What is 1 carat gold equal to?

14 carat gold – what is the purity, conversion formula, price per gram today | mk-soyuz.rf

Hello, dear readers! Most of us have gold jewelry at home, purchased at different times. They are marked with hallmark 585, and if they have been preserved from Soviet times, then 583. In European countries you can buy products made of yellow metal of various shades, on which it is impossible to find the hallmark we are used to.

How to determine what we have in front of us: precious metal or ordinary jewelry? Many readers are interested in: 14 carat gold – what is the purity and how to easily recalculate the units of measurement so as not to buy a fake. We learn all this from the article.

Gold is a traditionally yellow precious metal. It is impossible to make jewelry from pure metal, as it is fragile and ductile. To increase the strength of products made from precious material, alloys are produced on its basis with additives that increase strength and wear resistance. Auxiliary components are called “ligature”. The fewer additives in the alloy, the more vulnerable the product, and the more easily scratches form on it.

What is carat

The term "karat" is used in jewelry to measure the percentage of pure gold in a piece. It is necessary to distinguish between a gold carat and a diamond carat.

For abbreviated designation, the symbol “k”, “K” or the abbreviation “KR” is used. If for precious stones an increase in carat indicates a larger size and leads to an increase in price exponentially, then carats in gold have standard values: 10, 14, 18, 20, 22, a figure of 24 is rare. All products with a purity of less than 10 carats are technically are not considered gold.

Origin of the word

Initially, in different parts of the world, the reference value for determining weight was equated to the weight of cereals traditional for a given region. The word “carat” came to us from the countries of the Middle East, where jewelry has always been a sign of prosperity and wealth. There, the measure of weight was chosen to be the seed of the acacia, or carob, which had a stable size and sounded like “keration” in Greek.

This system was very approximate, and in different countries the same stone could have different prices. For this reason, in 1877, European merchants decided to consider a carat equal to 205 mg. Years later, for a simpler translation, the value was taken to be 1/5 g.

As for alloys, carat denotes the mass fraction of pure gold in it, measured in 24 parts of the total weight.

How to determine carat content

To determine the carat value, you need to multiply the number of grams of gold in the product (that is, its fineness) by 24 and divide by 1000. For example, 900 x 24 / 1000 = 21.6. According to the correspondence tables, sample 900 corresponds to a value of 22k, but the American system allows an error of +/- 0.5k. Therefore, the actual carat value may be less than stated.

To buy a product with a guaranteed number of carats, you need to look for the “KR” marking on it.

How to convert to the metric system and sample correspondence table

In Russia, the metric system is used, which clearly demonstrates the amount of pure metal in grams per kilogram of alloy. The karat system means that 100% pure gold has 24 carats. Banking bars are made from pure 999 purity material, and products made from it are very soft and easily damaged. An ingot with minor scratches immediately loses part of its value.

Vsevolod Kozlovsky6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about hallmarks and can identify a fake in 12 seconds. To convert carats to the metric system, you need to multiply the carat marking by 1000 and divide by 24. For example, 18K x 1000 / 24 = 750. It turns out that 18 carats correspond to the 750th hallmark.

Using the following sample correspondence table, you can easily convert all existing gold samples from carats to the metric system:

Metric	Carat
999	24
958	23
900	22
750	18
583	14
585	14
500	12
375	9

At the state level, there is strict control over enterprises working with precious metals. All released products must have a special mark confirming its quality. Even if the deviations in the declared amount of gold are insignificant, entire batches of finished products are sent for processing.

In Russia, the quality control function is performed by the Assay Office. The stamp on products made in the Russian Federation contains a three-digit designation of the sample and a female silhouette. Often the manufacturer's mark is also applied nearby.

About this sample

14K gold contains 58.5% gold and 41.5% ligature. It is thanks to additives that it becomes suitable for further processing.

Composition and properties

Depending on the metals in the alloy, gold changes not only its color, but also its properties. Copper and silver are used as alloys, in different proportions, as well as nickel, zinc, palladium, platinum, and very rarely iridium and ruthenium. Ligature metals affect the properties of gold as follows:

1. Red products are durable and do not corrode. This is the most popular color.
2. Silver adds ductility, makes the alloy more malleable for forging, and changes color. The more silver in the composition, the easier the processing.
3. The white color is obtained due to the presence of zinc, which reduces the melting point of the metal.
4. Nickel imparts magnetic properties, the alloy becomes harder and more ductile.
5. Copper adds strength but reduces corrosion resistance.
6. The alloy with platinum in the composition becomes more elastic, the melting point decreases.
7. White gold has the lowest density, which means its mass differs to a lesser extent.

Strength

The softness of gold is the main reason it is used in alloys. The higher the carat value, the less weight and strength the alloy has. 14-karat products contain hard metals, which positively affect its strength, and therefore durability.

Alloy shade chart

Color	Gold	Silver	Copper	Nickel	Zinc
Yellow	585	187	228
Red	585	82	333
Pink	585	182	233
Green	585	359	56
White	585	160	170	85

The classic option is reddish gold, which contains 8.2% silver and 33.3% copper. This material does not bend, various products are well made from it, it was from this metal that the famous chervonets were cast.

Currently, white alloys are popular. They are used to frame diamonds and are not subject to contamination.

Brand

The manufacturer does not have the right to apply a mark on his own - this is the prerogative of the Assay Office. On domestically produced 14-karat gold, the hallmark contains 4 elements:

• a letter indicating the department that carried out the inspection (“M” - Moscow, “N” - Nizhny Novgorod, etc.),
• female profile in kokoshnik,
• directly sample 585,
• rectangular frame.

In the West, the marking looks different, and it is applied to both gold and gold-plated jewelry. The stamp contains only the characters “14k”.

How much does 1 gram of gold of this standard cost?

Gold has long become a hard currency; it is used to carry out payment transactions and evaluate the official reserve assets of states (gold and foreign exchange reserves). To calculate the bank value, you need to multiply 0.585 by the figure established by the Central Bank, but the price in stores and pawn shops may differ significantly.

Price for 999 standard according to the Central Bank Market value of the sample for today Price for scrap Price in jewelry

Reasons for the popularity of 14k products

Products made from 14-karat gold are the most popular, since the ratio of metals in the alloy makes it possible to obtain high-quality and durable jewelry at an affordable price. Finished products retain their attractive appearance for many years, do not fade, and can have different shades depending on the ligature.

In addition, many believe that buying jewelry is a profitable investment, since the price of gold does not fall, but constantly tends to rise. In reality, everything is much more complicated and buying jewelry for investment purposes is a stupid idea.

How to avoid becoming a victim of a scammer

When purchasing gold products abroad, it is important to look specifically at the carat marking. If you come across jewelry with karat markings for sale in Russia, then it most likely entered the country and is sold illegally. When buying such jewelry, you need to be prepared for the fact that imported gold may not reach 585 fineness.

Officially imported precious metals must undergo examination by the Assay Office, after which a standard hallmark is placed next to the original mark, protecting the buyer from deception.

To avoid becoming a victim of fraudsters, you need to carefully check the presence of a stamp and sample. It is better to choose products from trustworthy manufacturers.

