What Does 375 Gold Mean
375 gold is gold that is made in purity of 9 karat. It contains 37.5% pure gold and 62.5% other metals by weight. It is a cheaper and low purity alloy of the all being used in jewelry making. These metals can be copper, zinc, nickel or a combination.
In this article you are going to know what does 375 gold mean, its pros and cons, and how does 375 stamp or hallmark look.
Is 375 Gold same as 9 karat?
Yes, 375 gold is the same as 9 karat. Both of these are measured in different unit system just like weight in pounds and kgs. Karat and number system are unit of measuring purity of a gold alloy. 375 is measured is number system while 9 karat is measured in karat system.
Why Can’t we use Pure Gold for Jewelry Making?
Pure gold aka 24 karat gold is a soft and malleable metal which cannot retain its shape. This makes it highly unsuitable for processes where bending, molding and stone gripping are involved. That’s why jewelers come up with different types of gold alloys in different compositions and colors. So, gold wearing can be easily accessible to everyone according to their needs.
Addition of the second metal can greatly change the characteristics and properties of the overall alloy. For example, addition of copper with gold makes it yellow gold while addition of nickel or platinum make it white gold.
Common gold compositions other than 375 gold are:
750: Contains 75% gold by weight. Also known as 18 karat gold.
585: Contains 58.5% gold by weight. Also known as 14 karat gold.
425: Contains 42.5% gold by weight. Also known as 10k gold.
375 Gold Stamp or Hallmark
375 gold stamp or hallmark is “375” or “9k“. If a gold jewelry contains any one of these hallmarks, it means that it is made in 9 karat gold.
Pros of 375 Gold
There are a number of pros 375 gold offers.
1. Affordability
375 gold is the most affordable gold alloy you can get. It can easily fit most of the budgets. This is one of the biggest pros it can offer. As it has low gold content compared to other types, you can easily get it for as low as half of the price of 18k or 750 gold.
2. Durability
Durability is a major concern with gold jewelry. Normally, it can easily get scratched or damaged due to soft and malleable nature of gold itself. But this is not the case with 375 gold at least. For 375 gold, you can expect to get less scratches and dents. This can save you a lot of money in terms of periodic visits to the jeweler.
Note that here durability means that it will not get scratches easily. But it can tarnish.
3. Ease of Usage
Generally, most people avoid wearing gold jewelry on daily basis as it can get scratches easily. This is mainly with higher purity gold alloys like 14k or 18k. When it comes to 375 gold, it is somewhat resistant to scratches. So, you can expect to get far less scratches compared to other types of gold.
Cons of 375 Gold
Just like pros, 375 gold also has some cons.
1. Tarnishing
Tarnishing is a chemical reaction in which metal forms a hard layer over its shinier surface by reacting with atmospheric chemicals. It must be noted that gold itself never tarnishes. But other metals, which are being used in 375 gold can tarnish and impact the overall look of the metal. For example, 375 gold containing copper can easily tarnish due to the presence of higher amounts of copper.
Since higher tier metals like rhodium or platinum are not used in 375 gold to reduce the overall cost, similar goes on with 375 gold containing silver or nickel.
2. Non-Hypoallergenic
Other than tarnishing, 375 gold can also be non-hypoallergenic. Meaning it can react with sensitive skins and lead to allergies or green skin. It can be a big problem at certain occasions like parties or social gatherings. If you’re one with sensitive skin or can be allergic to low purity gold, avoid 375 gold at all costs.
3. Low Purity
375 gold is the least pure gold alloy used in jewelry making as it has only 37.5% gold. As the gold content increases in an alloy, the overall cost also increases. That’s why being the cheaper and affordable variant in gold line up, its purity is kept lower.
375 vs Other Gold Alloys
Here is a full on comparison among the most widely used three gold types in jewelry making to help you in making the right decision.
1. Cost
Cost can be a big factor in deciding if you are low on budget. The logic going on here works like this:
“Higher the purity, higher will be the cost“
If you go for 750 gold which contains 75% gold content, its price will be higher compared to one with lower gold content such as 375 gold.
2. Appearance
When it comes to appearance, things can be little tricky. Since gold itself has a yellow color, variants like yellow gold and rose gold will have better appearance with higher purity gold alloys like 750 and 585. But for white gold, you need more whiter color and texture which can only be provided by lower purity gold types such as 375 gold.
3. Hypoallergenic
As described above, gold itself is a hypoallergenic metal which can be used by people with all skin types. But as the “other metal’s” content increases, risks of non-hypoallergenic behavior also increases specifically in the case of silver, copper and nickel.
If you’re one with sensitive skin, go for higher purity gold alloys like 750 gold or at least buy nickel free gold.
4. Durability
Gold is one of those metals which can be scratched or dented easily. So, durability of a gold alloy decreases with increased gold content. Generally, 750 gold is more susceptible to damages and scratches during daily life routine compared to lower end gold alloys.
If you go for 375 gold, you will get durability on the cost of tarnishing. So, 585 gold, which is also known as 14k gold provides a balanced properties between durability and non-tarnishing behavior.
5. Resale Value
Resale value can also be really important factor if you have plans of replacing the jewelry in the future. Generally speaking, the resale value of 375 gold is always way less than other higher purity gold types because of demand. Normally most of the people don’t compromise on purity factor when choosing in between different gold types.
What Should You Buy?
Buying a gold jewelry needs informed decision making. First of all, list down the preferences on which you cant compromise. And then look for the gold alloys which provide those qualities. For example, if you have decided that you cant compromise on appearance, then 750 gold is a better choice because it has more gold content. Similar goes on with other properties as well. We hope these things can help you in making the best decision.