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Is 18k worth the extra money over 14k?

amanda1266

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
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Hi all,
I was wondering if 18k is worth the extra money. What are the differences between 14k and 18k?
I
 
Just wanted to add that I know 18k is "worth" more than 14k :lol: but is it better to have it in an engagement ring over 14k. Does it look any different?
 
amanda1266|1326139368|3098635 said:
Hi all,
I was wondering if 18k is worth the extra money. What are the differences between 14k and 18k?
I
$4,000 bucks... ;))
 
I don't think there's a difference in color or finish if it's rhodium plated (please correct me if I'm wrong) but 18kt gold is heavier.
 
Dancing Fire|1326140249|3098648 said:
amanda1266|1326139368|3098635 said:
Hi all,
I was wondering if 18k is worth the extra money. What are the differences between 14k and 18k?
I
$4,000 bucks... ;))

Haha, exactly.. which is why I was wondering if I buy a 14k if it will look the same, lol
JUst wondering what the reasons are that people buy the 18k if 14k looks the same.
 
I don't think 18k is worth the extra money. 18k white gold will yellow much quicker since there is more gold content than 14k, and gold is naturally yellow. If you don't want it to look yellow, I'd stick with 14k.
 
Imdanny|1326140541|3098653 said:
I don't think there's a difference in color or finish if it's rhodium plated (please correct me if I'm wrong) but 18kt gold is heavier.
it depends on if we are talking about a WG or a YG ring.
 
It would be a WG ring
 
Most jewellery I own is 14k. I bought an estate engagement ring, chose it for my earrings due to price, and have a couple of wedding vintage wedding bands in both 14k and 18k. I rotate my jewellery so I don't wear any piece daily. They seem to wear the same to me.
 
In Australia most regular jewellery is in 9k! :sick:
So there does seem a tradition that 18k is standard for wedding jewellery.
Even when I was getting my original teensy budget set, the (very kind) jeweller talked me into 18k, to 'make it special'.

It's not like he could show me any 14k rings to choose from on his shelf, the only other option was 9k.
(There is gradually more 14k jewellery coming through, in recent years.)

For many Aussie girls, their wedding set might be the only 18k jewellery they own!
Also, we still tend to favour YG, which might be an influence as well.
 
Hi Lara =)

Most jewellery in Aus is traditionally made in 18k white/yellow gold. Wedding sets especially are mostly 18k. My jeweller told me 18kt is much stronger, 9kt is softer. So that just means 14kt is somewhere in between. It just has something to do with the mix.

Most of my jewellery is in 18kt yellow gold, personally I just think 18kt is a lot richer in colour to 9kt but with 14kt I honestly don't think it would be a noticable difference to the eye.

I had my last 7 stone ring set in 18kt White gold, it's just the done thing here in Aus. I have a lot of Italian and Greek friends and they all have 24kt. :wavey:
 
If it is unplated, you need to pick the tone that you prefer. If it is plated, then it could be any inert metal alloy underneath which is durable. Wouldn't make a difference except in your mind. And so long as you are not allergic to that metal.

Well I guess if the wear of the plating is allowed to degrade enough then it matters, but if you replate occasionally, or if you pick a silver coloured alloy, then it makes no difference.
 
For yellow gold, yes you can see a difference. I have jewelry in 14k, 18k and 22k. None of them have worn differently in my opinion. Just as there is a difference between platinum and white gold visually.
 
Purity of gold does not equate to the color of the resulting WG alloy. More important is the alloying metal used. So 18k, 14k comparison is useless.
 
Some people with metal allergies can wear 18k when they can't wear 14k.

Isn't 18k more likely to bend than break, than 14k ? I think the more gold a peice has, the more malleable it is.
Also, I heard the higher the gold content, the less material lost in polishing.

Do you plan on an annual/biennial polishing?
 
Hi Monnjay! I'm an Aussie too! :D
Perhaps you are a city girl? Because you have a different 'Australia' to me hahah I guess it's a big country.
I came from qld originally (cattle station girl) and now in semi-rural WA.

So perhaps when I say YG is the go, I am simply reflecting my own preferences and experience.
You can take the girl out of the country....etc etc

I would still say that YG is markedly more popular over here than in the US though (from what I've picked up from internet browsing)
it is very common for many Australian jeweelry shops to stock either 18k and 9k...with 9k being the most common choice for every day jewellery.slowly there is higher mid-range k gold being made available though.

Of course, being a PSer, I a prefer 18k when I can. I do think there is a minimal improvement in colour over 9k, but the feel is more luxurious - heavier, and slightly softer (making it less brittle). And of course, with 18k being premium, the product is usually better made as well.

ETa: actually, come to think of it, the only woman I know who wears WG is my 75-year-old m-i-l. funny hey.
 
I intentionally got 14K bc we didn't plate my e-ring and I wanted it to be whiter.
 
LaraOnline|1326175123|3099171 said:
Hi Monnjay! I'm an Aussie too! :D
Perhaps you are a city girl? Because you have a different 'Australia' to me hahah I guess it's a big country.
I came from qld originally (cattle station girl) and now in semi-rural WA.

Hey Lara, where abouts are you? I am in north west of WA :)

I am seeing a lot more white gold now than about 10 years ago but it is still predominantly yellow gold

I have a lot of old 9ct gold pieces but my new pieces are all 18k for the yellow gold and 14k for white. I am looking at a 14k YG mokume ring at the moment as i figure it doesn't need to be 18k and would like to get some 14k yellow gold pieces to add to the ever growing collection :)
 
Hi there, Melave! south west here! (Bunners)
Yeah, hanging around with all these US girls is getting me turned on to white.
But I'm not the 'mixing' type!! So I hope I don't really get the bug!!
I'll have to get an 'alternate' wedding set in WG...try explaining that to the man of the house! ;(

I'm aware of the rep WG has over YG as a fashion metal. I like fashion, and cool stuff, I'm no country hick.
I prefer classic - but modern - design, fairly unfussy but feminine.
YG can hold its own, if the design is right, and of the highest quality.

YG can be associated with cheap, unsophisticated jewellery, due to its popularity, I guess.
But I love to be choosy, and find JUST the right thing!

I can appreciate the subtle richness of WG - it doesn't look like sterling now, or even stainless (!) which is sort of the effect I first got when I saw it. Keeping up the plating is probably an important aspect of this!
Also, I saw a South African girl recently, with the most lustrous WG earrings and necklace (it looked very new and delicious) - she looked stunning.
But... her colouring was different to mine: olive all over with lovely brown-black hair and shocking blue eyes.
I'm more your run-of-mill Caucasian 'mouse' heheh.

I do have a Singaporean girlfriend with pretty dark skin - her YG has a completely different 'look' against her skin than mine.
It seems shockingly yellow, beautiful! Im dying to ask if it's 22k, but don't want to get too 'in her face' with my jewellery appreciation.
Mind you, she could easily carry WG to stunning effect as well, methinks.
 
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