How to distinguish gold from gilding

Now let's figure out how to find out whether the gold in front of them is real or not. The easiest way is to check the markings; they are usually applied:

• on the inside of the ring,
• in chains - on rings connecting the clasp to the main part,
• on earrings - on a pin that fits directly into the hole in the ear.

Previously, all stamps were applied by hand, and it was impossible to fake them. Currently, samples are applied using special equipment, and fraudsters have learned to falsify them.

The following facts should alert you:

• the recess of the stamp is clogged with dirt,
• it is impossible to read the sample number or carat marking even through a magnifying glass,
• numbers are unclear or crooked.

There is a lot of advice on the Internet about testing the authenticity of gold by applying nitric acid or aqua regia. But, firstly, it is not easy to find these reagents, and secondly, you risk ruining the decoration. Therefore, it is better to contact an experienced jeweler with this question.

There are also funny and useless ways to check, such as biting the product and checking with a magnet. These methods are unreliable and can be used by scammers.

Vsevolod Kozlovsky6 years in the jewelry business. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds. A product made of real gold should be smooth, durable, and there should be no dents or scratches on it. Gold-plated silver jewelry has a standard of 800, 830, 875, 925, 960.

Over time, the gilding wears off or darkens.

Imported gold plated jewelry is marked with the abbreviation “KGP”. Gilding in English - Gold Platted (a thin layer that will quickly be erased) or Gold Filled (a thicker layer). It is important that the marking contains only the symbols “14k” and no other designations either before or after them.

Care Tips

In order for gold jewelry to please the eye for as long as possible, you need to take care of it. You should not bathe in jewelry, wash dishes, sleep, or apply cream or cosmetics. It is better to store each accessory in separate packaging to minimize friction. Experts advise:

• Wash your jewelry regularly with warm water and detergent dissolved in it,
• do not use abrasive products,
• use professional cleaning services.

These simple rules will help keep your jewelry in its original form for a long time.

Conclusion

By understanding the nuances of applying markings to jewelry, you can protect yourself from purchasing a low-quality product and make a successful investment.

Source: https://xn----ntbhhmr6g.xn--p1ai/dragmetallyi/chto-oznachaet-14-karat-zolota-i-kakaya-eto-proba-harakteristiki-skolko-stoit-kak-otlichit-poddelku

One carat - what does it mean for a diamond, other stones and gold?

The tag accompanying jewelry with precious stones indicates not only the total weight of the item. There is a separate line for the mysterious quantity – carat. The same word always comes up when discussing rare gems.

Where did this strange measure of weight come from?

The history of measuring the weight of minerals and precious metals and what is the cost of one carat

The first weighing methods appeared 4 thousand years ago. Ancient civilizations needed measurements to develop agriculture, trade, crafts and construction. Each ancient society had its own way of measuring weight until they arrived at a common system.

In ancient Rome, gems were weighed using coral tree seeds. One seed weighed as much as a small diamond. The weight of the coins was measured using acacia seeds.

It was from the name of this plant in Latin (Ceratonia siliqua) that the word “carat” appeared. In the modern world, it is equal to 200 mg, like one acacia seed.

In northern Europe, barley grains were used to measure minerals.

What were the carats?

For a long period of time, there was no unified weighing system for precious stones or metals in the world. Each part of the world had its own variations. In the Netherlands and England it differed by only a couple of milligrams, but in Italy it was already several tens of mg!

One reason for this variation was that small traders were inconvenient to purchase new weighing machines. 

The policy of England also interfered, where everything was measured in pounds and ounces, while Europe weighed in kilograms and grams.

But the Committee of Measurements in France in 1907 recorded how much a carat weighs - 200 mg. This measure has been officially adopted throughout the world since the 20s of the 20th century.

Difference between gold and diamond carats

Gold is the amount of gold in a precious metal without impurities. The measure depends on the sample, which expresses the percentage of pure metal in the alloy.

A jewelry carat is the weight of a whole crystal. Unlike gold, the quality of which depends on the purity, for semi-precious stones this is a separate value. Therefore, precious stones are evaluated according to several criteria: clarity, color, cut.

Why is this parameter important?

The weight of a precious metal plays a big role in its valuation. In nature, large stones are rare, so the greater the weight, the more expensive the product with the gem will cost. But this is only the first step in estimating the cost of stones.

Next come clarity, color and cut quality, so a 0.33 ct diamond may be more expensive than a 0.65 ct diamond if it has higher characteristics.

Golden terminology

But for gold and silver, carat does not mean the mass as a whole, but the weight of the pure metal. Fineness is the purity of a precious metal; it is measured by the amount of gold without impurities. That is, 583 purity is 58.3% gold in the metal. The number of carats will depend on the sample of the precious metal.

If you are assured that a chain or bracelet is made of 32 carat gold, do not be deceived. For a precious metal, the highest unit is 24 karat gold, how much is it in the metric system? They correspond to the highest standard - 999. There cannot be a hundred percent standard, because natural metal always has impurities. And even after the most thorough cleaning, aka refining, one hundredth of foreign substances remain.

The color of the metal also depends on the number of carats. Gold with the highest parameter (24) has a bright yellow color. Previously, the purity of gold was checked by heating: if the metal turned red, then it was considered pure.

Metal with fewer carats has a greenish or red tint depending on the type of impurity. For example, 18 carat gold, what standard corresponds to - 750.

Accordingly, metal prices will differ depending on the number of carats. One gram of 24 measures will cost approximately 3,000 rubles, but a gram of 14 measures can be purchased for around 1,500 rubles.

In Russia and Europe, different valuation systems for precious metals are used. In our country they use the metric system, and in Europe they use the carat system.

To convert a carat standard to a metric standard, you need to multiply the carat standard by 100 and divide by 24. Therefore, for example, 22 carat gold cannot be officially found in Russia. But you can find 916 gold.

How many grams are in one carat of jewelry?

You can determine the weight of a gem yourself; there are several ways to do this.

Diameter to weight ratio

You can find out the weight by diameter if you are dealing with round gems. A special table shows the ratio of the mass of the stone and its diameter. For example, 1 carat is how much in diameter:

• 1 millimeter – 0.005 carats;
• 2 mm – 0.003;
• 3 mm – 0.1;
• 4 mm – 0.25;
• 5 mm – 0.5.

The larger the diameter of the gem, the higher its mass. Here you should also take into account the type of cut, since an oval cut will require less material than a classic round cut.

Calculation of gem weight relative to cut

In the absence of scales, minerals are measured using their length, width and cut. Here are some excerpts from the table for determining weight by cut:

1. Round. The squared diameter is multiplied by the height of the stone, by its density and a coefficient of 0.0018.
2. Marquis. Length multiplied by width, height, density and a factor of 0.0016.
3. Round cabochon. The diameter is multiplied by the density of the stone and a coefficient of 0.00259.

Diamond weight

A girl's best friend is diamonds! Cut diamonds are popular all over the world. There are many tables for determining their weight without special measuring instruments.

How to determine how much a diamond weighs if you know the size in mm

The weight of diamonds, like other cut stones, is calculated using tables. To measure them, they do not use ordinary rulers, but special ones, with divisions in fractions of millimeters.

Since often a gem does not fit exactly 2 or 4 millimeters in size, it can have a dimension of 2.1 and so on.

