‘24k Gold’ vs 18K Gold’: What’s the difference? Writing isn’t just about words — it includes numbers and symbols as well. Learning how to navigate non-word parts of language is a key part of communication, so what better way to tackle it than while learning about the finer things in life?
In a hurry? Here’s a quick preview of what’s to come:
Before comparing these terms, let’s make sure we actually know what we’re looking at by breaking them down piece by piece, starting with numbers. The numbers themselves should be straightforward, but let’s give you a writing tip on how to write the numbers:
For example, you have only two minutes to calculate 13 + 1,274.
So, since ‘24k Gold’ and ‘18K Gold’ both include numbers over 10, you write the numerical value.
But what is the ‘K’? What does it mean, and what does it stand for?
The ‘K’ in this case is an abbreviation.
Now that you have the pieces put together let’s compare our terms. The primary difference between ‘24K Gold’ vs ‘18K Gold’ is their purity. The purity of gold has to do with how much it’s mixed with other metals, and it's rated on a 24 out of 24 scale.
The differences in purity give us a basic idea of how to tell golds apart, but they don’t give us a full picture. Let’s continue our breakdown of these terms so we can understand ‘24K Gold’ vs ‘18K Gold’ to our fullest extent.
According to Oxford Languages, ‘Karat’ is a noun that means:
The origin of the word ‘Karat’ comes from the Arabic ‘qirat’ and the Greek ‘keration’, which means “carob seed.” In Greek and Roman times, the carob seed was used to measure the weight of small quantities of precious items.
According to Oxford Languages, ‘Gold’ is a noun that means:
As an adjective, ‘Gold’ can also mean:
According to the World Gold Council, ‘24K Gold’ is a noun that means:
Note that the bright, pure color of ‘24K Gold’ is not commonly seen in the United States or other Western countries because most of our gold isn’t 100% pure.
According to the World Gold Council, ‘18K Gold’ is a noun that means:
‘18K Gold’ is reasonably pure but not as soft as 100% pure metal, so it is primarily used in the high-end jewelry industry.
Now that you’ve put all the meanings together let’s make sure you can shop for gold items in person. Follow the guides below to learn how to pronounce these terms and say them aloud correctly.
Use this phonetic spelling of ‘24 Karat Gold’ as a guide:
Use this phonetic spelling of ‘18 Karat Gold’ as a guide:
The final step to mastering any new vocabulary is actually being able to use the words in your own scenarios. Take a look at the sample sentences below to get an idea of how ‘24K Gold’ vs ‘18K Gold’ might appear in different contexts.
Navigating new terms that include a variety of linguistic nuances can be challenging, especially when you don’t know what the parts mean individually.
Need a recap? Let’s review what we covered:
Want to learn more about different non-word aspects of writing? Be sure to check out other confusing word articles that explain and give you all types of non-verbal information. You can learn a lot when you explore how language works beyond words. And remember, when shopping for gold, sometimes purity doesn’t equal durability.
We encourage you to share this article on Twitter and Facebook. Just click those two links - you'll see why.
It's important to share the news to spread the truth. Most people won't.