Stop Getting Ripped Off Buying Alloyed Gold From U.S. Retail Jewelers: Comparing 10K, 14K, 18K, 22K, 24K Gold Jewelry
The 24K Gold Myth: Is 24K Gold Too Soft For Jewelry?
Why do Jewelers in the U.S. Claim 24k Gold is too soft for Gold Jewelry?? The following screenshots are taken directly from the websites of U.S. Retail Jewelers.
Kay Jewelers “Pure Gold Is Too Soft For Jewelry”
Hellberg’s Jewelers “In Its Pure Form Gold Is Too Soft To Be Used In Jewelry”
Shane Jewelers “Pure Gold Is Too Soft To Be Used By Itself In Jewelry”
You have probably heard the myth that 24K Gold is too soft for “Fine Jewelry.” The truth is not only is 24K Gold not too soft for Fine Jewelry, but the “Finest” Gold Jewelry pieces must be made of solid 24K Gold.
24K GOLD JEWELRY AT CHOW TAI FOOK IN HONG KONG
24k Gold Jewelry was and still is the standard in the Eastern World long before Gold Jewelry was sold in the U.S. U.S. Retail Jewelers promulgate the myth so they can maximize profit by selling their customers diluted, heavily marked-up alloyed Gold Jewelry because Pure Gold is expensive (Currently over $2,000 for a troy ounce of gold).
Jewelers mix cheap metals such as copper, nickel, and zinc with Gold to produce “Alloyed Gold, " sold to consumers as more “practical” for wear and tear. Billions of people that own 24K Gold in Asia, the Middle East, Turkey, and other parts of the world would beg to differ that it is too soft for Jewelry.
How Gold Purity Is Measured: 24-Karat System Of Gold Purity
In the U.S., we use the “Karat system,” which measures the ratio of Pure Gold to other metals. A Gold Karat is 1/24 part or 4.1667 percent of the whole.
In reference to Gold Jewelry, the Karat number indicates how many parts of gold to parts of non-precious metal there are in a piece of Gold Jewelry.
10k Gold = 10 parts gold (41.6% gold) 14 parts metal (58.4% metal)
14k Gold = 14 parts gold (58% gold) 10 parts metal (42% metal)
18k Gold = 18 parts gold (75% gold) 6 parts metal (25% metal)
22k Gold = 22 parts gold (91.6% gold) 2 parts metal (8.4% metal)
24k Gold = 24 out of 24 parts gold (99.9% gold)
Comparing 10K-14K-18K-22K-24K Gold Jewelry
The two most noticeable differences between each Gold Karat Jewelry grade are the Gold color and the weight. 24K (Pure Gold) is a deep rich yellow color; therefore, the higher the Karat, the more yellow the Gold Jewelry piece will be. A 24K Gold Chain, Bracelet, or Ring will be heavier and denser than the other Gold Jewelry Karat Grades.
10K Gold Jewelry
10K is the legal minimum standard in the United States to be labeled “Gold” Jewelry. So, a 10K Gold chain, bracelet, or ring will be the lightest in weight and dullest in Gold color, while a 24K Gold chain, bracelet, or ring will be the most yellow in Gold color and heaviest in weight. 10K Gold Jewelry is alloyed with 58.6% cheap metal and is often frequented by those whose main priority is getting the most significant “size” Gold Jewelry pieces for their money.
10K Gold only looks like Gold until you put it next to higher Karat Gold Jewelry pieces. Then, it looks dull and diluted because its majority composition is cheap metal. In the U.S. retail market, it is much better to save your money and buy Silver Jewelry than it is to waste it on 10K Gold Jewelry.
14K Gold Jewelry
14K is the most popular Karat Gold Jewelry sold in the U.S. It is 58.3% Gold Purity and is what you will most often find at your Major department stores such as Macy’s, Kohls, and Mall Retail Jewelers like Kay, Zales, Jared, Shane, etc
As 14K Gold Jewelry is worn over time, like 10K, it only gets duller, and don’t be fooled by the message sold by retail Jewelers that this diluted Gold Jewelry is the most practical Gold Jewelry to weather wear and tear. This is akin to telling someone that wants the best sports car that money can buy to stick to a V-4 engine because it is most practical for gas mileage. Saying 14K Gold is the best Karat for Gold Jewelry is not only ridiculous, but it's also the opposite of what someone that wants the best Gold Jewelry should be looking for, which is to experience and enjoy the actual properties of Pure Gold. Comparing 14K Gold to 24K Gold is a night and day difference in Gold Color, weight, and feel.
