14 kt gold or 18 kt?

[abretesesamo_]

Hi everyone...Ì`m posting this thread beacuse I have a doubt and I need your oponion.
I`ve noticed that lots of online-shops sell 14kt gold jewelry, so I believe is very common to buy 14 kt. in the US. However, in my country, is very unusual to buy low-gold, there`s a a concept that you can`t, for example, have a shower while wearing it, beacuse it turns black.
Please, clarify my doubt, doesn`t 14kt gold turns black if you wear it 24/7?

Thanks

[ksammon]

i dont think so i own both kts and i dont really see the diff but yet again i dont wear alot of gold alot

[LeeMiller]

I have 14k, 18k, and 22k, they all seem to wear well. I do have an older piece in 14k that has some discoloration, but its at least 30 years old. I haven't had anything else turn black.

[abretesesamo_]

Thank you both for your opinions

[onada01]

i have a ring my mum gave me and its about 20 years old. its 14k with no discoloration at all. and once i clean it, it looks great!

[Junkenpo]

The only reason I wear 18k over 14k is because I like the more yellowy-deep gold color of 18k. I have never seen any discoloration of 14k jewelry.

[tokyogirl]

I agree -- I like the deeper golder look of 18K over the 14K while they are priced higher. Also where I currently live, 18K is the default (more difficult to find 14K).

Also love 22K, but they are not easily obtainable where I live and, I hear (although not sure) that you need to be more careful with 22K since they are softer and more prone to damage.

[Leelee]

All my pieces are 18K white gold or platinum, so I can't speak from personal experience about yellow gold, but I have heard that the lower the number the stronger the metal. That is, 14K is stronger than 18K.

[2manybags]

It's kind of the same in my culture. For my Mom 14K isn't considered "real gold," only 18k, 22k, or 24k is, so our jewelry is set in that or platinum. Although, I have to agree with Leelee -I've heard that the lower the #, the stronger the metal is.

[Bride2B]

I prefer 14K because it has a "whiter" appearance than 18K.....18K tends to have slight yellow undertones.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by onada01

i have a ring my mum gave me and its about 20 years old. its 14k with no discoloration at all. and once i clean it, it looks great!

My mom gave me my Grandma's medallion (dated 1939) and her little charm that is about 20 years old. No discoloration either, here is a picture I posted a while ago, both pieces are 14K

[BagsRmyLife]

Very cute pieces...love the elephant!

[Charlie]

Thank you

[smalls]

I was talking to my jeweler last week and he had made a comment about someone's necklace (either 10k or 14k yellow gold turning color or tarnishing). I told him that I didn't know that it could turn since I've had pieces for 25+ years that have not changed at all in color. He said that it is more dependent on the other metals mixed in with the gold (since it's not pure gold) that would determine whether it could turn. I also though he said that the necklace had turned due to a reaction to something with the gold (like a chemical, maybe chlorine or something, sorry I don't remember all the details). I think under normal circumstances though that yellow gold is unlikely to turn.

I do know that my 14k white gold gets a yellowish tint with time, but I could get it rhodium plated to make it look white again. I don't know if 18k white gold does the same thing...