When choosing jewelry made from precious metals, consider the following:
Durability: Some metals are more durable than others, making them better suited for everyday wear. For example, platinum and white gold are more durable than silver.
Hypoallergenic: Some metals are more hypoallergenic than others.
Color: The color of the metal can depend on your skin tone, personal style, and the occasion.
Alloying: Many metals are alloyed with other metals to improve their durability and create different colors.
Karat: The purity of gold is measured in karats (kt), which is a fraction of 24. For example, 24 is 100% pure gold (24 / 24 = 1.00; 18kt gold is 75% pure gold (18 / 24 = 0.75), 14kt gold is 58.3% pure gold (14 / 24 = 0.583, 10kt gold is 41% pure gold (10 / 24 = 0.41)
Reaction with skin: A reaction between gold jewelry and the wearer's skin can cause a black film to appear on the skin. The higher the percentage of base metal alloy, the more likely this is to happen.