Gold Jewellery: Along with women, men are also fond of gold jewellery, however, while purchasing it, we often get confused as to how many carats of gold would be suitable for daily use. There are two options – 14-carat (14K) and 18-carat (18K).

These are considered best for daily wear or everyday use. 24 carat gold is soft. There is a fear of it bending or breaking, hence they are not considered suitable for daily use. 14-karat gold is stronger and more durable. At the same time, jewelry made of 18-carat gold is more suitable for showing style or wearing on special occasions.

What does the word ‘carat’ mean?

When we talk about gold jewellery, our focus is often on its shine and price. But, it’s equally important to understand what the markings on jewelry—like 14K or 18K—actually say. Actually, ‘Carat’ shows the purity of gold. The higher the carat number, the purer the gold is. By understanding this, you can easily decide which jewelery will be best for daily wear.

Pure gold is a very soft metal. There is more flexibility in this. If you wear a ring made of completely pure gold every day, it will soon get scratched and its shape may also deteriorate, hence jewelers add other metals to the gold to make it stronger and suitable for daily use. This mixture is called ‘alloy’. Simply put, the karat system tells how much pure gold is present in that particular alloy.

How pure is your gold?

24-karat gold is approximately 99.9 percent pure and its color is very dark yellow. In contrast, 18-karat gold contains approximately 75 percent pure gold. The remaining 25 percent consists of other metals—such as copper and silver—which are added to increase its strength and make it suitable for everyday use. 14-karat (14K) gold contains approximately 58.3 percent pure gold. It is stronger than 18-carat gold. However, the proportion of pure gold in it is less. In such a situation, these things must be kept in mind while purchasing jewellery.

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A record rise in gold prices in India is being seen this year. On Friday, December 26, the price of 100 grams of 24 carat gold has increased by Rs 58,000 and the price of 10 grams has increased by Rs 5,800. On Friday, just a day after Christmas, gold prices reached record high levels across the country.

During this period, gold was sold cheapest in Hyderabad at Rs 1,40,020 per 10 grams. Whereas, the most expensive one was sold in Chennai at Rs 1,40,620 per 10 grams. This rise in gold prices is taking it out of the reach of the middle class. However, a report has also revealed that despite this surge in prices, people have not reduced buying gold. That means purchasing of gold is still going on in the bullion market. People have found a smart way to buy it.

People used this trick

In fact, people have now started giving priority to 14 and 18 carat gold instead of 22 carat pure gold, which was earlier used only for diamond jewellery. With this change, a new trend has entered the jewelery market. Earlier, 14 and 18 carat gold were used in diamond studded jewelery because they were strong and durable. Due to this, diamonds remain firmly in other jewelery like rings and do not break or bend easily. However, now amidst the rising prices of gold, people have started buying and selling it.

Demand for pure gold is decreasing

According to the report of Moneycontrol, Ahmedabad Jewelers Association says that at the beginning of the year 2025, the price of gold was Rs 80,000 per 10 grams, which has now reached Rs 1.42 lakh. Till two years ago, the share of 22 carat gold in wedding jewelery was 75 percent, which has now come down to 50 percent.

Market experts say that in the coming time, the demand for 14-18 carat gold will remain amid rising gold prices because it is not possible for everyone to buy 22 carat gold jewelery amid the rising prices, hence now 14 to 18 carat gold is emerging as an alternative because without gold jewellery, marriage remains dull.

There will be no boom next year

Meanwhile, Kotak Mahindra AMC Managing Director Nilesh Shah has said that the recent rise in gold and silver prices will not continue in 2026. However, the outlook remains positive. In a conversation with ET NOW, Nilesh Shah advised investors to follow the ‘dharma’ of asset allocation for better returns. “The kind of rally we have seen in precious metals is unlikely to be repeated in 2026. However, central bank buying and industrial demand for silver, especially from electric vehicles, make the outlook for both gold and silver remain positive,” he said.

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