The number on the stamp says how much gold is inside, and that changes the color, the hardness and what you get paid when you sell your gold.
The stamp says how much gold is in there
Almost no piece of jewelry is pure gold. Pure gold is soft, so it gets mixed with other metals to make the piece hold up.
The karat tells you how much of that mix is gold. Out of twenty-four parts, 18K carries eighteen parts gold, 14K carries fourteen and 10K carries ten.
The rest is copper, silver, nickel or zinc, depending on the color you’re after. And that rest is what makes the difference between one and the other.
Color, hardness and wear
18K is more yellow and softer. It scratches and bends more easily, which is why you see it in fine pieces that don’t take hits.
10K is harder and paler. It stands up to daily wear, the gym and rough handling, which is why it’s common in pieces built for rough use.
14K sits in the middle. It’s the most common in New York. Good color, good strength and the point where price and durability meet.
When you buy: what suits you
It depends on the piece and the life it’s going to live. An everyday chain calls for hardness; an engagement ring calls for color.
At the same weight and design, more karat means more gold, and that’s why it costs more. Less karat isn’t worse: it’s a different piece for a different use.
If it’s a gift and you don’t know how it’ll be worn, 14K is the safe bet. It looks good, it lasts, and if it ever needs adjusting, it gets done at the bench.
At Trato Fino we check the karat in front of you, with the piece in hand, before you decide.
When you sell: what counts
When you sell, the karat counts as much as the weight. Two chains that look identical can be worth very different money over the number on the stamp alone.
You get paid for the gold that’s inside, not for the whole mix. That’s why, at the same weight, 18K brings more than 14K, and 14K more than 10K.
The design and the jeweler’s work don’t enter that math when a piece is sold for its metal. What goes on the scale is the gold.
The stamp isn’t enough: it gets tested
The stamp is a clue, not proof. There are pieces with no stamp, worn stamps and stamps that don’t tell the truth.
At the counter we run an acid test, in front of you. If the piece has no stamp, or the stamp doesn’t match what the test says, the test wins.
If instead of a K you see three digits, it’s the same idea written in thousandths: how many parts out of a thousand are gold. The test reads it the same way.
Bring the piece in and leave knowing
If you don’t know what karat you have, don’t guess. Bring it to 88 Nagle Avenue, in Inwood, and leave knowing what you’ve got: karat tested and weight in plain sight.
Open seven days, 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM. The appraisal costs you nothing.
