Gold
Gold, whether white, yellow or rose, is alloyed, meaning a percentage of the metal is not gold. Pure gold (100%) is 24-karat but is too soft for normal or everyday wear. 24-karat would bend and wear away quickly, so it is alloyed to give it more strength and durability. 10-karat is ten parts gold mixed with alloys such as copper, zinc, or nickel, depending on whether the manufactures want white, yellow or rose gold.
- 10-karat gold is 41% pure gold
- 14-karat is 58.5% pure gold
- 18-karat is 75.0% pure gold