Learn · Metals
Yellow gold
Yellow gold is gold as most people picture it, alloyed for strength. In 14k or 18k, it is the warm, classic metal for a ring, and it resists tarnish and corrosion.
What it is
Pure gold is too soft for a ring, so it is alloyed. Yellow gold is alloyed with copper, silver and zinc. 18k yellow gold is 75% gold, stamped 750; 14k is 58.3% gold, usually stamped 585.
Gold resists tarnish and corrosion, so a yellow gold ring keeps its color without plating.
14k yellow gold
58.3% gold, usually stamped 585, alloyed with copper, silver and zinc.
18k yellow gold
75% gold, stamped 750, alloyed with copper, silver and zinc.
Why people love it
The color of gold itself, warm on the hand. In 14k it is the more durable karat for a ring worn every day; in 18k it carries more gold.
With a diamond, it can be paired with white prongs: a white metal can make a colorless or near-colorless diamond look more colorless, and white prongs do this even on a yellow gold band.
- 14k yellow gold: More durable than 18k: the lower the karat, the more durable the gold.
- 14k yellow gold: A warm, classic yellow.
- 18k yellow gold: Three quarters gold.
- 18k yellow gold: More gold, so more metal value in every gram.
Trade-offs
Yellow gold accentuates yellow in a lower-color diamond, so the metal and the diamond’s color are worth choosing together; white prongs help.
18k is somewhat softer than 14k, so it takes marks a little more easily.
- 14k yellow gold: Less gold than 18k.
- 18k yellow gold: Somewhat softer than 14k, so it takes marks a little more easily.
Who it suits
Anyone who loves the warmth of gold. 14k for a ring worn every day; 18k for more gold in the piece. With a near-colorless diamond, consider white prongs on the yellow band.
Sizes
By the studio’s densities, 18k yellow gold is 15.6 g/cm³ and 14k yellow 13.1, so the same ring weighs about 1.2 times as much in 18k. The Design Studio shows the weight of any design in grams and pennyweights.
What affects the cost
The gold in the piece: its weight, its purity and the day’s gold price. The same ring holds more gold in 18k than in 14k. The stone and the setting time are separate, and Sara quotes the finished piece.
Every custom piece is quoted after a consultation; there are no posted prices for custom work.
Care
Clean it in warm water with a drop of dish soap and a soft brush, rinse, and dry with a lint-free cloth. Pacific Jewel rings come back to Sara for a clean and an inspection whenever you like.
Gold resists tarnish and corrosion, so it needs no plating to keep its color; a polish brings back a polished band.
Questions
14k or 18k yellow gold?
14k if durability matters most, since the lower the karat, the more durable the gold. 18k is three quarters gold, somewhat softer.
What is yellow gold made of?
Gold alloyed with copper, silver and zinc. 18k is 75% gold; 14k is 58.3%.
Does yellow gold suit a diamond?
Yes, with one thing to know: yellow gold accentuates yellow in a lower-color diamond, and white prongs help a near-colorless diamond look more colorless, even on a yellow band.
Does yellow gold tarnish?
Gold resists tarnish and corrosion.