Two rings look identical — one costs double. The rep pushes the pricier one, but is it actually better? The answer depends on what you want the jewellery to do.
What karats actually mean
Karat measures gold purity: 10K is 41.7% gold (the rest binding metals), 18K is 75% — often nearly double 10K’s price — and 24K is 99.9%, the purest form. Your gold is usually stamped; we’ll also check it for you free of charge.
Value and pricing
The golden rule: higher karat, higher price. Two identical, unplated rings of equal weight — the 18K one simply contains more gold and costs accordingly.
Durability and wear
Here lower karats fight back: the binding metals make 10K and 14K harder and more scratch-resistant — better for daily-wear rings — while 22K and 24K are soft, beautiful and best for pieces worn occasionally.
Quick chooser: daily wear → 10–14K for toughness. Heirlooms and investment → 18–24K for content. There is no “best” karat — only the best karat for the job.
Selling rather than buying? Karat and weight are exactly what we price — tested in front of you.
