Definition: The karat system is used to reveal the amount of pure gold found in an item.
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- 24 karat (24K) gold is pure gold.
- 18 karat (18K) gold contains 18 parts gold and 6 parts another metal or metals, making it 75% gold.
- 14 karat (14K) gold contains 14 parts gold and 10 parts another metal or metals, making it 58.3% gold.
- 10 karat (10K) gold contains 10 parts gold and 14 parts another metal or metals, making it 41.7% gold. 10k gold is the minimum karat designation that can still be called gold in the US.
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Common Misspellings: The term carat, spelled with a "c," refers to the weight of a gemstone.