If you are planning to buy a 10K gold ring, bracelet, or necklace, the first question you should ask yourself is, “How much is a 10K gold worth?” We know that 10K is among the most affordable gold settings, but if you are like most people, you may also want to know how it compares with other alternatives.
The good news? We have researched this information for you and prepared a comprehensive guide that analyzes the price of 10K gold in comparison to alloys of higher karat to help you make an informed purchase. Read on!
10k Gold Price = Live Gold Price * 41.7%
What is 10K Gold?
If you are reading this, then chances are good that you already know gold jewelry comes in different levels of purity usually expressed in Karats (K); not to be mistaken for Carats.
Karat is the unit used to measure the purity or fineness of gold, while Carat is used to express the weight of gemstones like diamond.
Pure gold is 24K. If a chain is marked as 24K gold, it simply means that all the 24 parts of its metal are 100% gold.
The Karat system was introduced to help customers understand the level of gold purity in their jewelry. As such, there are different types of gold on the market today including 10K, 14K, 16K, 18K, 20K, and more.
Looking at these numbers, you can see that 10K gold sits at the lower end of the scale. Now, if 24K gold means that an item is made of 24 parts of pure, undiluted gold, then 10K gold means that an item contains only 10 parts of pure gold. The remaining 14 parts are made of alloyed metal.
If this was to be expressed in percentages, 10K gold will simply be 41.7% of pure gold. The remaining 58.3% will be alloy metals like copper, silver, zinc, nickel, or palladium. Ideally, the higher the number of Karats in an item, the more expensive it will be.
Due to its low purity and fineness level, 10K gold is not the best option if you are looking for an engagement ring or any other high-end jewelry. This is because the extra metals added to the gold have the potential to cause allergic skin reactions.
For instance, some people are allergic to nickel and may get contact dermatitis from wearing jewelry containing this metal. If you are looking to buy jewelry made of 10k gold, go for earrings, bracelets, necklaces, or other affordable jewelry instead.
How Much Does 10K Gold Cost?
Now that you know what 10K gold means, let’s find out how much it costs. We have prepared a table for your quick perusal. Note that different gold dealers may have different rates based on the item you are buying and where you are buying it.
Why Doesn’t Pure Gold Jewelry Exist?
Gold in its pure form is a very soft metal. It can dent, warp, and scratch easily, which makes it unsuitable for crafting jewelry. In addition, its color leans more toward orange, a shade not many people would pick for fine jewelry.
For these reasons, pure gold is combined with other metals to obtain a gold alloy that is not only stronger and durable but also unique in color to produce various jewelry items.
Which 10K Gold Color Should You Buy?
As with all gold types, 10K gold is provided in three colors; white, yellow, and rose. Different blends of metals are used on each color to help change the appearance of the final product when combined with gold.
Which color you pick will depend on your taste and preference. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of each 10K gold color to help you make the right purchase.
10K White Gold
Contrary to what many people think, there is absolutely no such thing as 100% pure white gold. No matter the number of Karats, all white gold gets its color from the mixture of the other metals used during the production.
A piece of jewelry crafted from 10K white gold will usually contain 47% silver, 0.9% zinc, and 10% palladium, which means less than 50% of the jewelry is pure gold. Most jewelry pieces will also contain a rhodium coating to protect them against corrosion and increase their lifespan.
Pros
- Zinc, silver, and palladium are relatively durable metals, which help increase the strength of white gold and reduce scratches.
- White gold has a light and neutral color. This is important if you have jewelry made out of diamonds or other white gemstones, as it won’t make them look pink or yellow, a common problem with rose and yellow gold.
- For people with fair or rosy skin tones, the light and neutral color of white gold appears particularly beautiful and elegant on their skin.
Cons
- The protective rhodium coating can wear out over time, which means you will need to have it fixed every couple of years to maintain its color, shine, and protective benefits.
- Because of the large amounts of metals added to white gold, the end product can trigger skin allergies for some people.
- Since 10k gold is not widely used to make engagement rings, it can be difficult to find a white gold ring these days. In fact, most jewelry shops today are actually not offering the 10K gold options, but you can still get 14K white gold at an affordable price.
10K Yellow Gold
The 10K yellow gold has 52% silver and 6.3% copper. Like white and rose gold, this one is not a very common choice for high-end jewelry.
Pros
- Because of its classic, warm color tone, yellow gold is excellent for vintage-inspired bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry.
- Yellow gold doesn’t have a rhodium layer, so you will not need to have the coating replaced like in the case of white gold.
- 10K gold comes with a lower price tag than any other yellow gold. It is the cheapest yellow gold there has been on the market.
- Yellow gold looks exceptionally good when worn by people with darker skin tones.
- The yellow color looks great when blend with jewelry of lower color grades.
- As with white gold, the high concentration of the added metals makes jewelry made out of yellow gold very durable and less likely to scratch.
Cons
- Like white gold, yellow gold is likely to cause skin allergies due to the large amounts of metals used.
- 10K yellow gold is not widely used in expensive and high-quality jewelry, and this can make it relatively difficult to find.
- The yellow color in 10K gold is not as rich as that in purer varieties. Go for 14K yellow gold, instead, if you are looking for something with a little more sparkle at an affordable price.
10K Rose Gold
The 10K rose gold is made from the same metals as the yellow gold, only that the copper is much more than silver. The concentration of copper and silver is 38.3% and 20% respectively, which gives the gold a warm, elegant pinkish-red color.
Pros
- Like other 10K gold colors, rose gold is slightly stronger and more durable than higher Karat gold due to the higher concentration of the extra metals.
- 10K rose gold contains 38.3% copper, one of the most inexpensive metals, and this makes it more affordable than white and yellow gold.
- The higher copper content in rose gold makes jewelry made from this type of gold more difficult to bend or scratch.
- Rose gold is a versatile metal and will look particularly appealing on people with pale, darker, or olive skins.
Cons
- Due to the high copper content, 10K rose gold is more likely to cause skin allergies to people who are allergic to copper than rose gold with a higher number of karats.
- The reduced gold purity gives 10K rose gold a dull, lighter color than higher rose gold variants, which makes this metal a lesser preferred choice for fine jewelry.
The decision to buy white, yellow, or rose gold is really not one of the easiest to make. Our advice? Go for something that matches your skin tone. If you have fair skin, consider white gold. If you have an olive or darker skin complexion, get yellow or rose gold. For a more pocket-friendly option, consider rose gold.
Is 10K Gold Worth the Money?
10K gold is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a decent bracelet, necklace, or pair of earrings on budget. If you are more inclined to durability than gold purity, then this would be a great option.
Some trusted online jewelry vendors like James Allen do not offer 10K gold settings anymore partly because of its low purity level. As such, if you decide to buy the 10K gold, it means you won’t be able to make your purchase from one of the vendors best known for their pocket-friendly deals.
If you want something affordable and durable, we would suggest going for the 14K settings instead. These will look much better and the difference in costs will be very minimal.
What to Know Before Buying 10K Gold
10K gold makes perfectly fine jewelry
Even though 10K jewelry will have the least amount of gold, it does serve its intended purpose. It may not be as refined as jewelry with higher Karat gold content, but it’s a relatively decent place to start when looking for affordable gold options.
You can wear your 10K gold every day
Like most gold, 10K gold is designed to withstand most of our day-to-day activities and elements. The only time you may need to take it off is if you are performing a task that involves extreme manual labor and you are worried that it could bend or scratch.
10K gold doesn’t require professional cleaning
While you can choose to pay for professional cleaning, you really don’t have to. You can use warm water, a brush, and detergent to clean your gold. Just make sure the brush is soft to avoid scratching the metal’s surface.
10K Gold may discolor if dipped in bleach
There is a chance your gold will turn black if soaked in bleach. For this reason, avoid cleaning your jewelry with lightening agents. Use a mild detergent instead.
10K gold will not stick to a magnet
Just because a jewel with 10K gold settings has a higher concentration of metal doesn’t mean it has magnetic capabilities. If it does, then it is fake. Real gold will not stick to a magnet.
10K gold can fade
As with most metals, jewelry with 10K gold can fade. But this doesn’t happen overnight and you can even delay the process by cleaning and taking good care of the jewelry.
Don’t clean your 10K gold every day
While it may be tempting to clean your 10K gold every day, it’s really not necessary. Cleaning every six months is enough to give your jewelry its shiny surface. There are times, however, that you may need to clean earlier than six months, but keep in mind that excessive cleaning can make the jewelry fade quickly.
Summary
Now you know how much 10K gold is worth, and hopefully, we have explained anything else you needed to know before making your purchase. If you still got more questions, feel free to ask in the comments.
