Gold is a malleable metal and can be rolled into thin sheets that light passes through them. The purity of gold is measured in karats.
There are 24 karat gold, 18 karat gold and 22 karat gold. Pure gold is 100% pure and is also referred to as 24k gold.
Gold that is 24K is shiny yellow. Pure gold is also very soft and cannot be used for anything that is not purely decorative.
18K gold, by contrast, is 75.0% pure gold, or 18/24 parts gold.
Key Takeaways
- 18k gold is 75% gold, while 916 gold contains 91.6% gold.
- 18k gold is more durable and resistant to wear than 916 gold due to its alloy composition.
- 916 gold has a higher content and is more valuable than 18k gold.
18k gold vs 916 gold
The difference between 18k gold and 916 gold is that the Percentage of Gold Purity of 18k gold is 916 gold. The percentage of Gold purity of 18k gold is 75.0, whereas the Percentage of Gold purity of 916 gold is 91.7.
18K gold has a superb purity balance, where it is hard enough to keep its shape while maintaining a high level of purity. Because of its hardness, 18K gold may be used in jewellery like rings and bracelets without fear of becoming too soft and pliable to keep its shape.
18K rose gold is a beautiful choice for jewellery designers who want the best of both worlds in their designs because of its lovely blend of purity and hardness. 916 gold is nothing but 22-carat gold.
916 is used to denote the purity of gold. It means that the gold is 99.16% pure and has no alloy.
So you can say that 916 gold is a high-quality pure gold called 22-carat gold or 100% pure gold.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | 18k gold | 916 gold |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 18K indicates that it is much purer than 14K, yet it still has muscular strength and a beautiful purity balance. | 916 is the purest and softest gold you can get for jewellery, and it’s a lot purer than 18k gold. |
| Parts of Gold | There is a total of 18 parts of gold in every 24 parts of 18k. | There is a total of 22 parts of gold in every 24 parts of 916. |
| Number of Karats | It is of 18 Karats gold. | It is of 22 Karats gold. |
| Percentage of Gold Purity | The percentage of Gold purity of 18k gold is 75.0. | The percentage of Gold purity of 916 gold is 91.7. |
| Millesimal Fineness | It has Millesimal Fineness of 750. | It has Millesimal Fineness of 916. |
What is 18k gold?
Pure gold is so soft that it can be moulded with the hands. 18K gold has a beautiful balance in purity, where it is hard enough to hold its form but still retains a high degree of purity.
Pure gold is also incredibly soft; thus, it can’t be utilised for anything other than decoration. In comparison, 18K gold is 75.0 per cent pure gold, or 18/24 parts gold.
Silver and copper are frequently used for the remaining components. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness gives gold a hardness (abrasion resistance) of 750.
This hardness allows 18K gold to be used in jewellery such as rings and bracelets without worrying that it is too soft and malleable to hold its form.
The beautiful balance between purity and hardness makes 18K rose gold an excellent choice for jewellery designers who seek the best of both worlds in their designs.
When shopping for gold jewellery in the market, the term “18K” or “750” is used to refer to gold’s purity. This means that the gold is 75.0% pure, or 18K.
It is much purer than 14K, and it still has good strength with a beautiful balance in purity. Tungsten jewellery is falsely advertised as 18K gold, but it’s not.
It’s a mixture of tungsten and other alloys, which look gold but do not contain gold. Tungsten jewellery will scratch off relatively easy, exposing the non-gold metal underneath and can be tested with acid strips available at most jewellers.
What is 916 gold?
916 Gold is also known as 22-carat gold. It is the purest form of gold, which has the highest quality. In this regard, it is not just superior to 18 karat gold but even to 24 karat gold.
It has a purity of 99.5%, and its colour remains unchanged even after being subjected to severe tests.
Various tests are conducted on 916 gold by jewellers and people from the industry to ensure its quality, purity, and suitability for use in various settings like jewellery making, designing, etc.
Pure gold, by definition, is 24 karat gold. Pure gold is too soft to be used for anything but jewellery.
All other alloys are pure gold mixed in with another metal or alloy to give it strength and hardness. Telling the difference between 916 and 24 karat gold can be done by looking at the gold’s colour and weight.
The best way to tell if an item of jewellery is 916 or pure 24 karat gold is to bring it to a qualified jeweller who can test it chemically and determine its exact composition.
Main Differences Between 18k gold and 916 gold
- The purity percentage of 18k gold is 75.0. In comparison, the quality of 916 gold is 91.7 per cent.
- 18k refers to gold that is 18 Karats, whilst 916 refers to gold that is 22 Karats.
- In every 24 parts of 18k, there are 18 parts of gold, but in every 24 parts of 916, there are 22 parts of gold.
- 18K gold is much purer than 14K gold, but it still has muscular strength and a beautiful purity balance, whereas 916 gold is the purest and softest gold you can get for jewellery, and it’s a lot purer than 18k gold.
- On the one hand, 18k has a Millesimal Fineness of 750, whereas 916 has a Millesimal Fineness of 916.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254058418307211
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1533002821001316
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
