What is 750 or 18k Gold
750 gold means is another name of 18 karat gold. It is a gold alloy used in jewelry. A 18 karat or 750 gold jewelry item means that it has 75% gold and 25% some other metal by weight. This other metal can be copper, silver, nickel or platinum. It is a relatively pure form of gold alloys and is expensive than lower karat gold like 14k or 10k. Other name of this type of gold are “750 over 1000 gold” and “18 karat gold“.
25 percent of this other metal decides the type of gold. For example, if it is copper and silver, it will be 18 karat yellow gold. And similar goes on.
In this article we’ll answer questions like what does 750 mean on jewelry, what is 750 gold composition, is it good and should you buy it.
Is 18k Gold Real?
Yes, 18k gold is real. It is one of the purest alloys of gold used in jewelry making.
Composition of 18k or 750 Gold
750 or 18k gold composition is:
18k Gold vs 14k Gold
Difference between 14k and 18k gold is the purity level. For example, 18 karat gold is more pure than 14 karat as it has 18 parts of gold out of 24. For 14 karat, only 14 parts are made of pure gold out of 24.
Types of 18k Gold Jewelry
18 k gold can be found in various forms in jewelry.
18 karat Gold Filled
18 karat gold filled jewelry contains a thick coating of 18 karat gold over a base metal of sterling silver. This base metal can be different than sterling silver but whole purpose of gold filled to create an affordable alternative of solid gold jewelry.
18 karat Gold Plating
18 karat gold plating contains a very thin layer of 18 karat gold plated over a base metal. This layer of gold is very thin and will eventually erode away in some time. Buying cost of this gold can be less but re-plating cost adds up with time.
18 karat Solid Gold
Solid gold jewelry does not contain any base metal. 18 karat solid gold is entirely made of 18 karat solid gold. It is the best and purest form of gold jewelry found in 18 karat. However, it can be expensive.
Is 18k Gold Good?
18 karat solid gold is one of the best gold jewelry you can buy. It does not tarnish and is one of the best in purity. It is also hypoallergenic. However, it can be expensive.
14k vs 18k White Gold
14k white gold is also an alloy of gold made up of gold, silver and zinc. If a white gold jewelry is made of 14k, it means that only 14 out of 24 parts of this metal are made of pure gold. Rest is other metals like silver and zinc. Similarly, for 18k gold jewelry, 18 out of 24 parts are made of pure gold.
Will 18k Gold Tarnish?
18k gold does not tarnish. No mater what type of gold it is like white gold, rose gold or yellow gold. You don’t have to worry about tarnishing whatsoever. Only regular cleaning will be enough to keep its shine.
What Does 750 Stamp Mean on Gold
Any jewelry made by a reputable jeweler in composition of 750 or 18k gold will contain a hallmark. Normally, it is “18k”, “750 AU” or simply “750“. Any jewelry showing any of these hallmarks will confirm that it is made of 18k gold.
If your 18 karat jewelry does not contain these marks, then it might be due to jewelry being very old. With time, these hallmarks get removed. An other reason for not having hallmarks is that your jewelry is impure.
Pros of 750 Gold
Here is a full list of pros offered by 18k 750 gold.
1. Purity
750 gold is one of the purest forms of gold alloys. Only 825 gold (82.5% gold) has a greater purity level but it is not commonly used in used in jewelry due to softness. This softness leads to more scratches and damages. So, buyers mostly come towards 750 gold.
This purity factor gives it a superior hand over rest of the alloys. And with this purity, you get more gold-like properties from your jewelry.
2. Appearance
Sometimes buyer are preferring to buy jewelry with traditional yellowish gold looks. If you are one of those, then 750 gold might be the best for you. The logic going on here works like this:
“The more gold content an alloy has, more gold like properties it will have.”
Since it has the most gold content by percentage, it has the best gold like properties. This will come in terms of shine, smoothness and premium feeling offered by the jewelry.
