Gold pricing is based on a number of factors, including karat amount, gram weight, design and craftsmanship. The karatage and gram weight designate how much gold is in a piece, but is not the sole determining price factor. The craftsmanship and level of detail in a piece is also taken into account. Other important considerations are the piece’s construction and design. Higher quality pieces that are well made will last longer and are usually priced higher.
The most critical thing to look for in buying gold jewelry is the purity of the gold. The higher the gold content, the more valuable it is. The amount of gold in a piece is represented in the karat mark, which is usually inscribed on the back of the piece. In the United States, 14-karat gold is the most common degree of fineness and pieces are marked 14K. Nothing less than 10K can legally be marked or sold as gold jewelry in the US.
Gold filled jewelry is made by joining or bonding, under heat and pressure, layers of a karat gold to a base metal. It is then rolled or drawn to the desired thickness. Gold plated jewelry is made by bonding 10-karat or better gold to a base metal.