The type of cut is also taken into account when calculating the weight of the stone:

1. For a round cut, multiply the height of the diamond by the diameter of the girdle squared and by a factor of 0.006.
2. For a heart cut, the length is multiplied by height, width, length and a factor of 0.0059.
3. For the pear cut, the formula is similar to the heart cut.

The coefficient changes, and it depends on the ratio of the length and width of the processed stone. To simplify counting, there are various tables that will help the owner quickly calculate the approximate weight of a diamond.

One carat diamonds

Such a diamond is considered a large stone. So, 1 carat is how many grams? 200 mg is a generally accepted value. For a processed diamond, a weight of 200 mg is considered so significant that 1 carat of diamond (price in rubles) can reach 25 million. A 1 carat diamond, the price of which is significantly lower, may turn out to be of poor quality or counterfeit.

A low quality diamond can be bought for 60,000 rubles; the better the quality, the higher the cost. Diamonds over 1 carat are considered premium stones.

The cost of a diamond can also be affected by its shade; the most popular stones are transparent, without color impurities. Do not forget that 1 carat of diamond does not guarantee the same value for all diamonds, since there are other criteria.

What is 1 carat diamond:

Diamond weight table

What is a carat of a diamond? As with other gems, this is a measure of weight. Diamond carats table:

How to compare stone prices

There are criteria for determining the cost of a stone:

1. Shade and color. Color intensity can greatly influence the price of a gem. Stones that are too dark or light will be lower in price; admixtures of different colors also reduce the cost. The most valuable stones will be those with deep, bright shades.
2. Processing (cut, shape). The type of cut reveals the stone's ability to play with light. The better the work is done, the more the gem will shine and the more valuable it will be.
3. Transparency. Natural stones are rarely completely free of defects; the most transparent ones are an exception and are sold at auctions at high prices.
4. Size and weight. This criterion affects stones of good quality more; for low-grade gems, size matters much less. The size may be different for stones of the same weight, but it is the mass that plays a big role. The cost of a good diamond of 0.25 carats will be about 160,000 rubles, and 0.5 ct – already about 300,000 rubles.

Why are gemstones measured in carats?

Source: https://JewelryExpert.ru/interesno/1-karat-ehto-skolko.html

1 carat - how many grams

The noble beauty of precious stones has always been, is and will be an object of desire not only for the fair half of humanity, but also for all connoisseurs of elegant beauty. The cold shine of diamonds, the unique blue light of sapphires, incomparable emeralds, and bloody rubies make the heart beat faster and give unforgettable emotions.

However, it is not only their amazing magnificence, but also their consistently high cost that makes natural gems so in demand and desirable. Due to the small weight of the vast majority of mined samples, a non-standard value is used to measure their mass.

Carat (ct) – a measure of the weight of precious stones

The name carat (ct) comes to us from ancient times, as the trade in precious stones existed long before the advent of the modern metric measurement system. The carat is perhaps the only unit that has remained timeless.

Like the gems whose weight it determines, it has not undergone any changes over many centuries. For a modern person, the gram is more understandable.

In order to get an idea of ​​mass, we try to compare unfamiliar quantities with more familiar ones that are often used in everyday life.

The answer to the question: 1 carat, how many grams, simple and unambiguous:

1 ct – 0.2 g, respectively 1 gram – 5 ct

What is the origin of this value and why exactly 0.2 g? The need to introduce some kind of general system for determining the weight of natural stones arose a long time ago.

The most successful solution was the use of carob seeds (carato), which had an amazing property - all the grains were approximately the same. Thanks to this quality, they began to be used as weights for weighing. Accordingly, the weight of one fruit was about 0.2 grams. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the carat was officially adopted as a measure for valuing precious stones. Since then, this unit has been used only in the jewelry industry and in gemology.

Weight to size ratio

When purchasing products with natural gems, the question often arises: how much does an insert of a certain diameter weigh? It is quite difficult to give a clear answer in such a situation. The reason for this is that when cutting natural minerals, the main task is to preserve as much weight as possible, so stones of the same diameter can differ quite significantly in weight. The approximate ratio looks like this:

• 3 mm – 0.1 ct – 0.02 grams
• 5 mm – 0.5 ct – 0.1 g
• 6 mm – 1 ct – 0.2 g
• 8 mm – 2 ct – 0.4 grams

This proportion only applies to round standard brilliant cut stones. It is not valid for all other types and forms.

This example helps to understand why carats are used rather than grams. In the jewelry industry, large samples are considered to be those from 1 ct or more, that is, weighing from 1/5 of a gram. Diamonds weighing 1 g (5 ct) will have a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm. The cost of such specimens can easily exceed $100,000.

Therefore, one gram in the world of precious stones is a very large value. Diamonds over 10 ct, only 2 g, are so rare and valuable that they are given their own names.

Karat (K) – a unit for determining the purity of gold

To determine the fineness of gold jewelry in most countries of the world, the consonant term karat is used. However, it has nothing to do with measuring the weight of stones (carat), and is designated by the K index, not ct. Pure gold has 24 K; in the manufacture of jewelry the following samples are used: 9 K, 10 K, 14 K, 18 K.

Source: https://999proba.com/1-karat-skolko-grammov/

What is "karat" for gold and diamonds?

Usually the term “carat” is used to refer to a diamond meter, but it is also applicable to the composition of a gold alloy. The subtleties of determining the carat and value of a diamond are important not only for professional gemologists, but also for jewelry lovers.

History of the unit of measurement carat

The word "carat" comes from the Greek "kerátion", which means "carob seed". The weight of the stone was equated to the weight of the seed, based on the assumption that the seeds from the Ceratona Siliquia tree had an unusually uniform weight of 0.2 grams. Carob seeds were used to measure the weight of diamonds until the system was standardized in the early 20th century and the term "carat" became a unit of measurement synonymous with diamond quality.

For the “golden” carat, the origin story is different. The term comes from a German gold coin called a "mark" that was common in the 19th century. It weighed 24 carats. The coins they could not be made of pure gold due to the metal being too soft, other metals such as copper were added to strengthen them. This has led to the term "carat" being the percentage by weight of the metal that is pure gold.

What is measured in carats?

Carat is a term used to describe the purity of gold and the weight of the gemstone. Diamonds, natural emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are measured in carats.

What is karat for gold? It denotes the purity of gold based on Hallmark standards. 24k gold means 99.9% pure gold and is 999 fine. Similarly, 22 karat gold means 91.6% pure gold with hallmark 916. Thus, karat is a unit of measurement of the purity of gold or its percentage in an alloy. Pure gold is defined as 24K or 24 carats, which means that all 24 parts out of 100 are gold without any trace of any other elements in it.

The weight of a gemstone is measured in carats.

Similarly, 18K gold is 75% gold mixed with 25% other metals like copper, silver, etc. Generally, semi-precious stone, precious stone and diamond jewelry are made from 18K gold .

14k gold is actually only about 60% pure gold, which generally makes it more affordable and also makes it much stronger than 24k or pure gold. What makes up the other 40%? In the case of gold alloys, the "other" metals in the mixture have a large influence on the color of the metal. The most common colors of gold are yellow, reddish and white.

 Basically these colors are created by adding silver, copper, palladium or platinum respectively to the gold alloy. For example, 18 karat yellow gold contains 75% of the precious metal and 12.5% ​​each of copper and silver.

