Rope Chain Necklace Men Women 4mm 10K Real Gold

When looking at a piece of authentic jewelry, it should have a stamp in a discreet spot that tells you what the content of the metal is.

For example, usually, on the inside of a gold ring, it will be stamped with

• 10K (10 out of 24 parts)
• 14K (14 out of 24 parts)
• 18K (18 out of 24 parts)
• 22K (22 out of 24 parts)
• or the purest form of gold, 24K (24 out of 24 parts), however, 24K gold is too soft for jewelry use.

By doing the division of each number over 24, this will tell you the exact percentage of gold in the piece of jewelry.

In silver, you will often see a three digit number such as .925 sterling or 925 sterling; this means that the metal is 92.5% sterling silver.

For platinum, you will also see a three digit number such as 900 which means that it is 900 out of 1,000 parts or 90% platinum. Platinum may also be abbreviated on the inside of the ring or another discrete spot on the piece.

When buying jewelry, especially gold, the higher the karat, the heavier the metal is. A 10K ring would weigh less than a 14K ring of the same size. The heavier the metal, the more it tends to cost due to the amount of precious metal in the jewelry piece. Platinum is heavier and also more expensive than a piece of gold.