10k Gold vs 14k and 18k Gold: Introducing our 10k Solid Gold Capsule Collection
Ekaterina Kouznetsova
Posted on October 26 2020
Skaska Jewelry is so excited to announce the release of our 10k solid gold capsule collection! It's been months in the making, featuring new mix-and-match pieces you'll adore and the Skaska designs you love reimagined in 10k solid gold.
Why 10k Solid Gold Jewelry?
We wanted to make our designs more accessible and even more durable for everyday wear. 10k solid gold is the hardest type of gold when compared to higher-karat alloys.
All gold that is used in jewelry is an alloy of pure gold and at least one other metal. Why? Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear and needs to be mixed with metals such as silver, copper, or nickel to provide it with strength and durability. 24k gold is pure gold, with the name coming from a fraction of gold to total weight, in this case it would be 24/24. Pure gold is malleable and very easy to scratch, so it might not be a good choice for jewelry you want to wear everyday.
Here is the breakdown of 10k, 14k, and 18k gold purity, and advantages and disadvantages to each.
18k Gold
18/24 parts of gold with a 75% gold purity
Advantages of 18k Gold
-
As pure as possible while still practical for daily wear
-
Great for those with nickel allergies as it is so pure
Disadvantages of 18k Gold
-
More expensive due to purity
18k gold is a great choice for those that want a memorable, luxurious piece of jewelry or those with sensitive skin and allergies. Although 18k solid gold jewelry will never fade like vermeil pieces, it will need to be treated with slightly more care. We made a handy guide on how to clean 14k and 18k gold jewelry here.If you have an extra active lifestyle and tend to bump your jewelry into hard surfaces, consider 14k or 10k jewelry.
Looking for 18k Gold jewelry? Shop our 18k collection here!
14k Gold
14/24 parts of gold with a 58% gold purity
Advantages of 14k Gold
-
Great mix of purity and durability
-
More affordable than 18k gold
Disadvantages of 14k Gold
-
More expensive than 10k gold
14k gold has become the norm for jewelry, offering a good middle ground between gold purity and durability. A step down from 18k gold, it is more affordable and great for those that want fine jewelry you can wear everyday without worrying. With over half of the alloy being gold, it does require some special care and cleaning.
Love 14k gold jewelry? Shop 14k solid gold jewelry here!
10k Gold
10/24 parts of gold with a 42% gold purity
Advantages of 10k Gold
-
Most affordable fine jewelry
-
Extremely durable, less care than 18k and 14k gold
Disadvantages of 10k Gold
-
Higher amount of other metals in alloy
The advantages and disadvantages of 10k gold are dependent on the additional alloys used - it's extremely durable and the perfect choice for an active lifestyle, but the might be the wrong choice for those with sensitivities to nickel. 10k gold jewelry is your ideal choice if you want to wear your pieces everyday and tend to be rough with your hands. While most 10k gold jewelry is less saturated in color than 14k or 18k gold jewelry, our proprietary alloy retains the rich gold hues of 18k jewelry while doubling its' durability.
Our new 10k solid gold collection features affordable luxury jewelry you can wear everyday with no worries, and it looks like 18k gold!
Dreaming of 10k gold jewelry? Shop our 10k solid gold jewelry capsule collection here!