18K Gold Jewelry
18K Gold Jewelry is 75% percent Gold Purity, the highest Karat Purity at any major U.S. Retail or Luxury Jeweler. When you go to Tiffany’s or David Yurman, their “Fine Gold” Jewelry pieces will be 18K Gold, and they will charge you around a 400% markup on their Gold Jewelry. Some will say that they can command a premium markup because of the Tiffany or David Yurman name. This might have some validity if it were a rare and intricate design that sold for a premium in the resale market.
However, take a mass-produced, machine-made 18K Gold Tiffany bracelet or 18k David Yurman Cuban Chain to your nearest pawn shop and see if they will pay you more than 25% of what you paid for the Gold Jewelry. This is because the most important factor in determining the actual value of Gold Jewelry is its Gold Content.
18K Gold, compared to 10K, is more yellow and retains more Pure Gold properties but is still only 75% Gold. 75% is a C, and the reason people settle for a C grade is that the 24K A grade is not available in U.S. Retail and Luxury market.
22K Gold Jewelry
22K Gold Jewelry is not sold in major U.S. Retail and Luxury Jewelry stores. It is 91.6% Gold Purity, and it is usually found at American Indian mom-and-pop Jewelry Stores in certain big cities in the U.S., such as Chicago, N.Y., Houston, etc. 22K Gold Jewelry pieces are relatively close to 24K in color and weight.
For those that have never seen or experienced 24K Gold, 22K Gold will stand out noticeably compared to all the 10K and 14K Gold worn and sold throughout the U.S. Still, if you compare a 21K piece of Gold Jewelry next to a piece of 24K Gold Jewelry, you will notice a difference. If you’re looking for good Gold Jewelry, 22K Gold Jewelry sold at a low markup is an adequate option, but if you're looking for the best, only 24K Gold Jewelry will do.
YINCITY GOLD ONLY SELLS 24K GOLD
U.S. consumers are unknowingly being ripped off for billions of dollars annually by U.S. retail and luxury Jewelers such as Macy’s Kay, Zale’s, David Yurman, and Tiffany, to name a few. The U.S. Jewelry industry sells diluted (10K 14K 18k) Alloyed Gold Jewelry at markups 200%-300% or higher than the Jewelry’s actual Gold value!
In Asia and other parts of the world, the standard for Gold Purity in Jewelry and the way Gold Jewelry is priced and sold is radically different from here in the U.S. In countries like China and India, Gold Jewelry is generally made from solid 24K Gold and no lower than 22K in Purity.
Gold Jewelry pricing is transparent and sold based on a simple formula that considers:
1) The Purity And Weight Of Gold
2) Market Price Of Gold
3) A Fee For Design And Labor
This criterion is common knowledge to the Eastern consumer and reflects that Gold Jewelry is an investment in Gold, not just a fashion accessory. In the U.S., however, Jewelers maximize profit at the consumer's expense by being un-transparent. If you visit your local retail, mall, or luxury jeweler, you will find the following:
1) Gold Jewelry Is Diluted And At Most 18k In Purity (Mostly 10k & 14k)
2) Jewelers Don't Disclose The Weight Of The Jewelry
3) Jewelers Wonʼt Disclose How Jewelry Is Priced Or Their Markup
YINCITY GOLD is the solution for the U.S. Retail and Luxury brand Jeweler selling heavily diluted alloyed Gold Jewelry at markups of 200%-300% or higher the Jewelry’s Gold value to maximize profit at the expense of the customer. For Gold Jewelry to be an investment in Gold, Jewelers must stop charging excessive markups. If customers unknowingly pay obscene markups, the Jeweler will never offer customers a fair deal.
Educate yourself and vote by your dollars for a better product. We believe our product represents what gold jewelry should be.
THE MOST DIRECT AND AUTHENTIC WAY TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ENJOY AND INVEST IN PHYSICAL GOLD
NEVER BE TOLD OR SOLD ANYTHING LESS THAN PURE 24K GOLD