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The measure of fineness of gold. 24K is pure gold and is far too soft for use in most jewelry. Other metals are added for strength -- most commonly, silver, copper, nickel and zinc.14K and 18K are most often used for jewelry. Using 24K as a basis, the karats signify what proportion of pure gold to alloy is in the piece. 18K has 18 parts gold and 6 parts other alloys. 18/24=75% Thus, 18k gold is approximately 75% gold. 18K has a darker color than 14K, which has zinc added for strength. 14K is approximately 60% pure gold (14/24). 9K has the same properties as 14K, but with additional metals added. It is approximately 40% pure gold. All gold is stamped with the number of karats. Europeans sometimes stamp with 420 (14K) or 750 (18K).
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