New to buying jewellery or a little, erm rusty, if you'll excuse the pun?
Maybe you're shopping for an engagement ring for the first time, or you're researching precious metals to treat yourself. Whatever brought you here, you’ll find the answers you need.
I'm Kate, founder of Kate Smith Jewellery, an independent designer jewellery studio in Birmingham's famous Jewellery Quarter. In this blog, I'm explaining everything you need to know about the differences between 9ct gold and 18ct gold so you can choose the right type of gold for your dream piece.
What does carat mean in gold?
Firstly, let's explain what we mean by the word carat (karat in the US, shortened to ct or kt) - not to be confused with the vegetable.
In reference to gold*, carat measures the purity of a piece of gold.
Pure gold is 24 carats. However, it's a relatively soft metal in its purest form, so it's very common to mix gold with other precious metals to make it more durable and affordable for jewellery.
Therefore, the number of carats refers to the amount of gold in a piece of jewellery. The number in brackets indicates how the metal is hallmarked to indicate it's carat.
24ct = 100% pure gold
22ct = 91.6% gold and 8.4% other materials (916)
18ct = 75% gold and 25% other metals (750)
14ct = 58.5% gold, with 41.% other metals (585)
9ct = 37.5% gold, 62.5% other metals (375)
*Carat is also used in gemstones to refer to the weight of the stone, with one carat equating to 200 milligrams.
What are these mysterious other metals added to gold to make jewellery?
Once the carat of gold is determined, the remaining content in a piece of jewellery is made using other metals, like copper, zinc, platinum or palladium, depending on the desired look and finish.
9ct vs 18ct gold: what's the difference?
The primary differences between the types of gold are:
Durability
Price
Appearance
18ct gold is heavier and more durable than 9ct gold, making it a better choice for years of wear if budget allows - this is why it's a popular choice for engagement rings and wedding rings.
However, 9ct can be a great choice if you'd prefer to prioritise your spend on the gemstones in the jewellery you're buying or 18ct feels just feels a bit too much.
When describing the difference, I often liken the two to plastic and glass for easy understanding:
18ct gold is soft yet durable like plastic - so it's more resistant to knocks and scratches.
9ct gold is hard yet slightly more fragile like glass, making it more susceptible to scratches and tarnish.
Is 9ct gold good?
Yes! Absolutely.
I personally wear a mixture of both 9ct and 18ct gold.
9ct gold is more cost-effective and we make a lot of 9ct rings for our customers.
It all depends on your budget and the look you’d like to achieve as the different carats of gold look different (I cover this below).
What's the price difference between 9ct and 18ct gold?
Naturally, 18ct gold is more expensive than 9ct gold due to the higher gold content.
The price of gold fluctuates based on global markets, as it’s a traded commodity.
However, as a general guide, you can expect to pay between 50% and 100% more for 18ct gold than 9ct.
What are the different colours of gold?
The main three colours of gold are yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold.
They also vary depending on the carat of gold they are in - all variations can be seen in the image above.
Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is the typical warm gold colour.
To achieve this yellow hue, the pure gold content is alloyed with other metals, like copper and zinc, which are yellowy in colour.
Yellow gold is the most popular choice for wedding bands, and is commonly used in other types of jewellery too.
9ct yellow gold - has a lighter gold tone
18ct yellow gold - has a rich, deeper yellow colour to it
White gold
The name is a little misleading, as white gold isn't actually white! The 'white' label really comes as a result of the rhodium plate that's commonly applied throughout the jewellery industry to give it a brighter/whiter appearance.
In its natural form, the colour of white gold differs between the carats:
9ct white gold - is almost silver looking, except it has a slight yellowish tint to it.
18ct white gold - is a darker and greyer colour.
Both carats of white gold are often plated with rhodium, to give that aforementioned brighter finish. We give our clients the option of going au natural or opting for a rhodium plate on the jewellery we make.
Which you choose is really down to personal preference.
White gold is popular for engagement and eternity rings, and it looks beautiful paired with diamonds.
Rose gold
Rose gold has a pinky-red colour that is achieved by blending gold with copper.
It's probably still the least common of the three colour options, but it's becoming an increasingly popular choice for contemporary eternity rings, engagement and wedding rings.
9ct rose gold - has a more intense pink colour because of its higher copper content
18ct rose gold - is pinky-red as it has less copper and a higher yellow gold content
Find your perfect piece of jewellery
Now you're an expert in gold, you're ready to start narrowing down the search for your perfect piece!
At KSJ, we specialise in contemporary jewellery; everything is handmade in our UK workshop. Feel free to browse our engagement rings, eternity rings, wedding bands, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and men's jewellery - and please drop me a line with any questions you have.
My free sizing tool might come in handy, as may this blog post about working out someone's ring size without asking! ;)
Like the overall vibe of my jewellery, but haven't found what you're looking for? Get in touch to discuss my bespoke jewellery and jewellery remodelling services.
Happy jewellery shopping!
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