Gold guide
22K or 18K gold: which is right for your jewellery?
Purity, colour, strength and how each is used: a short guide to choosing the right gold for the piece you have in mind.
Karat describes how much of a piece is pure gold. Pure gold is 24K, but it's too soft to wear every day, so it is mixed with other metals for strength and colour.
22K: 91.6% gold
22K gold is stamped 916. It has the deep, warm yellow that Indian bridal and heritage jewellery is known for, and it's the traditional choice for temple work, antique finishes, kadas and kundan settings. Because it's softer, it suits pieces that are worn for occasions and kept carefully.
18K: 75% gold
18K gold is stamped 750. The extra alloy makes it harder, so it holds diamonds and coloured stones securely in fine claws. It also comes in white, yellow and rose. Most diamond rings, studs and tennis bracelets are made in 18K.
A quick way to decide
- Bridal sets, heritage gold, temple and antique work: 22K.
- Diamond and coloured-stone jewellery you'll wear often: 18K.
- Want a white or rose colour: 18K.
- Building value in gold itself: 22K.
How gold jewellery is priced
Both are priced by weight at the day's gold rate for that purity, plus making charges and GST, and the cost of any stones. Because the rate moves daily, we share quotes on request rather than listing prices online.
More from the journal
Polki, kundan and jadau: what's the difference?
Three words you'll hear in every bridal jewellery conversation, explained plainly, so you know exactly what you're choosing.
How to read a BIS hallmark and check a HUID
Every gold piece sold in India now carries a hallmark you can verify on your phone in under a minute. Here's how.
The Punjabi bridal jewellery checklist, ceremony by ceremony
From the roka to the reception: what's traditionally worn at each ceremony, and when to start planning.