  Palladium or platinum is much more expensive than silver or more valuable than pure gold, so 14k white gold metal can be almost as expensive or even more expensive than 18k yellow or rose gold.

Types of carats

There are two types of karate systems.

Metric

The metric carat is an international unit of measurement for the weight of a diamond and other gemstones. The metric system is adopted in developed countries of Europe, Asia, and South Africa.

Assay

Assay measurement means indicating a specific number on the hallmark of a gold or silver product. The domestic jewelry industry produces gold jewelry of 750,585 and 375 samples. These are 18.14 and 9 carat gold, respectively.

Measurement systems and interpretation

The unit of weight for gemstones is the carat. One carat is equal to 0.2 grams. It consists of one hundred separate parts called points.

Gemological laboratories measure carat weight when the stone is not set in a piece of jewelry. In today's world, if a diamond is larger than one carat in size, it usually comes with a laboratory certificate detailing inclusions, color and size.

Although it is possible to estimate weight in rounded numbers, the laboratory uses ultra-sensitive scales to achieve an accurate number measured to 3 decimal places, although the third decimal place is not usually mentioned at the retail level.

Only gemologists can determine how many carats are in a particular stone. When making products with precious stones, their weight is determined in the laboratory of the manufacturer.

What is the percentage of a carat in a gold product, you can find out on your own. Converting the percentage of pure gold into carats:

• 58.33–62.50% = 14K.
• 75.00–79.16% = 18 K.
• 91.66–95.83% = 22K.
• 95.83–99.95% = 23K.
• 99.95–100% = 24K.

Gold jewelry can be from 24 carat to 9 carat gold. One carat is 24th of the total weight of the alloy. The remainder is the alloying metal. Carat notations are also adopted to indicate the composition of the plating on gold-plated jewelry.

The nuances of the difference between carat gold and precious stones

The nuance is the different carat values ​​for gold and precious stones. Carat, used for gold purity, is not a measure of weight, but represents the proportion of pure gold in a jewelry alloy. Carat is used in the same way for platinum alloys. For gemstones, carat is a measure of weight.

A carat of gold represents the percentage of pure gold in a jewelry alloy

Diamond carat cost

All other things being equal, the price of diamonds increases with carat weight because larger diamonds are rarer and more desirable. Estimating weight is a critical step in estimating the value of a stone. But two diamonds of the same carat weight can have very different values ​​(and prices) depending on three other factors.

1. The color of a diamond has a significant impact on its appearance. Diamonds are valued by how close they come to colorlessness - the less color, the higher their value. Some stone colors, such as pink and blue, are considered fancy, so they are the exception and are expensive.
2. The number of inclusions and stains affects purity and value. Flawless diamonds, free of inclusions, are very rare and very expensive. Diamonds are formed deep in the earth, so it is natural that they have some flaws or defects

Diamond inclusions are imperfections within a mineral. There may be tiny spots of white, black or other colors in the stone. Cracks may also be present. Some don't cause any problems. Others may cause the stone to crack. Many external imperfections are the result of the cutting and polishing process.

1. Cut. The cut does not refer to the shape of the diamond (e.g. round, oval, pear, etc.), but rather to the proportions, symmetry and polish of the diamond. The beauty of a diamond depends more on the cut than any other factor. Although diamond cut is extremely difficult to analyze and quantify, it has three main effects on appearance: luminosity (created by the combination of all the reflections of white light from the surface and interior of a polished diamond), fire (the scattering of light into colors of the visible spectrum, visible as flashes of color) , and scintillation (flashes of light and darkness or sparks when a diamond or light source moves).

A ring with a single, one-carat diamond is almost always more expensive than a diamond ring that contains several identical but smaller stones, although their total weight is one carat or more.

Different shapes

Two diamonds of the same carat weight can also look very different in size depending on the shape of the diamond. There are many shapes of stones, but the most popular is the round diamond shape, which has the greatest reflective power and brilliance.

Different shapes only affect the appearance, not the carat weight.

In general, the value of a diamond is determined by its weight, cut, clarity and color.

Source: https://1nerudnyi.ru/chto-takoe-karat-01/

Carat: origin of the unit of measurement of mass, application in the jewelry field for precious stones

17.08.2018

A carat (abbreviated ct or ct) is a unit of weight in jewelry used for gemstones and pearls. How much a carat weighs in grams can be determined by converting it to the metric system, from which the value of 0.2 g is obtained. The unit is also used to express the purity of precious metals; the cost of valuable minerals is determined partly on its basis.

Origin of the weight measure

The name came about through the successive transformation of the Arabic word "qirat" into the ancient Greek ceration, and then into the Italian carato. All these names mean the same thing - pod ceratonia, the brown seeds of which at the dawn of our era were used as a measure of mass, approximately equal to 189 mg. The flat seeds of the tree contain a complex polysaccharide, which determines their hardness, as well as the constancy of mass and size. In Ancient Rome, this measure of weight was called siliqua.

Despite the fact that this unit of mass has been known for so long, it was officially adopted only in 1907 at the Paris Conference, where an international treaty was signed, which was the key to the unity of metrological standards in 17 countries.

Representatives of Russia were present at the conference, but in the USSR the carat was introduced only in 1922 for use in a narrow jewelry field. Currently, the organization that regulates the rules of metrology classifies this measure of mass as a unit that should be introduced on a limited basis.

Another feature of the carat is that decimal prefixes are not applicable to it (for example, you cannot say kilocarat).

Early variations

The unit of mass that is used now did not always exist in this form. The following options were previously used:

1. English carat. The history of this unit originates from the ancient gran (gr), based on the weight of an average grain of barley. The English variety of gran was subject to the troy system, and when converted to the one currently used, it was equivalent to approximately 64.799 grams. Accordingly, the carat, calculated as 3 and 17/101 grains, was equal to 205.3 mg. This unit was not indivisible; in everyday life, measures from ¼ to 1/64 carats were used - the so-called jewelry grains.
2. Arabic carat (qirat). In Arab countries, the jewelry unit was even more unstable. It was tied to the mithqal and dirham. But since these measures of mass were simultaneously considered monetary units, how many grams are in 1 carat depended on the country. In Iraq the value was 223.2 mg, in Asia Minor - 204 mg, Syria and Mecca - 195 mg. In Egypt, qirat was correlated with local measures of weight, namely shamuna and bakila, and was also equal to 195 mg.

Thus, how much 1 carat weighs also depends on what system of measures it is tied to.

Carat hallmark

The carat is not only a unit of mass , but also a way of expressing the purity of gold (this system is not usually applied to other precious metals, for example, silver, platinum, palladium). In Canada, to avoid confusion, there are even different ways of writing the word: carat means unit of mass, and karat means sample.

The carat standard is used in America, Canada, Western Europe, Ireland, and Great Britain along with the metric standard. These two systems are easily converted into each other: dividing the carat by 24 and then multiplying by 1 thousand gives the metric value.

This recalculation is due to the fact that the system is based on the number of carats of gold in 24 carats of the entire alloy. Jewelry typically ranges from 9 to 24 ct.

