Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share my journey with gold jewelry, specifically my experience navigating the world of 14k and 18k gold. Choosing the right gold for your jewelry can be confusing, and I hope my experience can help you make a more informed decision. I’ll talk about my experience with both 14k and 18k gold, and hopefully answer some questions you might have!
When I got engaged, I was over the moon! But soon after, I started to worry about the practical aspects of my ring. My engagement ring is 18k white gold, and my wedding band is 14k white gold. I’m generally pretty careful with my jewelry, and so far, neither ring has any noticeable scratches. However, I did notice something interesting.
I found that my engagement ring, the 18k one, needed to be re-dipped more often than my 14k wedding band. Both are white gold, so they are rhodium plated. It's something to keep in mind if you're considering white gold!
I was initially concerned about the "softness" of 18k gold after reading a bunch of articles online. Many articles made it seem like 18k gold was incredibly fragile and prone to scratches. I was worried my engagement ring would be easily damaged. However, after wearing my 18k ring every day, I've found that the articles definitely overplayed how soft it is. My 18k ring does get faint scratches from daily wear and tear, but honestly, so do my other 14k rings. There's really no noticeable difference in terms of scratch resistance.
I even know someone with an 18k gold wedding band who wears it all the time, even while doing everyday activities. She said it has scratches, but all gold does! She also confirmed that it’s not as soft and fragile as some articles make it out to be. That made me feel a lot better about my choice. It seems like the difference in durability is not as dramatic as some might suggest.
To further ease my concerns, I really took a close look at my 18k ring after wearing it for a year. I had to take it off and examine it very carefully to see any scratches. And even then, they were all on the bottom of the ring, nowhere noticeable on the top.
While doing my research, I discovered that 14k gold is the most common choice in the USA, but 18k to 22k gold are very common in Asia and other countries. In fact, many people in those countries wouldn’t even consider going lower than 18k. I even came across someone who has 22k gold jewelry (bracelets and necklaces) that have held up well with everyday wear. That made me realize that 18k gold is likely perfectly fine for an engagement ring or wedding band.
Speaking of jewelry and style, I've recently been experimenting with some edgier pieces. I was looking for a cool and unique necklace, and I found a New Sexy Harajuku PU Leather Chain Heart Pendant Necklace. It's a punk-inspired choker with a heart pendant. I really like it because it's different and adds a bit of a rebellious touch to my outfits. It's definitely not gold, but it's a fun addition to my jewelry collection. I love how it looks with a simple t-shirt or a dress. It's a great way to express my personality. I got it from SumsFashion Stainless Steel, and I'm really happy with the quality. I've been wearing it a lot lately!
So, what are the actual differences between 14k and 18k gold? Let's break it down: