Many couples choose an 18K golden ring when opting for engagement or wedding rings. They are always more expensive and more popular than 14k or 10k gold jewelry, and connoisseurs highly value this gold type because of its purity and warm color.
The price of gold rises in recent years, so you are probably not sure how much is an 18k gold ring worth. In general, the price of a particular ring will depend on its weight, design, and gemstone. Plus, it is not the same whether you buy or sell it, because it affects the value.
How Pure Is 18K Gold?
The percentage of gold your ring contains has a crucial influence on its price. As you have already known, the karat is an international measure of the golden jewelry value. More karats mean more gold, which increases the jewelry price accordingly.
For example, 24k gold contains 99% of this precious metal without impurities. On the other hand, there are also 22K, 18K, 14K, and 10K gold with different percentages of alloys, such as copper, nickel, and silver. That practically means 18K gold has 18 out of 24 parts of gold and 6 of some other elements.
Keep in mind that there is a difference between the two terms – karat and carat. While the former denotes gold purity, you should exclusively use the term carat when you speak of precious stones, such as diamonds and sapphires.
Of course, 24K gold has the highest price, but it is almost unusable in that form for jewelry production. Pure gold is soft and nearly effortless to shape, but it is delicate, and you can easily scratch it.
Besides, the color of 24K gold is bright yellow, almost orange, shiny, and too conspicuous. Therefore, many people decide to choose 18K gold jewelry. It comes in three colors, depending on the added alloy materials.
|
Karats |
Purity | Parts of gold | Millesimal fineness |
| 24K | 99.9% | 24 out of 24 |
999 |
|
22K |
91.7% | 22 out of 24 | 916 and 917 |
| 18K | 75% | 18 out of 24 |
750 |
|
14K |
58.3% | 14 out of 24 | 583 and 585 |
| 12K | 50% | 12 out of 24 |
500 |
|
10K |
41.7% | 10 out of 24 | 416 and 417 |
| 9K | 37.5% | 9 out of 24 |
375 |
Except for the karats number, the gold jewelry also has the millesimal fineness tag. It describes how many parts of pure gold are in one thousand particles of the metal. In other words, 18K gold has 75% of gold, and its millesimal fineness is 750.
It is usual that jewelers use this number as a hallmark and engrave it in the ring or necklace next to the karat tag. Rarely, you can see the 24K or 999 marks on the jewelry stating the pure gold, but that piece is usually not intended for everyday wear but only for special occasions.
Types of 18K Gold
18K jewelry is much more expensive than the one with a lower percentage of gold, but its price is justified by top quality and durability. It is the purest gold for the jewelry you can find in the store, which has no hardness problem.
Although some people choose the 18K rings because they are less likely to cause contact dermatitis or other allergies than 14K or 10K jewelry, the common reason 18K engagement rings are highly popular is primarily aesthetic.
The 18K ring retains the almost natural color of gold but doesn’t shine as strongly as pure gold. Silver, nickel, or other metals only soften the orange color and give it a beautiful shade. There are three basic types of 18K gold, including yellow, white, and rose.
Primarily, the addition to yellow gold is 15% copper and 10% nickel and silver. On the other hand, the white gold contains around 20% of white metals, such as silver, palladium, and nickel.
It is possible to add some copper in white gold rings since it helps to increase its malleability. However, it doesn’t go over 5% in most cases.
As you can guess, the rose gold has the highest percentage of copper. You can find shades closer to red color with 25% copper or pink gold with 20% copper and 5% silver. The color you choose will only depend on your taste and preferences.
Except for the white gold that sometimes contains expensive rhodium, all three alloys’ prices are similar. The primary difference in cost for 18k rings comes from variations in their weight, design, brand name, and the gemstones.
The Gold Value on The Market
The gold value is always calculated for 1 ounce (31,3 gr). No one can tell you precisely the price of gold at a particular moment since it changes day to day, sometimes hour to hour, based on speculation in the markets and currency values.
For example, the gold cost was $1971,22 per ounce on September 1st, 2020. A week later, it dropped on 1,927.96 per ounce.
Since 2013, gold prices have risen continuously due to various economic factors. Most experts predict that the growing trend will continue in the next five years.
Keep in mind that this value defines pure, 24k gold. If you want to determine your 18k ring price, the formula always includes the millesimal fineness of 750. It will be:
1971,22 / 31,3 x 0,750 = 47,23 dollars per gram
Unfortunately, it is not the end of the math since this number determines only the value your ring has on the market. When you sell it, the money you get will always be significantly lower.
Conversely, if you buy an 18K ring, its price won’t be an initial $47.23 per gram because the seller always adds their earnings and fees. Therefore, the final amount of money you need to give per gram can be as high as $60, depending on where you buy.
Buying 18K Ring’s Price
As you can guess from the previous text, 18K gold is more expensive than 14K or 10K ones. For instance, if you choose two rings of the same model, the one made of 10K can be twice as cheap as the 18K piece. Unfortunately, that means it has only 41.7% instead of 75% gold and differs aesthetically, primarily in color.
There are several options for buying an 18K golden ring. You can pick it up at a local jewelry store, mall, or online. If you know the right ring size, the simplest way is to order it through the official website, directly from the manufacturer. In this case, the price can be lower by up to 30%.
However, you can also buy the preowned golden ring from a pawn shop. If you decide to do so, you can save a lot of money and buy the ring for 20 or 30% of its real value. On the other hand, you need to check the labels on the jewelry well and ask for the paperwork to make sure you buy what you asked for.
It is hard to predict the prices for the 18k ring without having a particular ring in mind. That is because prices vary from one jeweler to another and many other factors, including the ring’s model, gemstone, brand name, or possible limited edition.
Therefore, market value can only give you a rough idea of how much the 18K ring you plan to buy costs.
Selling 18K Ring’s Price
If you want to sell your 18K gold ring, it is crucial to know that you can’t get the full price for it. Even with a verified dealer, you can hardly get more than 70% of its value. So, the maximum bid you can get for a ring worth $300 is around $210.
The reason a gold buyer cut the margin is to get his piece of cake. Once the dealer decides to sell your ring, he or she can double the money you got for it. If you are determined to sell the ring, choose the well-known store, and request the paperwork along with the money.
You can use one of the many online gold value calculators to see how much you can expect to get. That way, you won’t be cheated, and you can demand the price as close to the ring’s value as possible.
Plus, check the market value on the day you decide to part with your jewelry. If the current market price is $45 per gram, don’t sell your 18K gold ring that weighs 5 grams under $157.
One of the best places to sell your jewelry is a local ‘Cash for gold’ store. However, you can always post photos of your jewelry with a detailed description and correct size online and sell it on Amazon, eBay, or any other similar site.
The plus side of selling online is that you can ask for the price you determine instead of accepting a dubious offer at a local pawn shop.
Summary
The 18K gold ring contains 75% pure gold, and it is more expensive than the 14K or 10K model. You can expect that the market value of gold changes daily. Therefore, it is hard to define the 18K gold ring’s value at the time of trade without considering its mass, design, and other factors.