Diamond weight

Another common use of the carat is to express the weight of diamonds, that is, cut diamonds. This mineral is highly valued, and the better its characteristics, the more expensive it is. Quality is assessed based on four criteria:

1. Cut. The lines must be geometrically proportional. Previously, this was achieved by grinding and grinding one of the edges. Subsequently, jewelers produced other cuts of different shapes. The goal of these developments was to find an ideal option that would completely reflect the light inside the stone. The profile shape created by 13-year-old jeweler Arpad Neji became popular.
2. Purity. The most significant indicator, depending on the number and size of cracks, inhomogeneities, foreign impurities and other defects in the mineral. It is determined by examining the diamond using a magnifying glass with tenfold magnification. If there are no flaws at all, the stone is called a pure diamond.
3. Color. If the stone is transparent with faint shades of yellow and brown, it is characterized as colorless. If a diamond has pink, blue, green or other distinct colors, it is called fancy.
4. Weight. The weight of 1 carat in grams largely determines the price of a diamond. The cheapest stones are small stones that measure less than 0.29 carats. Medium ones are valued higher - from 0.30 to 0.69 carats. The most expensive ones are large ones, over 0.7 ct.

Diamonds weighing more than 10 carats are especially valuable and receive their own names. The largest representatives weigh over 500 carats. Thus, a 106-gram colorless stone with the poetic name “Star of Africa” has a mass of 530.2 carats and is one of the largest diamonds in the world. It represents the largest of 105 fragments of the Cullinan Diamond, weighing 3,106 carats when found. Surpassing the “Star of Africa” is the yellow-brown “Golden Jubilee” weighing 547.67 carats.

Diameter and corresponding weight

For round diamonds, a relationship between mass and size was revealed. Based on the diameter of the stone, you can roughly estimate its carat weight. Since an ideal ball shape is impossible, and jewelers create 57 or more faces, the relationship is complex and is calculated by the square of the diameter multiplied by the height of the crystal and a coefficient of 0.0061. To avoid unnecessary calculations, special tables of ratios have been created:

Diameter, mm	Weight, carat
1,0	0,005
2,0	0,03
3,0	0,10
4,1	0,25
5,2	0,50
6,2	0,85
7,0	1,25
8,2	2,00
9,0	2,50
10,2	4,00
11,0	5,00
12,4	7,00
13,0	8,00

However, with a cut that is at least slightly different from the round one, the ratio will change within limits unacceptable for jewelry precision. This means that for other shapes (close to round) there are formulas:

• for profile: product of height, length, width and coefficient 0.0083;
• for oval: the product of the squared diameter, height and coefficient 0.0062.

Thus, the profile shape, which is also called “Princess,” is the most profitable, since, as follows from the value of the coefficient, the consumption of waste material for it is the least.

Other stones

The weight of diamond imitation stones in jewelry can also be measured in carats. They use natural white minerals, for example, sapphire, topaz, beryl, zircon and rock crystal, as well as artificial ones - cubic zirconia, moissanite, spinel, strontium titanate and others.

It is very difficult even for professionals to identify a talented imitation by eye. But there are a number of ways you can make sure a diamond is real. Among them:

• Assessment of light refraction. The flow should be mirrored by the crystal faces in such a way that when the crown of the stone is brought to the light source, one sparkling point is visible.
• Interaction with hydrochloric acid. The diamond is resistant to hydrogen chloride, whereas fake stones remain stained.
• Scratch resistance. A diamond leaves scratches when it comes into contact with other stones, but at the same time retains its integrity.
• Immersion in water or glycerin. A real stone sparkles and therefore stands out well in the thickness of the liquid, while a fake becomes almost invisible.
• Use of special ultraviolet and electrical conductivity testers. The test is based on brilliance measurements and produces fairly accurate results, but may be misleading when using moissanite instead of diamond.

But some stones have their own jewelry value and have precious status. Their properties (in particular, carat weight) determine the value.

Blue sapphire

Aluminum oxide with impurities of titanium and iron in the matrix forms the blue sapphire gemstone. Cornflower blue is considered the classic color; darker shades are valued less. In addition, due to the admixture of chromium, stones are pink, due to vanadium - purple, and in the absence of titanium - yellow or green.

The largest natural sapphire was a crystal weighing 3.5 thousand carats. At first it was mistaken for a piece of rock crystal, but research showed its jewelry value. Subsequently, other large representatives were found, for example, the “Black Star of Queensland” weighing 733 carats, found by a twelve-year-old boy in Australia, or the “Logan” weighing almost 423 carats from Sri Lanka.

Estimating the number of carats in a sapphire by appearance is not difficult. There are special jewelry tables for this. The dependence is primarily determined by the shape of the stone. For example, a 1 carat sapphire has the following dimensions:

• for round - 6 mm;
• for oval, pear-shaped - 7 x 5 mm (for baguette and octagon shapes, these dimensions will correspond to 1.15 ct).

The price per carat will depend on the quality of the stone. The best minerals of pure cornflower blue color processed without thermal heating cost more than 60 thousand rubles. If the color is orange, purple or pink, then the price drops to 7.5 thousand, but when the total weight exceeds 5 carats, the specimen is considered rare and collectible, its value in some cases can reach one and a half million. The yellow sapphire is valued at 6 thousand, and the green sapphire at approximately 4 thousand.

Nowadays stones are not only mined from deposits, but also synthesized artificially. Their use is not limited to jewelry; they have also found application in optics, microcircuits, and lasers.

Colorless topaz

Topaz is a semi-precious stone. Like diamond, it is very hard, most often colorless, but sometimes due to structural defects there are stones of brown, blue, pink or golden shades, which can fade from bright light and heat and intensify the color when exposed to radiation. Mineral deposits are located in Russia, Ukraine, and Brazil. Sometimes specimens weighing several tons are mined.

Topaz imitates diamond so well that the 1,640-carat semi-precious stone was once mistaken for a diamond and presented to the King of Portugal. It was then incorrectly valued at £57 million. Now topaz is practically not in demand, since it differs too little from quartz. Estimated at approximately 1 thousand rubles per carat.

Green beryl

Ordinary opaque beryl stones are just an ore mineral, but if they contain vanadium or chromium oxide, which gives a rich and bright green color, then they are called emeralds and are considered precious. Moreover, a transparent stone of a deep green color without flaws weighing more than 5 carats will cost more than a diamond.

Emeralds of excellent quality and large mass have not been encountered very often throughout history. One of the famous specimens was a stone called "Queen Isabella". It weighed 964 carats and was the size of an ostrich egg.

Natural emerald almost always has cracks and chips, so a stone on which defects are not visible to the naked eye is considered flawless. Its cost per carat will vary from 250 to 400 thousand rubles. An emerald of good, but not impeccable quality will be valued from 30 to 300 thousand, depending on the defects identified, and commercial stones cost 18-19 thousand.

So, if it is now clear how much a gram is one carat, then its price for stones of different quality can vary widely. Therefore, a unit expresses only the weight of an object or the purity of gold, but by itself cannot fully characterize its value.

Carat as a unit of measurement for the mass of precious stones Link to main publication

Source: https://zolotogid.ru/magiya-kamnya/karat/

What is a carat? To determine the weight of a gemstone and the gold standard in carats

In ancient times, grains of various plants were mainly used as units of mass for jewelry. Today we use more convenient designations, but even the word “carat” comes from the name of the carob tree, the seeds of which also served to determine the value of a stone or pearl.

