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Karat marks
When buying gold jewelry, always look for the karat mark. All other
things being equal, the higher the karat, the more expensive the piece.
In the United States, 14-karat gold, or 583 parts pure gold, is the most
common degree of fineness. Nothing less than 10 karats can legally be
marked or sold as gold jewelry in the U.S. However, lower karatages,
such as 8-karat gold and 9-karat gold, are popular in other countries.
18-karat gold is 18/24ths, or three-quarters pure gold, and jewelry of
this fineness is marked 18k or 750, the European designation meaning 75%
gold.
Always look for the karat mark or "k" that appears on the back of the
piece. By U.S. law, if a karat mark appears you should also see the
manufacturer's trademark to assure you that the karat marking is
accurate. The country of origin should also appear.
In addition to the karat mark, every piece of gold jewelry should be
stamped with a hallmark or trademark of its maker, and sometimes its
country of origin. These designations assure you that you are buying
genuine karat gold jewelry. Heavier pieces contain more gold.