9k vs 14k gold (375 vs 585): what's the difference, and why does it matter?

What do 375, 585 and 333 mean?

The number on your jewellery is its gold content: how many parts of gold there are in 1,000 parts of metal. Fine gold is too soft to make jewellery from, so it's always mixed with other metals, such as silver and copper. The hallmark tells you how much gold is in that mix.

Karat counts in 24 parts. 9 karat is 9 out of 24: just over a third. 14 karat is 14 out of 24: more than half. In the UK, 9k is everywhere; in Germany, you'll often see 333. Both can legally be called gold, but most of the metal is something else.

How much gold do you get?

The difference looks small: two numbers on a tiny stamp. But think of it as a ring or a gold bracelet:

• With 375, just over a third of your piece is gold. Almost two thirds is other metal.
• With 585, more than half is gold: over one and a half times as much as 9k.
• With 750, three quarters is gold.

Two pieces that look the same in a photo can be very different. With 9k you pay less, but you also get much less gold. So always look at the hallmark, not just the word gold. How to spot real gold is all in real gold vs gold plated.

Colour: why 14k is warmer

Gold is naturally a deep yellow. The more other metals you add, the paler the colour. That's why 9k and 8k look lighter, and sometimes a little pink or coppery, depending on what's been mixed in. 14k has the warm, fresh glow you expect from gold. 18 karat gold is a deeper yellow still.

Put them side by side and you see the difference straight away.

Strong, but does it stay beautiful?

All of them are hard enough for every day. In fact, all those other metals make 9k quite tough. The catch: silver and copper react with air, sweat and lotion. In 9k and 8k, those metals make up the majority, so a piece can dull or darken sooner.

14k contains more gold and less of those metals. Real gold doesn't rust or oxidise. If a 585 piece looks dull from soap, lotion or perfume, polish it with a soft cloth and the shine is back.

What is it worth?

The value of a gold piece lies largely in the gold itself. More gold means more value, also if you want to have it melted down or sell it years later. A 9k piece holds over a third less gold than the same piece in 14k, and so less value.

Why TOV starts at 585

We don't make 9k or 8k. At TOV, you always wear at least 58.5% gold: real 14 karat (585) or 18 karat (750), never gold-plated. Our white gold is 14 karat gold too, with a fine rhodium layer for the white shine.

Every piece carries its hallmark, somewhere discreet like the inside of a ring or near the clasp of a necklace. Why draw the line here? Because we believe a gold piece should be mostly gold, with the colour you expect from gold. 14 karat is strong enough for every day and holds enough gold to glow warmly.

How real gold can still be affordable is explained in why real gold can be affordable. Torn between 14k and 18k? That difference is in 14k vs 18k gold.

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