If you need to choose between 14K gold and another caratage, you’re probably wondering what makes 14K unique.
Items consisting of 14K gold contain more than 50% gold, unlike other metal alloys that might contain more or less gold.
Let’s dive into what you need to know about 14-karat gold.
Noble Gold Investments
Rated #1 for Lowest Fees
When it comes to customer service, fees, safety, and overall customer satisfaction, Noble Gold Investments checks all of the boxes.
What is 14-Karat Gold?
Before we get into it, one should understand what gold and karats mean. Karats are a measurement term that gauges the purity of gold or the gold percentage of a piece.
24K gold contains 99.9% gold, making it pure and soft. Next, there’s 22K gold at 91.7%. As the carats decrease, so too does the gold purity.
18K gold contains 75% gold, while 14K gold has a purity of 58.3% gold to alloy.
12K gold has a gold and alloy mix of 50%, and 10K gold contains less than 50% gold.
What Properties are in 14K Gold?
14kt gold gets produced when gold gets blended with a metal alloy composed of common metals such as zinc, nickel, copper, and rhodium plating.
These elements help strengthen the gold to make it more suitable for everyday wear and help avoid things like corrosion, rust, and tarnishing.
Gold, in its purest form, is very soft and easily malleable, which makes it unfavorable for everyday wear.
That’s why you’ll discover that jewelry pieces like necklaces, rings, bracelets, and watches that are ideal for daily wear commonly get manufactured from 14K gold.
Uses of 14K Gold
Since 14K gold is one of the most affordable metals and is more durable than other golds, most jewelry items get made from 14K gold.
14K gold is a popular option for diamond engagement rings and wedding rings because of its durability. Gold chains, bracelets, earrings, and watches are also made from 14-karat gold, so you can wear them all the time or just for special occasions.
Pieces manufactured from 14K gold aren’t the most expensive type of gold, so if you’re considering investing in gold jewelry, 14K pieces are an excellent option.
Types of 14K Gold
There are a few different types and colors of gold admired for their range of advantages. They have different appearances, durability levels, and costs. Read on to distinguish between the different types of 14K gold.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is the most familiar type of gold, and as the name suggests, it’s a yellow color. It’s important to be careful when purchasing yellow gold because counterfeit pieces are often on the market.
Yellow gold is also easier to scratch and dent compared to other types of 14K gold.
People with sensitive skin who are prone to allergic reactions should opt for 14K yellow gold, as it is the most hypoallergenic type of 14K gold.
White Gold
White gold is more valuable and stronger than yellow gold, making it more resistant to scratches. While yellow gold is more familiar, you may be more attracted to the white gold color for its lighter appearance and increased durability.
Rose Gold
Rose gold has a unique and romantic rosy tinge, which makes it favored for engagement rings. Rose gold is generally lower priced than the other types of gold since it’s a mix of gold with copper, which significantly brings down manufacturing costs.
How to Clean 14K Gold
While proper care and storage can help prevent tarnishing, it is sometimes inevitable that your gold will lose its glow. There are a few different ways to clean your 14K gold to bring it back to its bright shine.
Before you begin, it’s essential to know whether your jewelry is gold-plated or solid gold. Once you are aware of this detail, you can pursue any of these safe cleaning techniques.
Note that these care tips don’t take the place of a deep cleaning offered by a professional jeweler. These methods will allow you to clean your gold piece of jewelry in between those deep cleans at a fraction of the cost.
Dish soap with warm water
This method is the most common to clean your 14K gold jewelry on your own.
- Step 1: Take mild dish soap or shampoo or body wash without moisturizing features, and make a bath of warm water with the soap. It’s vital to avoid mixtures with moisturizing qualities, as that will cause a film to develop on your jewelry.
- Step 2: Add your jewelry to soak for between 20 and 40 minutes.
- Step 3: After letting it soak, you will take a soft toothbrush and gently scrub the crevices of the piece. If you don’t have a soft toothbrush to use, you make room for the possibility of scratching your gold piece.
- Step 4: Following brushing, rinse it in warm water. People may choose to do this over a plugged sink, but you can also use bowls if that makes you feel better. Then, leave it on a soft cloth to air dry.
Tip: Avoid using a paper towel, as that can cause scratches on your piece.
Other cleaning options
You can try a few other cleaning options at home in between deep cleans at your local jeweler.
Jewelry cleaner
There are many jewelry cleaners with exact chemical mixtures for the jewelry type you want to clean. These can be more expensive than some of these other at-home cleaning solutions, but you may feel more confident using something made by professionals.
Cloth
You can find specialized cleaning cloths that are safe for your 14K gold jewelry if you want to avoid any liquid cleaning methods.
Toothpaste
You can scrub your golden piece using light, circular motions with a gentle toothpaste and an unused toothbrush.
The movement is similar to what you’d do when using the warm water and dish soap method.
14K vs. 18K: Which Gold is Better?
Regarding more gold content, 18K ranks higher since it is 75% gold karats, while 14K is 58.3%. Both golds are reputable, but some may favor 18K over 14K gold jewelry because of the higher gold content.
In terms of investing, 18K gold has more gold content than 14K, which makes it more attractive. It’s more valuable, so one should expect 18K to be more expensive.
When considering durability, 14K is better because the mix of alloy metals is of a higher concentration. At the end of the day, it depends on whether you want a higher investment value or a stronger piece of gold.
Is 14K Gold Any Good?
With more than 50% karats of gold content, 14K gold is perfect to wear every day. These pieces are both elegant and come at an affordable price.
They are also easy to clean and are worth every penny for the luxury and beauty you’ll have and feel while wearing them.
This type of gold has the perfect balance of gold, so if you’re looking to invest in gold, 14K is an excellent choice to consider.
FAQs
Do you have any more questions about 14K gold? Here are some of the most common questions about gold.
