10K vs. 14K vs. 18K vs. 22K vs. 24K Gold: What's the Difference, and What's Yours Actually Worth?

If you've ever looked at the inside of a ring, or the clasp of a bracelet, it's quite likely that you've stumbled across a little stamp. On it is a number, and it's most likely between 10K, 14K, 18K, and occasionally 22K or 24K. Whatever the number may be, it's a great certainty that few know beyond the higher the better.

What you may not know, is that these stamps tell you what proportion of gold is contained within the piece, and therefore the alloy it has been crafted into. Now, with this information, we can easily deduct an approximate value for the article in question.

One of the most common questions we receive at the Coquitlam Jewelry Buyers office, is about this very nature. What value do these stamps hold? Why are there so many of them? What's the difference between 22K and 24K? Why are North American gold items almost always 14K, compared with the South Asian, Middle Eastern and East Asian pieces we see in the shop, which are almost always 22K or 24K?

Karat Is a Measure of Purity, Not Quality

Pure 24K gold is very soft — so soft that a ring made of it would bend while you were doing the dishes. Gold is therefore alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver or zinc to make it more durable. The amount of other metals in a gold alloy determines its karat value.

• 24K = 99.9% pure gold
• 22K = about 91.6% gold
• 18K = 75% gold
• 14K = about 58.3% gold
• 10K = about 41.7% gold (the legal minimum to be called "gold" in North America)

Notice what's happening here — as the karat drops, so does the actual gold content. A 10K ring and a 24K ring might look almost identical sitting side by side, but there's more than twice the gold in the 24K piece for the same weight.

Price Snapshot: Sept 02, 2026

Why This Matters When You're Selling

When buying jewels, the buyer is paying for the jewel, the brand inside it, and its value when it was new. What he is paying for is the amount of gold in it according to the karat or weight, and the gold price per ounce on the day of purchase.

Thus, two rings of the same size and weight can have a big difference in their prices if they are made of different karat.

• A 10 gram ring in 10K gold contains roughly 4.17 grams of pure gold
• The same 10 gram ring in 18K gold contains about 7.5 grams of pure gold
• In 24K, nearly all 10 grams is pure gold

Run those numbers against the day's spot price and the gap in payout becomes obvious fast. It's also why "how much is my gold worth" doesn't have one universal answer — it depends entirely on karat, weight, and where the market sits that day. Our What We Pay page updates daily so you can check current rates by karat before you even book an appointment.

Why 14K Dominates North American Stores — and 22K/24K Shows Up So Often Here

Walk into any Canadian or American jeweller and you’ll likely see lots of 10K and 14K gold. This is practical, durable, and economical – a good fit for every day wear.

The Lower Mainland, however, has a large inventory of 22K and 24K gold, as South Asian families buy gold jewellery frequently as engagement and wedding sets or heirlooms. Gold is traditional in many South Asian, Middle Eastern, and East Asian cultures, and is often saved up for as a valuable asset and important purchase. If you want to buy or sell gold and speak Korean, Punjabi or another language, you’ll also find buying guides in these languages: 작동 원리 and ਇਹ ਕਿਵੇਂ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ. That's a big part of why we built out dedicated buying expertise around 22K and 24K South Asian gold — it's simply a large and important part of what comes across our counter.

How to Tell What Karat Your Piece Actually Is

A few ways to check before you even come in:

• Look for a stamp. Usually inside the ring’s shank, on the clasp of your necklace or bracelet, or on the back of your earrings. It should state something like 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 585, 750, 916, or 999 (the three-digit numbers are the European/Asian equivalent; thus, 585 is 14K, 750 is 18K, 916 is 22K, and 999 is 24K).
• No stamp doesn't mean no gold. Older pieces, handmade jewellery, and some imported gold aren't always stamped, or the stamp has worn away over decades of wear — this is especially common with estate and inherited jewellery, and it's not a red flag.
• Don't trust the stamp blindly either. Unfortunately, counterfeit stamps exist. This is exactly why a proper evaluation involves actual testing.

How We Verify Karat (Instead of Just Trusting the Stamp)

When you bring in jewellery, we don't just read the stamp and take it at face value, we test it! XRF scanning and acid testing, done in front of you at the time of your appointment. So, you know that we aren't just giving you a figure and a story based on the stamp mark, or the stamp mark is telling you the whole truth. You can see for yourself!

This is important because gold-plated and gold-filled items can have stamps or markings that may appear to be gold, but are really just a very thin layer of gold over another metal.

A quick and simple test will show if what you think is gold, really is gold.

What This Means If You're Thinking About Selling

If you have a mixed collection — say, a couple of 14K chains, a 22K bangle from your grandmother's wedding set, and an old 10K class ring — understand that they should not be valued at approximately the same price per gram. They are not equal, and this is normal! This is exactly the kind of mixed-generation collection we see often with estate and inherited jewellery: we weigh and evaluate each piece individually and calculate its value based on karat content. A total value will be calculated for you, without any pressure to sell, and at no cost to you.

If you want a rough idea before your appointment, our What We Pay page lists current buying prices by karat, updated daily against the live spot market.

Book a Free, No-Obligation Evaluation

Whether your gold is 10K or 24K, stamped or unmarked, inherited or just sitting in a drawer, we're happy to take a look. Call us at 604-779-2755 or email info@fsge.ca to book an appointment at our Coquitlam office. We serve clients from across the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Langley, and everywhere in between. For more information visit 10K vs. 14K vs. 18K vs. 22K vs. 24K Gold: What's the Difference, and What's Yours Actually Worth?

FAQs

What karat gold is worth the most?
24K is the purest, so it holds the most gold per gram, but "most worth" boils down to the combination of karat, weight, and the current spot price at the moment. A larger 14K piece can be worth more than a small 24K piece.

Is 22K or 24K gold better for jewellery?
It depends on the purpose. 24K is purer but very soft, so it bends or scratches more easily. 22K holds slightly more durability while retaining a high percentage of gold, which is why it's popular in South Asian, Middle Eastern and East Asian regions for wedding and heirloom jewellery. See our 22K and 24K South Asian gold page for more detail.

Can I sell gold jewellery that has no karat stamp?
Yes. Many older or handmade items were never stamped, or the stamp can wear off completely — common with estate and inherited jewellery. As we test every item with XRF scanning and acid testing to determine the exact amount of gold in the item, we can give you the most accurate reading regardless of whether a stamp is present.

How do you calculate what my gold jewellery is worth?
We weigh your item and test it to determine the karat, then we pay you based on the purity of the gold and the current market rate for gold that day — check our What We Pay page for today's rates. No design, brand names, or original purchase price will be taken into consideration when determining our offer to you.