What is a carat?

So, there is an international treaty called the Meter Convention, which has now been signed by 55 industrialized and trading nations. This agreement ensures the constancy and unity of measurement standards, including the carat, as a unit of measurement for the mass of a precious stone or pearl.

How much does 1 carat weigh when measuring the weight of gemstones?

According to the certificate, the carat weight is equivalent to 200 mg (0.2 grams). Moreover, in most countries (including Russia), the carat cannot have a fractional part, and the weight of the raw material or product is indicated by an integer.

Obsolete carat

In the literature and scientific works of the past, you can also find the designations “English carat” and “Arabic carat” (also known as “Kirat”).

The English carat (about 205.4 grams) was used in Britain and its colonies until 1888 and was equal to approximately 3,170 troy grains, which in turn was equivalent to the weight of an average grain of barley.

The Arabic carat was defined differently in different countries of the Middle East and Asia. For example, in Egypt and Syria it was about 195 mg, and in Asia Minor - 204 mg.

Carat in gold

Our compatriots are often confused by the fact that in many Western countries the fineness of gold is measured in carats. Indeed, how can you determine the ratio of metals in a product using a unit of weight?

In fact, it's simple. Just like the usual standard, carat determines the proportion of pure gold in the alloy, or rather, in its 24 weight parts. Converting a sample into carats is quite simple; you just need to multiply the existing value by 24 and then divide by 1000. For example, to convert the 585th sample into carats, we use a simple equation:

X = 24 × 585: 1000 = 14 carats (the 585th hallmark corresponds to 14 carats)

In a similar way, you can convert carats to fineness:

X = 1000 × 18: 24 = 750 hallmark (18 carats corresponds to 750 hallmark).

The most common gold alloys (carats and hallmarks)

• 24K = 999 fine = 100% gold alloy
• 18 Karat = 750 standard = 75% gold in the alloy
• 14 Karat = 585 standard = 58.5% gold in the alloy
• 12 Karat = 500 standard = 50% gold in the alloy
• 9 Carat = 375 standard = 37.5% gold in the alloy
• 8 Carat = 333 purity = 33.3% gold in the alloy

Source: https://24hitech.ru/chto-takoe-karat-k-opredelit-ves-dragocennogo-kamnia-i-proby-zolota-v-karatah.html

Gold purity in carats: characteristics and features

In our country, as well as throughout the post-Soviet space, the word carat evokes a direct association with diamonds, the weight of which is usually calculated according to the carat system. But in a number of countries it is also used to determine the purity of gold. Although you need to understand that these are different metric systems, and they are even written differently.

Karats is used to determine the quality of gold, and Carats is used to indicate the weight of diamonds. In our country, the quality of gold products is usually determined by the standard, and in the West by carats. This system has an interesting history and traditions of application.

Until 1927, in the Soviet Union, the quality of gold was also measured in carats, after which jewelers began to use the hallmark for this purpose, as is the case today.

Knowing the main points about gold fineness in carats, understanding the differences between carats and the hallmark system is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

An ordinary buyer who plans to purchase gold jewelry on a trip abroad and wants to be confident in the quality of the product offered will only need to remember the compliance of several key carat values.

But not everywhere you will be offered to buy gold products of a certain carat, so you need to know what requirements for the quality of the precious alloy are imposed in this or that country of the world.

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Features of British carat gold

It is not an element of a strict system of weights and measures. Therefore, initially the gold carat, which is also called the British carat, was called non-systemic. Its name itself comes from the carob tree Ceratonia siliqua. This tree is widespread in Mediterranean countries.

In ancient times, local residents noticed one interesting feature of the fruits of this evergreen plant: all its pods were always the same size and weight. People began to use this unique feature as a weight standard. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, the dry fruits of this tree were officially included in the system of measures.

One unit corresponded to 0.19 grams, and this unit was called “siliqua”. Carat is the Greek name for siliqua, which spread throughout the world much later.

And here lies the main point that confuses many people. The carat, which traces its origins back to the Mediterranean wood, is used to measure the weight of diamonds, while the gold carat is not based on weight. Unlike its metric counterpart, which has a precise weight, the imperial gold alloy quality unit is a dimensionless value. It indicates the number of parts of pure gold in a particular product.

The maximum is 24 parts of the mass of the object. For example, it weighs 100 grams and is made of pure gold. In this case, to understand how many grams are in 1 carat of gold, you need to divide one hundred grams by 24. Thus, it turns out that one carat in a hundred-gram gold item can be equated to 4.1 grams, and depending on the weight of the item and its purity alloy this figure will change.

Due to the variability of British carat weights, no one uses weight as a guide. Take into account how many parts of pure gold are contained in the product.

So, if the 24-karat indicator indicates that the object consists of 100% precious metal, then in a 12-karat piece of jewelry it already accounts for 50%, and the remaining 50% are various ligatures. To find out the percentage of pure precious metal in a piece of jewelry, focus on one carat, which corresponds to 4.2%. For example, if you have an 18 carat piece of jewelry, simply multiply 18 by the percentage of one carat (4.2%) and you will get just over 75%.

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Carat value on gold products

Some Western countries have adopted a karat system for gold samples, including values ​​from 24 to 9 carats.

Designation in carats	What mass of gold from the total weight of the alloy does this correspond to?
When asked how many carats are in pure gold, the largest value of this system is 24.	It indicates that this is gold metal in its pure form.
Next comes 23 carats.	This figure means that the weight of gold in the item is 0.958, used in a luxury item.
Mark 22.	She talks about the mass of gold being 0.916 of the total weight of the alloy.
Which is typical for 21 carats.	Mass index 0.875.
18 carats.	Here the mass of gold is 0.750 of the total weight of the precious alloy.
Which is 14 carats.	There is 0.583 parts of gold present.
In 12 carats.	0,500.
And at 9 carats.	Just 0.375.

All jewelry with a carat value between 24 and 18 is considered high-grade. The numbers 14 and 12 indicate gold jewelry of the average group in terms of standard. And everything that is below these indicators is perceived by experts as low-grade gold.

To easily convert the carat system to the metric system, you need to use the following ratio: 24/1000 = X/Y.

In this formula, X corresponds to carats, Y to metric standards. To convert carats to the usual standard, use the formula:

Y = 1000 * X/24

For example, if you see a product in front of you with 14K on it, then to convert this value into a sample, you need to multiply a thousand by 14 and divide by 24. As a result, you will get 583 samples. Now our jewelers do not produce gold jewelry with this hallmark, but in Soviet times it was the most common. Now it has been replaced by a higher quality 585 sample.

24-karat gold is very soft and fragile, and therefore it is rarely used in jewelry and in very limited quantities. The situation is similar with precious alloys in the range from 23 to 21 carats. All of them have three components:

But the amount of alloys added to the alloy is different. 21k gold is often used to create engagement rings as the alloy is relatively durable and can withstand frequent use. At the same time, it is characterized by a bright yellow radiance, characteristic of pure precious metal. Products marked at 18 carats are also created from three-component alloys. In different versions, in addition to gold, silver and copper, they may also contain the following metals:

• rhodium;
• zinc;
• nickel;
• palladium;
• platinum.

