A side by side comparison: 14K vs 18K gold

What's the difference?

We’re glad you asked! Gold jewelry is strengthened with other alloys, or metal mixtures, because pure gold is too soft for daily wear. While 18-karat is 75% pure gold, 14-karat is about 58% pure gold. The remainder is made of copper, silver, zinc, and nickel (white gold only). If you are interested in white gold, please be aware that nickel can cause an allergic reaction for a small percentage of people so if this applies to you, contact us to learn about options for nickel-free platinum.

Do you regularly play sports or work with you hands? If so, a 14K gold ring may be the right fit. Gold naturally scratches, and bends over time. However, compared to 18K gold, 14K wears more slowly and is more resistant to scratching, bending, and scuffing. That’s because it has a higher percentage of the other metals mixed in to make it harder and more durable. 

For the same reason, 14K gold is also more affordable than 18K.

Gold for you skin tone

It may be difficult to see the difference between 14K and 18K yellow gold at first glance. however, the richer, yellower18K gold looks great on dark, tan, and olive skin tones.

If you’re looking for a warmer yellow gold, a silvery white gold, or a pinker rose gold, you may prefer 14K gold in those color options.