 24k gold used often in jewelry, every gold lover and gold aficionado should continue reading this article for more information about 24k gold, and why 24k gold is the best.

What is 24k Gold? Is 24k Gold Pure Gold?

24k gold has 24 “karats” of gold in its material, and is the purest type of gold available. 24k gold is considered the best type of gold in terms of its purity, because it is 100% pure gold. No other alloys or metals are found in 24k gold, and all 24 parts in the gold are pure gold. Mathematically, a karat is 1/24 part of pure gold weight, which is how 24 karats of gold came to be the highest gold karat count. 24k gold is the highest karat count of gold you can find, (25k or 26K gold doesn’t exist, so don’t get scammed by another jeweler who may tell you otherwise.) The reason 24k gold is the highest karat amount is due to the 24 point gold measuring scale. These gold “points” are now commonly just referred to as karats. A karat is a term used to measure the purity of gold. When measuring gold, karats aren’t measured by weight but by the gold’s fineness and purity. Remember, the karat amount found in gold is different than “carats” found in diamonds. Carats refer to the weight of a diamond. Since we’re breaking down the mathematics of 24k gold, the commercially available pureness of 24k gold is technically 99.95% pure gold, but jewelers and gold experts will still consider 24k gold 100% pure gold. The only reason 24k gold isn’t commonly found in it’s 100% pure form today, is because of the scarcity of gold materials on the commercial market. Because 24k gold is the purest form of gold, this makes  24k gold extremely soft, delicate, and easy to bend. Ironically, these factors are the reasons why 24k gold can’t often be used successfully in jewelry. 

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Re-thinking 24k Gold in Jewlery

One of the downsides to gold jewelry, especially 24k gold which has the highest purity amount, is that the gold material will be extremely delicate to work with. Just because 24k gold is the purest form of gold, doesn’t mean it will be the best material option for your gold jewelry. This is the Achilles Heel of 24k gold;  its purity and delicacy.  24k gold is not commonly used in jewelry, because 24k gold is very soft, delicate, and breakable. 24k gold, if used in jewelry, has a higher likelihood of bending, scratching, and needing extensive repairs. This is why it’s impractical to use 24k gold in jewelry. There are some jewelers who have mastered incorporating 24k gold in jewelry, however this usage is very circumstantial, expensive, and not advised for everyday use. 24k gold jewelry can still be found today, but commonly in vintage or antique gold items. So, if you can’t commonly find 24k gold in jewelry, how is 24k gold used today? 24k gold is most commonly used as a variable for investments, decorating, or electronics. When you envision bars of gold for monetary value, those gold bars are typically 24k gold. Another popular usage of 24k gold can be for collectable coins. 24k gold is more popular in Eastern cultures (like China and India) for family heirlooms, decorations, and weddings. Since 24k gold isn’t practical to use in jewelry, or everyday use, you may be thinking is 24k gold good? Of course 24k gold is still the best material, and it is more popular in abstract ways, like investments. 24k gold is good, and a remarkable gold material to come across.

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How Can You Tell If Its 24K Gold?

24k Gold is distinguishable by a few key traits. The texture of 24k gold feels very soft and delicate, and has a tendency to bend more easily than other gold; like 10k gold, 14k gold, and 18k gold. Another distinguishable trait is the color of 24k gold. The coloring of 24k can be described as a bright rich orange-yellow. This color is starkly different in comparison to other gold materials mentioned. Since no other alloys or metals are found in 24k gold, the color can’t be adjusted or manipulated. The color of 24k gold won’t look as “natural” on gold jewelry in comparison to 10k gold, 14k gold, or 18k gold. It’s common to assume that the purest gold material, in this case 24k gold, would have the best golden color. When we think of how we want our gold jewelry to shine however, more traditional gold colors are found in 10k, 14k, and 18k. You can browse The GlD Shop’s gold jewelry to compare the gold colorings found in each material.

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How Much is 24k Gold?

Since 24k gold is the purest quality of gold, that means it will be the most expensive type of gold you can purchase. As mentioned previously in this article, how much 24k gold is worth is determined by the amount of karats found in gold. Pricing for gold can either be determined by the ounces in gold, or the karat gram amount in gold. Since 24k gold has the highest and most pure karat amount, that makes 24k gold the most expensive gold material on the market. The price of gold on the market is never a fixed price, and changes day to day. Gold is traded on exchanges, and the price of gold can change due to supply demand and other global economic factors. Like most commodities, supply and demand is an important factor. Gold will always retain its value, and will only increase overtime, making 24k gold specifically an incredibly popular investment. The national gold rate is publicly available in newspapers and  internet currency rate websites. At the time this article was written, 24k gold was valued at $58.86 per gram. One ounce of 24k gold was valued at $1,830.73. Again, these are daily fluctuating prices. Jewelers however can determine their own prices for gold based on a variety of factors.

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