This precious alloy lends itself perfectly to melting and further processing, which is why jewelry makers love it. It is an excellent base for applying jewelry enamel to its surface.

But in this option, it is important that copper in the gold alloy should account for no more than 15–16%, otherwise the color of the enamel will fade. 18-karat gold is used to create fine jewelry with a relief or openwork surface.

It is strong enough to hold fragile gems in jewelry or diamonds well.

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Composition of popular gold alloys

The most common variant of gold in Western countries is 14 karat alloy. It corresponds to our 583rd or 585th sample, which is the most common in the post-Soviet space. This gold alloy has good casting and strength characteristics, which makes it possible to create jewelry from it for everyday wear.

Depending on the number of certain ligatures in the composition, 14 carat gold can have different shades. For example, if it contains about 36% silver and 5.5% copper, then the master will end up with gold jewelry with a greenish tint.

If silver in the alloy accounts for 18.3% of silver, and copper about 23.5%, then the popular pink color can be created.

But if the amount of copper is increased to 33.5%, and silver is reduced to 8.4%, then a gold product will come out with a distinct reddish tint.

White gold, popular in the West and in our country, is most often made from 14-karat and 18-karat alloys. In the first case, the alloy contains about 23–28% silver, 13–18% palladium or 17% nickel. Copper is found in different versions, but not more than 16%, as well as zinc - about 9%.

But in 18-karat gold the following alloys are found: silver (7-15%), palladium (14%), nickel (4%) or zinc (2-5%), copper (15%), nickel (7-16 %). In more expensive options, zinc and copper are not added to the alloy, and rhodium and platinum are used as alloys, but the cost of such jewelry is much higher. In addition, not all countries add nickel to white gold.

For example, in the European Union countries, the use of this ligature in jewelry is prohibited at the legislative level, since in some cases it causes allergic reactions in people.

Jewelry with a carat value of 10 or less corresponds to our 375 grade. This alloy contains only 37.5% pure gold, and the lion's share is copper - about 49%. Also, the alloy may contain about ten percent silver and about four percent palladium. Wedding rings are made from similar alloys, the prices of which are affordable. But due to the low content of precious metal in them, such products are not in great demand.

When choosing jewelry marked according to the karat system, you need to be able to recognize real gold and gilding, since it is easy to get confused in their designations.

If on the surface of the jewelry you have chosen you see numbers with a capital letter “K”, for example, “18K”, this means that this means that this is a high-grade gold product corresponding to the 750th standard.

But if you find numbers with the letters “KGP” on the jewelry, you should be alert, since this is a gold-plated object. For example, if you see the marking “22KGP”, this means that the gilding contains 916-carat gold, but the item itself is made of a different metal.

The abbreviation itself, following the numbers, means the English phrase “karat gold plated”, which translates as “covered with gold in so many carats”.

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Application of the karate system in countries around the world

Most often, jewelry with carat markings applied to their surface is found in stores in the USA and Canada. The following types of goods are assessed in the karate system:

• Jewelry;
• gold watch;
• decorative gold tableware;
• decorative items.

In the States and Canada, numbers with the letter “K”, indicating carats, are placed only on gold items, but silver items there are marked according to the traditional metric system. Therefore, if you want to buy yourself a white gold product and do not understand the intricacies of how to check it, then at least pay attention to the markings. If you don’t see a letter next to the numbers, it means we’re not talking about gold.

In many countries of Western Europe, the karat system was actively used earlier, but now they use a gold hallmark system. But in Switzerland and Great Britain you will find the karate system. In Foggy Albion, an ignorant person may become somewhat confused.

The fact is that since 1973, hallmarks have been used there, but in descriptions of gold products the karat system is widely used, which is permitted by local legislation.

But in Ireland, local gold jewelry manufacturers made a compromise and simply decided to put both carats and hallmarks on their marks to make it more convenient for customers.

The most common option in Europe is 18-karat gold, while in the United States there is high demand for 14-karat gold. At the same time, in the United States it is prohibited to sell gold products with a carat value below ten. You won't find 9 carat jewelry in this country.

Although in Great Britain there are no such strict requirements for this gold. The 9-carat gold alloy was introduced in England during the Second World War, when the country had a difficult economic situation and a shortage of gold. Then, in order to continue the production of wedding rings, it was decided to classify this alloy as gold.

Products marked with nine carats can be found in India, Turkey, Egypt and other countries of the world. But in Germany, the minimum threshold for the purity of gold products is set even lower: at around eight carats. In it, gold corresponding to the 333rd standard is considered normal and has been used in production since 1884.

Determining the purity of gold in the karat system is not so difficult, even if you do not have a calculator at hand to calculate the correct numbers using the formulas. The main thing is to remember the limiting carat definitions so that when choosing jewelry abroad or in online stores in general, you understand what quality of gold alloy we are talking about.

Source: https://grammzolota.ru/proby/proba-karatah.html

How are karat and gold purity related?

Gold is a strong, wear-resistant metal with an incredibly beautiful appearance. The limited nature of its reserves creates a high cost of the metal, which tends to constantly increase.

Many people are ready to invest their savings in the purchase of gold and products made from it, since such an investment has always been, is and will be profitable.

But how can one not be mistaken about the authenticity of a metal and understand the systems for assessing it? For this purpose, the metric gold standard system and the carat system were developed.

Gold carat

It is known that gold in the jewelry industry is never used in its pure form. If jewelry were made of gold without any impurities, they would be severely deformed and broken. All this would lead to the loss of popularity of gold. In order to give it strength and wear resistance, impurities of other metals, that is, alloys, began to be added to the alloys. When assessing the authenticity of gold, the amount of precious metal contained in the alloy is taken into account.

In Russia and the post-Soviet countries, the metric sample system is used to assess the authenticity of precious metals, including gold. It has been operating from 1927 to the present. The metric system includes the following samples:

• 375;
• 500;
• 585;
• 750;
• 900;
• 916;
• 958.

But this system of assessing the authenticity of gold was based on another - the karat system. To understand what a gold carat is, you should consider the history of the appearance of this term.

The concept of “carat” arose in eastern countries and served as a measure for assessing the value of goods. There is an assumption that such a measure was a carob seed. It was ideal for measuring the weight of precious stones. This system of valuation was not very reliable, especially in international trade, so at the end of the nineteenth century it was decided that in each country a carat should be equal to 205 milligrams.

In 1907 in Paris, at one of the conferences on weights and measures, the value of 205 was corrected to 200 milligrams. This indicator is valid all over the world to this day. The weight of gemstones is measured in carats.

In the karat system, which is used to evaluate the authenticity of gold, the carat is a non-metric unit of evaluation of the precious metal. The number of carats demonstrates the gold content in the total mass of the alloy, which corresponds to twenty-four carats.

In the USA and European countries, the karat system for grading gold is the main one used. Many citizens of Russia and the CIS countries, when traveling abroad, purchase gold products that are marked not with the hallmark, but with the number of carats. For this reason, the question arises of how to interpret the karat system?

Carats and hallmarks

The gold carat system includes the following indicators: 24; 22; 23; 21.6; 18; 14; 12; 9. To understand what these numbers mean, you should compare the metric and karat gold hallmark systems.

Gold fineness is the number of grams of the precious metal contained in a kilogram, or thousand grams, of the alloy. For example, 585 purity means that one thousand grams of the alloy contains at least 585 grams of pure gold.