As purity level decreases, premium looks of gold are taken over by other metals (copper, platinum, silver or whatever you are using).
3. Hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic means that a metal is completely safe to be worn by people of all skins. Some metals like nickel, silver and copper often cause reactions with people with sensitive skins. This can lead to allergies or skin turning black or green.
Lower purity gold alloys contain higher amounts of these metals. That’s why they can cause skin reactions.
On the other hand, 750 gold does not react with the skin. All you have to look for is to avoid any gold jewelry containing even traces of nickel. Generally, many of the jewelers do it by stating their jewelry as “Nickel-Free”.
So, if you are one who has a sensitive skin and wants to buy gold jewelry, 750 gold is the best choice.
4. Non-Tarnishing
Another important benefit of 750 gold is its non-tarnishing property. Tarnishing is a chemical reaction in which a metal reacts with air making a blackish layer of unwanted chemicals. This mainly occurs due to the presence of copper and silver metal in gold alloys. Higher the content of copper and silver, faster will be the rate of tarnishing.
Though, this might not be a big problem with commercial tarnishing removal chemicals, you’ll need to clean jewelry periodically without skipping. Or tarnish can stick to the jewelry and make it hard to be removed.
5. Resale Value
Resale value is another important aspect of jewelry enhancing the overall experience of a buyer. So, the trick in resale value of a gold jewelry works like this:
“Higher the gold content, higher will be the resale value.”
This is what matters. In case, you are also considering the resale value of your gold jewelry, items made of 750 gold stand out. These jewelries are high in demand with high gold content, so it allows jewelers or pawn shop owners to pay more for them.
Cons of 750 Gold
Just like the pros, 750 gold also has cons as well.
1. Cost
Cost is a big factor associated with 750 gold. As it has more gold content, jewelries made of 750 gold are generally pricier. Price difference can be as big as 30 percent compared to what you get in 14k gold. And as you go with lower purity alloys such as 9k or 10k, difference will keep on increasing.
This can be a “No” for some people. Specifically who are looking for a budget friendly option. At the same time, if you are not much concerned about the price, this point should not bother you. Nevertheless, you must be aware of the cost factor associated with 750 gold.
2. More Prone to Scratches
We all hate scratches. Right? Unfortunately 750 gold does not. Gold itself is a soft malleable metal which can be scratched easily. Similarly, 750 gold is also prone to scratches due to higher gold content percentage. You can expect to get more scratches, dents or dings than other gold alloys.
If you’re aiming to use your jewelry daily, you need to either save it from getting damaged or visit your jeweler regularly for polishing.
3. High Density
750 Gold is a high density metal compared to silver or copper. In easy words, more the density of a metal, more metal will be required in terms of grams for making a jewelry item. Similarly, if you are going to make a ring made of 750 gold, it will have more weight than other gold alloys such as 375 or 575 gold.
Let’s understand it via an example. Suppose you want to make two identical necklaces in 750 and 14k gold. If necklace made of 14k gold weighs 10 grams, at the same time 750 gold will weigh about 11 to 12 grams. So, in short you will be paying more in terms of grams for the same necklace.
4. High Maintenance Cost
Maintenance is one of the most unwanted but necessary step of owning jewelry. It can be hectic as well as costly. 750 gold can be a high maintenance requiring metal. Though, it cant be tarnished, but it will surely get minor scratches and scuffs quickly. So, you can expect to pay more frequent visits to jewelers for polishing and stuff. And all of this comes with an extra cost.
You can cut most of maintenance cost by taking care of your jewelry from external damages. In case you are not going to use your jewelry for daily usage, this is not a problem as it will not get that much damage.
What Should You Buy?
One thing you should remember is that “No metal is perfect”. There will be some pros and cons of each and every metal. It all comes down to your personal preferences and priorities. If you love to have the premium feeling of gold and can pay for its cost, go for it. Otherwise you can look down for lower purity gold alloys such as 14k or 10k. They might not be as good as 750, but they will save your money for sure.