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What Does the Karat in Gold Mean?
The purity of gold is determined by the measure of gold and alloy combinations, the alloy being other metals such as silver, copper, tin, etc. The purity is defined in "karats". One karat is a total figure of 24, which is the combined proportion of gold that exists in the alloy, when added to the other metals. One part gold, with 23 parts of alloy, is considered to be 4% pure gold, or one karat. That is a very low percentage, and an item made from that mix might not have the rich, metallic appearance you expect. Ten parts of gold, and 14 parts of alloy will give you 42% pure gold, or 10k, which is generally the lowest ratio that you will see in jewelry. The other karat measurements in gold are 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy for 58% or 14k, 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy for 75% or 18k, 22 parts gold and 2 parts alloy for 91% or 22k, and the very purest gold, is 24 parts all gold. Gold, depending on the alloys that it is blended with, is generally considered a very "soft", or malleable metal. Methods of purifying and removing other materials and metals have changed greatly over the years, but nowhere in history, is there a finer or more famous piece of gold work than the funerary equipment of King Tut, unearthed in 1923, after more than three thousand years.
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