In the carat system, 1000 grams of alloy will correspond to twenty-four carats. 24 karat is pure gold. If a gold product is stamped with the number 18, this will mean that the alloy (or twenty-four parts) contains 18 carats of pure metal.

To understand how many grams of the precious part such gold contains, the number 18 should be divided by 24, and then multiplied by 100. According to mathematical calculations, this will be 750, in this case grams.

The result assumes that 18 karat gold is the same as a similar precious metal with a purity of 750.

The remaining carat values ​​will correspond to the following samples:

• 23 carats is 958 fineness;
• 22 — 916;
• 21,6 — 900;
• 14 — 585;
• 12 — 500;
• 9 — 375.

Based on this, we can conclude that low-grade gold contains only 9 carats of pure metal, or 375 grams. The most popular alloy in Russia and the CIS countries with a purity of 585 is 14-karat gold.

Correlation between different gold assay systems

It is important to know that certified jewelry sold in Russia and the CIS countries must be stamped with hallmarks.

If there is a mark on the jewelry with the number of carats, then, most likely, such a product was brought from abroad, and there is a high probability that it is a fake.

According to statistics, over 70% of imported jewelry sold on the jewelry market of post-Soviet countries is counterfeit. For this reason, it is recommended to purchase products that are marked with a hallmark, and not with the number of carats.

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Source: https://DedPodaril.com/zoloto/imform/karat-zolota.html

How to convert gold carats to grams

In any area of ​​commerce, a standard is needed - a guideline that will be a universal way of assessing the value of a particular thing. It is a specific measure of weight or volume, as well as a standard of quality.

In the jewelry industry, where metals are sold in small quantities, stones are quite microscopic, even a layer of sputtering from particles of noble metal is valued, a specific measure of weight has always been necessary. The carat has firmly entered people's lives, measuring the mass of gold in grams, or the purity and volume of precious stones.

Gold is one of the most sought-after metals; it is used as an indicator of a country’s wealth, regulates trading on the stock exchange, is used in industry and gives joy to jewelry owners.

Specialists - gold miners, sales intermediaries, stock brokers, jewelers and their assistants - know how to determine the volume of gold, its quality and value using this measure. Just a few tips will help you figure it out and finally figure out how many grams are in your gold product, if its fineness is indicated in gold karat, where this measurement system came from and how to apply it.

History of karat

The carat is not an element of the system of weights and measures, which is why it is called non-systemic. The name comes from the carob tree Ceratonia siliqua. This is an evergreen tree that has long been common in the Mediterranean. It produced fruits - pods that always corresponded to one another in weight and volume.

Noticing this feature, people began to use its pods as a weight standard since biblical times. During the Roman Empire, the mature dry pods were introduced into the system of measurements; one unit equaled 0.19 grams and was called siliqua. Carat is only the Greek version of this name, which came into use later.

There are many varieties of karat, which are similar in essence, but have different numerical equivalents. A metric carat is 0.2 grams.

In the Middle East and North Africa, the qirat was used - the so-called Arabic carat, which was measured in milligrams and had an approximate value (from 195 to 223 mg). An English carat is also an indicator in milligrams; it is equal to 205 mg. Egypt has always had its own standards for measurements.

Their carat is measured in fractions of faddan and qadah, and was approximately 0.064 l or just over 175 sq. meters. These measures do not apply to precious metals and stones.

Metal and alloys

A very important parameter of the metal is the purity of gold. To be sure of the quality of the metal, you should consider the special markings on the product. It is this parameter that allows you to determine the degree of purity of the alloy. One carat here is one fraction of the 24 pure substances in that particular bar, coin or other item.

There are many alloys of gold and this is rather a necessity, because gold itself is a very soft metal, it does not hold its shape and is easily deformed. Over many years of development in the jewelry field, traditional alloy options have appeared that do not cause allergies in humans, make the metal durable and hold its shape well, and give a beautiful shade. Very often, silver and copper are used for alloys.

For non-ferrous metals - white, green, black, rose gold, additional tint additives are also used. To understand how valuable an item made of a precious metal is, you need to know not only its weight and type of gold, but also its fineness, which can be measured in numerical value or carats. The numerical value can more accurately describe the percentage of pure gold content (for example, 24 carats equals 999 fineness).

In the USA, gold purity is often indicated in carats, while in Europe they prefer metric markings.

Weight and numbers

Despite all the intricacies of measurements, I would like to know how many ordinary grams familiar to our people are in a gold product. So, first, let's look at the metric carat. It was first used in Spain. This is a weight equal to ⅕ grams, or 0.2 grams or 200 mg. The tradition of medieval measurements is continued here, the only difference being a more accurate standard figure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ppCrJY2tc

Nowadays the British karat system is used to indicate the purity of gold samples. With its help you can find out the percentage of gold content and the percentage of impurities. The number 24, which is the maximum and corresponds to 100%, is easily divided in half and into other equal shares. So, 12 carats is 50% pure gold, 6 carats is 25%, 18 carats is 75%. For other figures, the percentage of 1 carat will help - 4.2%.

Sample purity

Samples can be converted to the karat system. The purest standard used in jewelry is 958. It corresponds to 23 carats. Impurities here are necessary to change the properties of the material towards greater strength. 22 carats is 917, also quite pure.

18 carat or 750 standard is a traditional type of alloy that allows you to create a balanced alloy with other metals. It is this numerical indicator that can be called optimal. 14 carat – 585 gold. It is very common both in Russia and in Europe.

Due to the large percentage of impurities, it can obtain an original shade, and also has sufficient hardness for various jewelry manipulations - twisting, stretching, straightening to the state of a sheet. 10 carats is 416 fine, and just over 40% pure gold. This is the lowest metal purity standard in the United States. In Russia, 375 fineness of 9 carats is also acceptable.

In the East, the 8-carat marking, containing 33.3% gold, is also used. To convert gold in carats and convert it to the metric system, the table below may be useful:

Ounce

For trading on the stock exchange, the troy ounce is used, which is a fairly accurate measurement. It should not be confused with those previously described. A troy ounce corresponds only to pure gold, with a purity level of 999 or higher.

It indicates the weight of the metal, and in accordance with this helps to find out its price on the world market. By weight it is approximately 31.103 grams.

If you purchase investment coins, bars, or a virtual amount of gold through a bank or exchange, you will encounter exactly this value, which is designated as ozt.

What should you pay attention to?

Purchasing high purity karat gold will be the smartest investment. If necessary, you can sell the ring or chain at a higher price, since the price of gold has not fallen for many years.

On the other hand, for those who value primarily the aesthetic component, without intending to invest money in jewelry, numerous alloys may be suitable. The use of non-ferrous metal will allow you to create uniquely beautiful floral or fantasy compositions.

The strength of the alloys will allow you to make the finest cuts of the product and decorate it with filigree carvings. The combination of rose or green gold with a similar gemstone shade looks very beautiful. In any case, when purchasing an item from a jeweler, find out about the content of precious metals, the quality of the stones, the percentage of pure gold content, and the components of the alloy. This way you will be sure that you did not make a mistake with your purchase.

Source: http://golden-inform.ru/proby/karat-zolota-v-grammah/