14K or 18K gold — how do you choose the metal for your jewelry?

When designing jewelry, the choice of gold affects much more than its color. It influences the appearance, material properties, price and suitability of the piece for wear over the years.

At TzurGems, we work primarily in 14K and 18K gold. We choose between them as part of the design, considering the structure of the piece, the gemstones it will hold, the character we want to give it and the budget.

We also have the knowledge and ability to create jewelry in 24K gold.

What does the karat of gold actually mean?

Karat indicates the proportion of gold in an alloy. Pure gold is defined as 24K. 18K gold contains 75% gold, while 14K gold contains approximately 58.5% gold. The rest of the alloy consists of other metals that influence its color and material properties.

Other purities also exist, such as 9K, 10K and 22K.

It is important to distinguish gold karat from gemstone carat: for gold it indicates purity; for gemstones it is a unit of weight.

Why are other metals added to gold?

Pure gold is a very soft metal. To make it suitable for most jewelry, other metals are added to create an alloy with properties appropriate for goldsmithing and wear.

14K gold has a higher proportion of other metals than 18K gold. In suitable alloys, this allows for a stronger, harder material that can suit certain structures and settings.

However, karat alone does not determine the strength of a piece. The alloy composition, thickness of its parts, working methods and structure also influence the result.

When do we prefer 18K gold?

For some work, the properties of an 18K gold alloy suit us better. For example, when we need a material with less springback that is easier to shape into the desired form.

Springback is the tendency of a material to return slightly toward its previous shape after bending. For certain tasks, we prefer a material that more readily retains the shape we give it.

The exact properties also depend on the alloy composition and how it is worked. We therefore choose the material according to what the piece requires.

Sometimes choosing 18K gold is also a choice of luxury

Not every decision comes from a technical need. Sometimes we choose 18K gold because of the luxurious character we want to give the piece.

When setting very high-quality gemstones or diamonds, we will often prefer to combine them with 18K gold. The higher gold content complements the quality of the stones and the luxurious direction of the creation as a whole.

This is not essential for every piece. Together with you, we consider what suits the design and what the choice means for the price.

The difference between 14K and 18K has financial significance

The difference in gold content can significantly affect the material cost, especially in heavier pieces.

For the same alloy weight, 18K gold contains more pure gold than 14K gold. When planning a piece, we must also consider the amount of material and final weight required for each option.

The jewelry price also includes gemstones, setting and goldsmithing work. We therefore explain the price difference for the specific piece you are planning, so you can choose with an understanding of the result and cost.

Yellow, white or rose?

The color of gold comes from the composition of the metals added to it. The choice changes the feel of the jewelry and the way a gemstone looks alongside it.

Sometimes yellow gold emphasizes the warmth of a stone. In other cases, a white setting creates the desired appearance. Rose gold can give the same design a different character.

During the design consultation, we look at the gemstone and metal together. There is no single combination that suits everyone — there is a combination that suits the jewelry we want to create and the taste of its wearer.

Why are white diamonds set in white gold?

Diamonds are also graded by color. On the standard color scale, grades D through F are considered colorless. When other quality characteristics are similar, diamonds in these grades are generally more expensive than diamonds with a noticeable yellowish tint.

When choosing such a diamond, we want the setting to preserve as much as possible the colorless appearance for which we chose it. Yellow or rose gold can be reflected in the diamond and give it a warmer appearance. We will therefore often prefer white gold around the diamond.

The body of the jewelry can also be made in yellow gold, with the diamond setting in white gold. This combines the gold color you love with a setting that emphasizes the diamond's white appearance.

The metal color affects how the diamond looks in the jewelry; it does not change the stone's actual color grade.

What should you know about white gold?

The shade of white gold depends on the alloy composition. Many white gold pieces also receive rhodium plating, giving them a bright, white appearance.

The plating may wear with use and need renewal. It is therefore worth understanding in advance which finish is planned for your jewelry and what maintenance it will require.

Metal sensitivity is part of choosing gold

Some people who are sensitive to certain metals can wear suitable gold jewelry without a reaction. Sometimes choosing higher-karat gold, particularly yellow gold, can be more suitable because it contains a lower proportion of other metals.

However, it is important to check which metals are in the alloy. For example, some white gold alloys contain nickel, which may cause a reaction in someone allergic to it.

A higher karat alone does not guarantee that an allergy will not develop, and an allergy to gold itself is also possible. If you have a known allergy to a particular metal, tell us at the design consultation so we can take it into account when choosing the material.

We can also create in 24K gold

Alongside our work in 14K and 18K gold, we also know how to make jewelry in 24K gold — a skill that is not found in every goldsmithing workshop.

Working in pure gold requires attention to its softness, with planning and working methods suited to the material's properties.

When considering a piece in pure gold, we assess its structure, connections and intended wear, and explain whether it suits the proposed design.

Choosing gold as part of the complete piece

You do not need to arrive at the consultation with a final decision on karat or gold color. You can start with a gemstone you want to incorporate, a piece you love or a general idea.

From there, we explore the options together and choose the gold that suits your design, gemstones, use and budget.

Book a design consultation — NIS 300

The design consultation lasts up to one hour. Its fee is credited toward the price of your jewelry order when you proceed to production.